Beware of Scam Promising Multi-Millions for Help with Foreign Business Exchange

A promise of $25,000,000 or more for helping circumvent some unfortunate financial logjam.  They need it done fast, they need it done with the strictest confidentiality.

FRAUD ALERT
(I promise this is not a hoax alert. I am reporting from first hand experience.
Sterling D. Allan, [www.sterlingdallan.com] Nov. 14, 2001.)

The email correspondence below is about the eight letter I have personally received in the past year presenting the same general scenario, with variations on the details -- a promise of $25,000,000 or more for helping to aid in some foreign business venture, where all you have to do is be a middle man in a financial exchange, required because of some unscrupulous law. They need it done fast, they need it done with the strictest confidentiality, and the promise to pay you well.

To see an expose on the scam, along with documentation, see
http://www.greaterthings.com/News/NigerianScam/

You will want to bookmark that page, so that when you get such a solicitation, you can then report it to the email provider to have the perpetrator's email account shut down. You can reference that URL in your request as documentation of the fraud.

I created that page after nearly getting sucked into the scam myself. I nearly feel for it because I thought it was a legitimate proposal. It happened to dovetail into some work I was doing at the time in seeking to help open an account to sell Sun Ovens in Pakistan (didn't go through). I thought they had contacted me because of that lead.

Upon inquiring with the FBI (against the advice of the instructions given me), I discovered that this scam is a very serious one and has defrauded many people. Lives have even been lost as people hopeful to cash in on these huge sums of money take trips to these African nations only to find that their benefactors are criminals.

In most cases, though, the criminals merely take the money and run, and the victim is left without recourse because of the corrupt governments that will not cooperate in prosecuting the perpetrators.

The particulars of the solicitations vary, but the general approach is easy to spot once you've seen one of these and understand what it is they are really after.

Hope this helps you avoid getting suckered.

Sincerely,

Sterling D. Allan
www.greaterthings.com


----- Original Message -----
From: "winnie nelson" <winnienelson2001@yahoo.com>
To: <sterlingda@greaterthings.com>
Sent: Wednesday, November 14, 2001 2:10 AM
Subject: MUTUAL TRANSACTION


PERSONAL AND STRICTLY CONFIDENTIAL
DEAR ,


I am Mrs. Winnie Nelson, an Ivorien widow with an
only son Daniel . My husband was the chief
security officer to the ousted president Henry Bedie
of Côte d'Ivoire. During the over throw of 24th
December 1999, my husband was among the people
that were killed by the military.
Since after his death, I ran away with my only son.
Dear, may I introduce this business proposal to you.I
wish to ask for your assistance in urgent business
transaction that requires absolute honesty and
secrecy.
The former president (BEDIE) gave him US 25.000.000
Dollars (Twenty five million US Dollars) cash in US
100.00 dollars bill stacked in a box when he got
information that the militaries were planning to
over throw him. Immediately my husband was confirmed
dead, I made away with this box with my only son so
that we can not be reached by Mr. BEDIE. I have
really been waiting for a more suitable time and
opportunity like this to contact you concerning this
transaction. Right now, the money is in a safe
place, I deposited it with a security company for
safe keeping. I am using this opportunity to seek for
your assistance to move this money to your country,
to be invested on behalf of my only son. For this
business to be concluded immediately, all you need
to do is to arrange to meet with me and my son where
this box is been lodged, open an account in your
name, pay in the whole money after clearing and
transferring it to your chosen account.
We can 't do that on our own because we don't have
account else where, moreover, we don't have any
business to cover-up that is why we needed your
assistance.
I am ready to offer you 30% of the total sum and
give you the full power to manage the remaining 70%
on be half of my son.
This money we deposited it in the best
security company in Cotonou, Benin Republic in west
Africa.
Upon conclusion of arrangement, we shall forward to
you the certificate of deposit, and the phone and
fax numbers of the security company for
confirmation.
Please I want us to finish this business as quickly
as possible.

Yours faithfully,

MRS. Winnie Nelson