This has to be the best written phishing email I've ever received!

Disclaimer: this is a scam.  Do NOT try this at home.

 

 

Dear Friend, Please Call Me

 

I am Mr. Ali Tanko (Esq, from Abidjan Cote D’ Ivorie, solicitor and personal lawyer to late Mr. Albert a client of mine, who has a servicing firm affiliated with the Electric Authority here in Abidjan Cote D'Ivoire.

He was awarded a contract worth (US$18,600,000.00). Immediately this contract was signed, an initial amount of (US$7.600,000.00) was paid to him as mobilization fee to kick off the contract. He duly completed this contract pending when his remaining balance of (US$11,000,000.00) will be paid to him. On the 21st April 2005, my client, his wife and their three children were involved in a ghastly boat capsize at Bassam. Unfortunately, all the occupants in the boat lost their lives.

Not too long after his untimely death, his outstanding balance of US$11,000,000.00 was approved and deposited in a Bank here. Right now the funds are still floating unclaimed in the suspense account of the offshore correspondence payment centre here.

I have reasoned very professionally and I feel it will be legally proper to present you as the next of kin of my deceased client, so that you can be paid the remaining balance of his contract funds left in the Bank, hence I contacted you. I am offering you this opportunity by contacting you to assist in repatriating the fund and property left behind by my client before they get confiscated or unserviceable by the Bank where this huge deposit were lodged. The National Electric Authority issued me a notice as the Attorney to the deceased to provide the Next of Kin or have the Account confiscated in a shot period of time since I have been unsuccessful in locating the relatives for over a year that I have been searching.

I seek your concept to present you as the Next of Kin or family member to the deceased since you are at an advantage, bearing the same surname, so that the proceeds of this remaining balance of his contract funds valued at (US$11,000,000.00) can be paid to you. We shall both share the funds; we will agree on the sharing ratio as we proceed, a certain amount will be for any incurred expenses and for donation to charitable organizations.

I have all the necessary Legal Documents that will be used to back up any claim we may make. All I require is your honest co-operation to enable us see this project through. I guarantee that this will be executed under a legitimate arrangement that will protect you from any breach of law after the transfer is done, then you and l can share the fund 60-40 .Please call with this number: +225-66663632 011225-08554493 or +225-66663632 / 011225-66663632 for further details.

Best personal regards,
Mr. Ali Tanko(Esq.
Tel: +225-66663632
Tel: +225-08554493

Yea, these scammers are getting smarter and smarter! I've seen a few of these in my inbox as well.

As if it were't obvious enough that this was a scam, but the whole concept ITSELF is bogus.

"Hi, I'm a lawyer.  I want to give you a lot of money that I could easily claim was my own. " 

 Email them back.  It's fun.  String them along, and then stall...stall...stall.

Wow! I had no idea I had relatives in Africa! However, I don't think that 60-40% sounds very reasonable, after all you are only his lawyer, not another relative.

What do I need to do to help? 

OK, now I've baited him/her AND thrown in a completely irrelevant monetary squabble!  I wonder if they'll try to haggle with me! 

LameAssTheMity:

 

Wow! I had no idea I had relatives in Africa! However, I don't think that 60-40% sounds very reasonable, after all you are only his lawyer, not another relative.

What do I need to do to help? 

 

OK, now I've baited him/her AND thrown in a completely irrelevant monetary squabble!  I wonder if they'll try to haggle with me! 

Don't forget to start to become uncomfortably sexual with the Nigerian internet cafe artist. 

LameAssTheMity:

 

Wow! I had no idea I had relatives in Africa! However, I don't think that 60-40% sounds very reasonable, after all you are only his lawyer, not another relative.

What do I need to do to help? 

 

OK, now I've baited him/her AND thrown in a completely irrelevant monetary squabble!  I wonder if they'll try to haggle with me! 

Awesome. Be sure to keep us updated on your newfound riches.

 This has the makings of a seriously entertaining thread.

lol, this is going to be good!! 

madfigs:

If anyone is interested in this sort of thing, 419 Eater is a site that has dozens of exchanges that people have done with internet scammers.

My firm thanks you for providing me with this website.  I am confident that this will keep me fully invested and otherwise incapable of work for 2 full days.  Again, my firm thanks you.  *I really hope this site isn't blocked at work.* 

Thank you so much for your response and for honoring my mail. I intend establishing a cordial and amicable relationship with you  based on trust, sincerity and dedication towards achieving this goal within the shortest possible time and I will like to use this opportunity to let you know that this is a legitimate transaction which we shall follow normal banking transaction to execute. As of now I will like to inform you that it does not matter even if you are not biologically related to the late account holder but what matters most is your willingness to assist me realise this goal as soon as possible to avoid the bank declearing the funds as unclaimed dividends.

I would prefer to have your private contact address/phones instead of company contact for us to have a discussion on this matter. After that I will be sending you a text application form through which you will apply directly to the Bank for the release of the funds to your nominated account, you can also call me with this number +22566663632 for easy communication in this transaction i will be very happy if this money will be into your account before 7 working days,

 

Thanks to your anticipated co-operation.

 

My sincere regards,

 

Ali Tanko

+225 6666 3632

 my latest response:

I would very much like to call you, but I must warn you that I am not able to operate a normal telephone as I am hard of hearing from an accident I was in a few years ago.  I have access to a textphone if you have one of those, but I'm afraid this is my main form of communication.

Ali Tanko wrote:
Thank you so much for your response and for honoring my mail. I intend establishing a cordial and amicable relationship with you  based on trust, sincerity and dedication towards achieving this goal within the shortest possible time and I will like to use this opportunity to let you know that this is a legitimate transaction which we shall follow normal banking transaction to execute. As of now I will like to inform you that it does not matter even if you are not biologically related to the late account holder but what matters most is your willingness to assist me realise this goal as soon as possible to avoid the bank declearing the funds as unclaimed dividends.

    I would prefer to have your private contact address/phones instead
    of company contact for us to have a discussion on this matter.
    After that I will be sending you a text application form through
    which you will apply directly to the Bank for the release of the
    funds to your nominated account, you can also call me with this
    number +22566663632 for easy communication in this transaction i
    will be very happy if this money will be into your account before
    7 working days,
         Thanks to your anticipated co-operation.
         My sincere regards,
         Ali Tanko
    +225 6666 3632