Here is a classic example of the Nigerian Letter Scam
DEAREST ONE,
*********************@hotmail.com
I KNOW THAT MY MESSAGE WILL COME TO YOU AS A SURPRISE SINCE I DON'T KNOW YOU IN PERSON OR MET WITH YOU BEFORE,BUT I AM OF THE BELIEVE THAT YOU WOULD BE OBLIGED TO COME TO MY ASSISTANCE AFTER HEARING ABOUT MY SITUATION.I AM MEL AISHA FATIMA,THE ONLY DAUGHTER OF LATE MR AND MRS.MEL GEORGE KANTE.MY FATHER WAS A VERY WEALTHY COCOA MERCHANT BASED IN ABIDJAN,THE ECONOMIC CAPITAL OF IVORY COAST BEFORE HE WAS POISONED TO DEATH BY HIS BUSINESS ASSOCIATES ON ONE OF THEIR OUTINGS TO DISCUSS ON HIS DAILY BUSINESS MATTERS.I NEVER KNEW MY MOTHER I WAS BROUGHT UP BY MY FATHER AND FOR THIS REASON MY FATHER TOOK ME SO SPECIAL. BEFORE THE DEATH OF MY FATHER ON 29TH JUNE 2008 IN A PRIVATE HOSPITAL HERE IN ABIDJAN. HE SECRETLY CALLED ME ON HIS BEDSIDE AND TOLD ME THAT HE HAS A SUM OF US$10,500,000 (TEN MILLION FIVE HUNDRED THOUSAND, UNITED STATES DOLLARS) LEFT IN A FIXED DEPOSIT ACCOUNT IN A LOCAL BANK HERE IN ABIDJAN, THAT HE USED MY NAME AS HIS ONLY DAUGHTER FOR THE NEXT OF KIN IN DEPOSIT OF THE FUND. HE ALSO EXPLAINED TO ME THAT IT WAS BECAUSE OF THIS WEALTH THAT HE WAS POISONED BY HIS BUSINESS ASSOCIATES. ALSO, THAT I SHOULD SEEK FOR A FOREIGN PARTNER IN A COUNTRY OF MY CHOICE WHERE I WILL TRANSFER THIS MONEY AND USE IT FOR INVESTMENT PURPOSE, (SUCH AS REAL ESTATE MANAGEMENT)
I AM HONORABLY SEEKING YOUR ASSISTANCE IN THE FOLLOWING WAYS.
1)TO PROVIDE A BANK ACCOUNT WHERE THIS MONEY WOULD BE TRANSFERRED TO
2)TO SERVE AS THE GUARDIAN OF THIS FUND SINCE I AM A GIRL OF 20 YEARS
3)TO MAKE ARRANGEMENT FOR ME TO COME OVER TO YOUR COUNTRY AFTER THE MONEY HAS BEEN TRANSFERRED.
MOREOVER, I AM WILLING TO OFFER YOU 20% OF THE TOTAL SUM AS COMPENSATION FOR YOUR EFFORT/INPUT THE SUCCESSFUL TRANSFER OF THIS FUND TO YOUR NOMINATED ACCOUNT OVERSEAS. ANTICIPATING TO HEAR FROM YOU SOON AT MY EMAIL ADDRESS ***************************@hotmail.com
THANKS AND GOD BLESS YOU AND YOUR FAMILY.
AISHA.
Whereas the staff here hold tight vigil to delete and control scammers, some do slip through the net.
Typical scams are:
The Honey Pot Scam or Green Card Scam:
---------------------------------------- --------- Basically, the scammer will try to convince you they are in love with you but live in a foreign country, such as Russia, Nigeria, Ghana, Ivory Coast etc and need money for a ticket and visa. If you send them the money, you will never see them or it again
The Nigerian Letter
------------------------ Made famous some years ago now, originating in Nigeria. Basically you will receive a long letter saying that the author is related somehow to a rich banker/diplomat/individual and must flee the country. They will say they need a bank account to transfer a staggeringly huge amount of money into to keep it safe. If you agree, they will start asking you to send bits of money for solicitors/bribes/transfer fees etc etc etc...... people have been duped for tens of thousands of pounds by this one.
The Stranded Guest:
------------------------ Similar to the above except the sender will claim to be a tourist in a hotel who was robbed. They can't pay their hotel fees, and the manager, an evil man, is holding onto their passport until the ever increasing debt is paid. Of course they are fabulously wealthy and will reward you handsomely when they are freed. Don't believe it
Web Cam Girls:
------------------ "I'd love to chat with you on webcam, please join my site and pay for membership"..... yeah. Right. And monkeys might fly out of my arse.
The golden rule is UNDER NO CIRCUMSTANCES, NEVER EVER EVER _EVER_ SEND ANYBODY YOU MEET ON THE NET ANY MONEY, NO MATTER HOW TEMPTING THE OFFER! Also NEVER EVER EVER GIVE OUT YOUR BANK ACCOUNT DETAILS, unless you want to lose ALL of your money. Needless to say, Dating.co.uk take no responsibility if you do indeed get ripped-off.
If you do suspect a scammer profile, often they will post their email addies in their profiles, and/or have an unbelievably good profile photo (e.g. professional model quality) then click the "Report Profile" button in the left-hand menu and the Staff here will check it out. The same goes for any suspicious letters.