2Bangkok.com - Nigerian Scam Letter

Letter from Thaksin's son! - July 20, 2007
Another Thai-themed Nigerian scam letter variant...

SHIN CORPORATION PUBLIC LIMITED COMPANY.
(satellite & telecommuincation lnternational).
414 PHAHOLYOTHAI ROAD,SAMSENNAI-PHAYATHAI.
BANGKOK,KINGDOM OF THAILAND.
JULY 20,2007.
DEAR SIR,
my names are panthongthae shinnawatra.l am the only son of the former prime minister of thailand,mr thaksin shinnawatra.due to political changes last year in thailand that forced my father out of power and the new government continued frozing of our family assets in thailand.l along with the chairman of my father company(mr bonnklee plangsiri) have decided to delnvest our company here in thailand and relocate it in your country as a fresh and new multi million lnvestment.my office request you to help us to tranfer our family remaining amount here in thailand. (US$52MILLION DOLLARS.) to your bank account in your country.we got every lnstrument to get this transaction completed within one week.our foreign lawyers will help us to get it done.my father is the current chairman of manchester city football club in england.our lnternational legal adviser told me to contact you to help our family to establish a joint telecommuincation venture in your country.when this lnvestment is properly done.your own share in the company will be 30% while our family will own 60% and 10% will be set aside for ancillary expenses.if you agree our proposal,kindly let me know and sent your profile to my office soonest.please keep this arrangement strictly confidential as the eyes of the new government in thailand is on our family.
thanks for your corpeartion.my office is expecting to hear from you soonest.
signed.

MR PANTHONGTHAE SHINNAWATRA.
DIRECTOR OF FOREIGN INVESTMENT SERVICES DEPT.
SHIN CORPORATION PUBLIC LIMITED COMPANY.
414 PHAHOLYOTHAI ROAD SAMSENNAI-PHAYATHAI.BANGKOK.THAILAND.
COMPANY WEBSITE:www.shincorp.com
shinnawatrapanthonthae@yahoo.com

MANAGING DIRECTOR
KRUNG THAI BANK PLC
35 SUKHUMVIT ROAD,
BANGKOK 10110 THAILAND

Dear Friend,
I am Mr. Aphisak Tantiworawong , Managing Director Krung Thai Bank Plc, Thailand and a Korean by Nationality.
I am contacting you with respect to a portfolio amounting to $42,720,000 USD (Forty Two Million, Seven Hundred and Twenty Thousand United States Dollar) deposited by a Switzerland Merchant named Mr. Horst Schlegel.
On the 4th of August 2003 Mr. Horst Schlegel deposited $42,720,000.00 USD (Forty Two Million, Seven Hundred and Twenty Thousand United States Dollar) under our portfolio management department for three years and the deposit matured on the 3rd of August 2006 with over 136% growth which amounted to a total of $58,099,200.00 USD (Fifty Eight Million and Ninety Nine Thousand Two United States Dollar).
Mr. Horst Schlegel, has since passed away without stating his next of kin because he never got married nor had any childred during his existence and he was an orphan, this funds has since matured and the roll-over on the funds has also expired.
This sum of $58,099,200.00 USD (Fifty Eight Million and Ninety Nine Thousand Two United States Dollar) is still in my possession in my Bank lifeless and unnoticed because there will never be a claim on the funds and all material and immaterial documents and certificates relating to the funds are also in my possession.
At the expiration of three years, such funds will revert to the ownership of the Government for financing military operations, such as purchasing of arms and ammunitions for the military which is in-line with the Asian Tradition/Law.
In order to avert this negative development, I will like to seek for your permission as a foreigner to stand as the next of kin to Mr. Horst Schlegel so that the fruits of this old man's labor will not be use for financing weapons which will further enhance the courses of war in the world in general.
The money will be paid into your account for us to share in the ratio of 60% for me and 35% for you and the balance of 5% will be responsible for the major /trivial expenses incurred in the course of the transaction.
There is no risk involve in this project as my position in my bank and with the aid of my personal lawyer all documents will be provided to make you the legal beneficiary and the legality of this project will correspond with local and international laws of inheritance.
If you are interested, please reply immediately.
Upon your response, I shall then provide you with further information and modalities that will help you understand the transaction.
You should observe utmost confidentiality, and rest assured that this project would be most profitable for both parties because I shall require your assistance to invest my share in your country.
Awaiting your urgent reply.
Thanks and regards.
Mr. Aphisak Tantiworawong (aphisaktantiworawng@yahoo.co.th)

Thai-themed Nigerian scam letter - January 25, 2006
Dear friend,
It is with a heavy heart that i write this mail, asking for your assistance and cooperation in a transaction that will not only benefit you and me, but also thousands of other peace -loving muslim brothers and sisters living in different parts of south east asia. Before i go forward, i would like to introduce myself properly.
I am niyom wataporn, belonging to a small islamic charitable group in southern city of surat thani, basically our little organization is in charge of distributing food and books to the schools in the crises hit areas of pattani, yala and narathiwat. everything was going well, till the present government which has shown anti-Islamic policies, starting cracking down on schools, organizations etc. I was then assisted to move the fund we have accumulated over the years, to Bangkok.
Since being in bangkok does not make the fund secure, i have been adviced to seek assistance of an honest Islamic brother or sister, who can be of assistance to move this money out of thailand for safe keeping and gradually find way of supporting the schools in our region. I do not know how to go about this, but decided to start by sending message / feelers, to know if i can get in touch with honest person.
The money is 78,000,000.00 baht, (Seventy eight million in thai money ) and is still in the custody of a security company here in Bangkok, i will only disclose the name when i am sure of who i am talking to. If you are willing to assist us, almighty God will rewards you thousand fold.. but most important, whatever your decision, just keep this within you. Please contact me on this email niyom@email.com or niyom62@yahoo.com
May God bless you
yours sincerely
Niyom Wataporn

Nigerian scam letter in Thailand - December 14, 2005
A new Nigerian scam letter with a Thailand angle (text just as we received it):
Mr.keita kabo
Address : United Nation Refugee Camp. Thailand.
Email:keita_kabo@yahoo.com
Tel: 66-90116080
Dear Sir,
With due respect trust and humanity. I write you this letter which I believe would be of great interest to you. I got your contact from a business directory here in Thailand chamber of commerce and industry, I decided to unfold my investment plan to you of which I am convince as to solicit for your support and assistance after reading your profile.
I am Mr. keita kabo the son of late brigadier Johnson Kwaku of Congo . My late father was in charge of arms and ammunition procurement for the Congo Amry under President Joseph Kabila. He was arrested and shot in the currentcrises in my country by the rebel forces. Before his death he was able to confirm personally to us of an existence deposit of $12.5M (Twelve Million five hundred thousand United state dollars only) which he deposited in a private security company here in Thailand for
safekeeping.
After the death of my father, I was able to escape along with my mother to Thailand where we seek asylum as refugee but unfortunately my mother was killed in Phuket in southern Thailand on 26th December 2004 by tsunami wave and her body was never found as she was flushed away by the sea. Her death turned my life to an orphan with unbearable condition.
Now I have certified the existence of the fund in the security vault with all the appropriate documents of the fund in my hand as the next of kin/ beneficiary of the fund.I have concluded arrangementto clear the trunk box containing the money out from the security company so that I can transfer the fund out of Thailand for investment partnership because due to my current status as a political refugee here I am limited to handle such huge amount of cash as I am also limited from operating a bank account as a refugee here in Thailand.
For the above reason I have decided to seek for an assistance and help from you as a foreign partner to enable us reach a contract joint venture partnership agreement to transfer and invest the fund in a profitable business orientation in your country under long time joint venture partnership to enable us entrust the investment in your care and management as soon as it is cleared from the security vault here in Thailand.
(1) I will offer a 25% reasonable percentage from the total fund as areward for all your help in transferring of the fund to your Bank account in your country.
(2) I will map out 5% of the total fund to meet up any expenses made by both parties during the transaction.
(3) To enable me relocate and settle in your country as soon as the fund is successfully transferred to your account.
(4)To reach a long-term partnership agreement to entrust the investment in your management.
Please, go to the below site and read the present situation of my country.
http://www.cnn.com/2005/WORLD/africa/10/31/congo.rwanda.ap/index.html
Note this transaction is 100% riskfree from both sides, So you should not entertain any fear. For the interest of this transaction do not hesitate to contact me on my direct telephone number: 66-90116080 or email: keita_kabo@yahoo.com
Yours Sincerely.
Mr. keita kabo

Tsunami scam letter - January 12, 2005

From Mrs Judith Ellioth.

Dear Beloved

I am the above named person from Thailand but now undergoing medical treatment in Saudi Arabia. I am married to Dr.Davis Ellioth Whales who worked with Malaysia embassy in Thailand for nine years before he died due to the tsunami disaster which affected the arear where he was, shortly before his sendoff party in thailand . We were married for 23 years without a child. His death came as a great shock to me barely four days before my flight from Saudi where I am taking treatment to Thailand our home land for the sendoff ceremony from active service . Before his death we were both born again Christians.
Our plan before his death was to travel over to europe to collect his retirement entitlements from his long years in service, he stated that he will prefer the funds payed to him in Europe, as he made arranegements for the entitlement accrued to him to be turned as fixed deposit, so that he wll have some interest accrued to the funds at the end of the day,was given choices of having the funds being payed to him in variety of the central bank of Thailand affliates in Europe Presently, the funds is till lying with bank as it was tuned into fixed deposit Recently, my Doctor told me that I would not last for the next three months due to cancer problem. Though what disturbs me most is my stroke. Having known my condition I decided to donate this fund to aid the Tsunami disaster victims or better still a christian individual that will utilize this money the way I am going to instruct here in. I want a church or individual that will use this to fund adequately distribute it to the areas affected by this disaster, orphanages and widows propagating the word of God, and also set up a charity organisation that will careter for orphans affected by this disaster. The Bible made us to understand that Blessed is the hand that giveth. I took this decision because I don't have any child that will inherit this money and my husband relatives are not Christian and I dont want my husbands hard earned money to be misused by unbelievers. I donot want a situation where this money will be used in an ungodly manner, hence the reason for taking this bold decision. I am not afraid of death hence I know where I am going.
I know that I am going to be in the bossom of the Lord. Exodus fourteen verse foruteen says that the lord will fight my case and I shall hold my peace. I dont need any telephone communication in this regard because of my health,and because of the presence of my husband's relatives around me always. I donot want them to know about this development. With God all things are possible.
The most important aspect is that it is written in the book of reveleation that in the end time, misteries of ethinic clashes, strange eviromental occurrence, which is practically materialising, so we should be stead fast in the Lord and be righteuos, so that we will be raptured when he comes to take his children to heavenly bossom.
As soon as I receive your reply I shall give you the contact of an attorney working in the thailand high commission in U.K who will help you in securing the neccesary documents, and file in for a change of beneficiary from my late husband to you. I will also issue you a letter of authority that will empower you as the original-beneficiary of this fund.
I want you and the church to always pray for me because the lord is my shephard. My happiness is that I lived a life of a worthy Christian. Whoever that wants to serve the Lord must serve him in spirit and truth. Please always be prayerful all through your life. Any delay in your reply will give me room in sourcing for a church or christian individual for this same purpose. Please assure me that you will act accordingly as I stated herein. Hoping to hear from you immediately you read this mail.
Send mail to my private Email: judithelliot1011@netscape.net

Best Regards.
Mrs, Judith Ellioth.

Nigerian scam running low on ideas - January 5, 2004
Nothing to do with Thailand, but interesting. Since we maintain the Nigerian Scam Letter in Thailand pages we get approximately 20 Nigerian scam emails daily (we assume the scammers scan sites with some mention of African terms and tag these as good targets). The scammers may be running a little low on ideas as the following letter seems to indicate: Greetings. I am Bro.Akintola Williams of Anointing Grace Ministry Nigerian Inc. Worldwide,basically a prayer and deliverance ministry.I am equally a retired Managing Director of the Federal Ministry of Finance. Since I recieved my calling and joined my Ministry,I have been asking God to purify what remains of my wealth for Evangelical works and for Orphanage.On the last day of a special fasting and praying session in my Ministry,there was a divine revelation from God that I should invest in your Organisation. My God is not an author of confussion,contact me immediately on my e-mail for further discussion. Your brother in Christ Bro.Akintola Williams - This mail sent by: SH.COM - Service Shanghai, the commercial center and greatest city in China. http://www.sh.com

The updated Thai (Nigerian) scam letter - October 28, 2003

Thanks to everyone who forwarded this updated Thai (Nigerian) scam letter that is making the rounds again. The original one (printed further down the page here) was a bit shorter. The new one includes an invitation for a face-to-face meeting!

********

Return-path: <wy004@themail.com>

My name is leelapun surat a bank manager in a reputable bank in Tepsirin,Pomprabsatupai Bangkok Thailand.

I am contacting you with the hope of having a private and confidential business with you. I am writing you asking for your assistance in the transfer of USD. 27.8M (Twenty Seven Million Eight Hundred Thousand Dollars). Before I go ahead with my request I will like to inform you that I loved if could meet to discuss this transaction in person due to its magnitude, I am taking this urgent move in order to make an acquaintance with you prior to the time I will be due for an official assignment in Europe But first I will like to put in the light of this transaction. Close to the end of 2001 my bank decided to take a major step by changing the policy of all its branches due to the merger with another bank. Hence due to the change in policies and top management it became necessary for some majors customers to determine their positions with the bank. Due to the large amount involved, some of the foreign customer who believed that that new policy would not benefit them found it hard to transfer their funds as result of procedures involved and limited time.

A foreign customer approached me in confidence and asked for my assistance in the transfer of his funds, which I agreed to. I offered my assistance in the little way I could and I gave him some recommendation. Apparently the fund was moved from my bank shortly after this time. To my surprise I did not hear from him afterwards, which really was not what I expected, to more of my surprise I was contacted by the financial institution I recommended him to late last year that he has not come to finalize its transaction.

After proper investigation I discovered that he was involved in an auto accident that took is life. And the deceased customer did not have on records with the bank any close relation. Prior to this discovery, I was compelled to assume responsibility for monitoring this fund, which is quite difficult for me due to my position in my bank. My proposal to you is for us to conclude this transaction together, as I cannot claim this fund by myself. I am ready to share it at ratio 60:40, 60% for me and 40% for you. I will like to assure that this transaction is risk free, but privacy is required and cannot be compromised. Please send to me your private phone number and fax, so I can give you more details

I have reposed my confidence in you and hope that you will not disappoint me. Endeavor to contact me immediately through my my e-mail address : leelapuns001@ziplip.com

Regards,
leelapun surat

NB: Please respond to my private email : leelapuns001@ziplip.com

********

SiliconValley.com has an article on how scammers will profit from the recent tragedies. One expert mentions likely variations on the Nigerian scam:

He said a victim would get an unsolicited e-mail saying a West African national killed in a well-publicized disaster, such as in the hijacking of the planes crashed into the World Trade Center and Pentagon, had left an unclaimed fortune.

``They would then say, `I have chosen you as a trusted source to help get this money out of the country, please supply me with your bank details.' It seems fairly innocent. All they need is a sign you are hooked,'' the official said.

``But they then say we have come up with a problem and need to bribe someone or pay off a lawyer, hire an armoured car, things like that -- so you end up losing 30,000 pounds ($44,000) pretty quick.''

You've been warned! (For other articles on this site related to the events of Spetember 11, 2001, see here.)

A Cameroonian and a Liberian have been arrested in a money scam, police said yesterday. Tchatchiw Vivien Vico, 26, from Cameroon, and Wilson Yancym, 29, from Liberia, were arrested at the Plaza Athenee hotel on Wireless road.

They allegedly belonged to the so-called Black Money gang, which duped people into buying a chemical that they claimed would turn blackened pieces of paper into US bank notes. The two were arrested after a complaint from Maurizio Bottore, an Italian national who claimed the gang had swindled him out of 2.6 million baht. The Italian said he was duped into paying 2.6 million baht for a "special chemical" to spray on blackened pieces of paper to turn them into US bank notes. He was told the blackened notes were supplied by US authorities for smuggling into Liberia to fund activities of rebel groups there.

Also seized in the arrest were stacks of black paper the size of a US bank note, police said. The suspects were also charged with bribery after they offered to give the police 400,000 baht in cash and gold in exchange for their release. Amporn Adjay, 34, and Wandee Pothong, 27, were arrested as accomplices when they handed the bribe to the police on behalf of the suspects. Police were looking for other suspects.

please proceed and post the info on the web. we hope by this many innocent people are saved from financial losses.

KINDLY REFER TO THE CONTENTS OF THIS MAIL WHERE IN ANOTHER COPY HAS BEEN MAILED TO THEIR COUNTERPART IN THAILAND NAMED DAVID NEWMAN WHOSE E.MAIL I.D MUST BE kingfser@ksc15.th.com .

THIS GANG SHOWS A LARGE SUITCASE OF BLACK AMERICAN CURRENCY AND THEY WASH IT IN OUR PRESENCE. DAVID NEWMAN HAD A MOBILE PHONE : NO OF THE PHONE IS 01 846-7167 IT NOW APPEARS HE IS NOT RESPONDING TO CALLS ON THAT NUMBER.

THIS GANG HAS DEFRAUDED US TO THE EXTENT OF 40,000$'S U.S ON VARIOUS ISSUES PERTAINING TO CLEANSING OF THE CURRENCY.

THE CONSIGNMENT CONTAINING THE CURRENCY IS IN BANGKOK. ALL CORRESPONDENCES OR COMMUNICATIONS ARE THRU THE NIGERIAN COUNTERPART NAMED DR AKWU. HIS PHONE NUMBERS ARE 234 14521220.

Date Fri, 1 Dec 2000 14:50:23 -0800 (PST)
Subject Re: Investment

Message Source

Compliments,

It is my great pleasure to write you this letter on behalf of myself and my colleagues.

Your particulars was given to me by a member of the Nigeria Export Promotion Council (NEPC) who with the Federal Delegates to your country during a exhibition. I have decided to seek a confidential cooperation with you in the execution of the deal described hereunder for the benefit of all the parties and hope you will keep it as a top secret because of the nature of the business.

Within the ministry of Petroleum Resources where I work as a director, Project Implementation and with the co-operation of four other top officials, we have in our possesion an overdue payment bill totalling twenty Seven million, Five Hundred Thousand US DOLLARS (US$27,500,000.00) which we want to transfer abroad with the assistance and co-operation of a foreign company or individual to receive the said fund on our behalf or a reliable foreign non-company account to receive such fund.

The amount represents some percentage of the total contract value executed on behalf of my ministry by a foreign contracting firm which we the officialover-invoiced.

Though the actual contract cost have been paid to the original contractor, leaving the balance of US$27.5M which we have in principle gotten an approval to remit to a foreign bank account you will provide. Since the present Government of Nigeria is determine to pay every Foreign contractor all debts owed so as to maintain good relationship with Foreign and non-Government Financial Agencies we then decided to include our bills for payment with the co-operation of some officials from the Ministry of finance (FMF) and the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN).

We are seeking your assistance in providing a good company’s account or any other bank account into which we can remit this money by fronting as the beneficiary.

This process being an internal arrangement with the departments concerned. I have the authority of my partners-involve to propose this deal to you as you might be willing to assist us in this transaction, for your assistances we shall offer you 20% of US%27.5M, 75%for us and 5% for miscellaneous expenses.

The business is 100% hitch free on your part provided you treat it with utmost secrecy and confidentiality. Also your area of specialization is not hiderance to the successful execution of this transaction. I have reposed my confidences in you and hope that you will not disappoint me.

Your sincerely,
David Newman

Note:That you are not running any risk, thanks for your cooperation.Please include your Tel/fax Number for easycommunication.

A Kinder, Gentler Scam Letter - February 16, 2001
Bernard Trink's February 16, 2001 column for the Bangkok Post includes a new version of the scam letter. This time you'll be stealing from a dead man.
My name is Steven Kogi. I am the Manager, Credit and Accounts Department, of North Atlantic Security Comp Ltd, Lome, Togo, with head office in Holland. I write you in respect of a foreign customer with A/C Number 14-225-2004/UTB/T. Who, among others on board, had a plane crash in USA in 1999. All on board died in the plane crash.
Sir, since the demise of this our customer, Mr Levy Shimona, a Lebanese import and export tycoon here in Lome, Togo, I have kept a close monitor of his deposit records and accounts. Since then nobody has come to claim the money as his next of kin. Mr Levy Shimona has US$12.4 million in a coded account. It is only an insider that can produce the password of the deposit particulars. As it stands now, there is nobody in a position to provide the required information other than myself considering my position with the security company.
Based on the reason that nobody has come for the claims of the deposit as next of kin, I seek for your co-operation to use your name and particulars as the next of kin to the deceased and the beneficiary of the fund. This will enable us to send the money to an offshore account that will be provided by you for sharing, as I am the only person who has the code to the deposit and have already removed the file from the company safe.
What is required of you is to send an application seeking claims of the deposit as the next of kin to Levy Shimona. I will send you the specimen copy of the required application as soon as you show your willingness to assist me. Note that the banking rule here does not allow unclaimed deposits to stay for a period of more than two years, otherwise it is recalled to the Government Treasury since it is an expatriate's account.
In view of the above, I implore you to join me to lay claim to this deposit as the next of kin to Mr Levy Shimona. There is no risk involved in the business as you will be given all vital information about the deposit ingredients. It is good for you to note that all modalities have been put in place for a hitch-free operation. Sharing will be made in the ratio of 60% for me and 40% for you. You can please contact me on phone number [withheld] or email [withheld]
Kind Regards, Steven.

A Long Series of Letters from the Con Men - October 1, 2000
October, 2000 - That wacky Mr. Bongo is at it again! We have received a long series of letters translated into English from Italian. They show what one is likely to receive once they respond favorably to these scammers.

Nigerian Scam Letter Archive - Due to the volume of Nigerian Scam letters that have been contributed, we've set up a new page to hold them all.

Trink Has the Scoop- September 19, 2000
Bernard Trink is reporting that "Nigerians" are stopping tourists on the street in Bangkok, asking them to be their business partners! This is a nice personalized twist on the scam.

Trink Features Religious Scam Letter - August 26, 2000
The latest scam letter in going around in Thailand has a religious bent. A copy was reproduced in Bernard Trink's column on August 25, 2000. Instead of Nigeria, it involves Sierra "Lion" and Ghana.

Nigerian Scam IN Thailand - July 21, 2000
Local newspapers report that the newest version of the postal Nigerian Scam Letter has a phone number to call IN Bangkok (a local number). We have yet to see one of these letters, but will post it once we do. We wonder who's behind this...