Good Grief, Raymond Briggs
Sometimes these things are so cheesy that they make me smile. This one in particular is rather absurd. It’s the usual run-of-the-mill scammer email. Outrageous sums of cash involved. Dead guy, no kids or spouse, and he was an orphan. Need your help getting the cash out of the country. You know, the usual stuff.
But these guys threw in a couple of twists. First, the cash is in London, England and not some country you’ve never heard of in Africa or Asia. And second, there’s the bit about how in England, unclaimed cash must by law be used to fund the military. Read on, for a bit of a chuckle. As usual, Scam Flags in BOLD:
FROM THE OFFICE OF:BARCLAYS BANK PLC.
1ST FLOOR, 10, HATTON GARDE,
LONDON, EC1N 8DN,UNITED KINGDOM.Dear friend,
I am Mr.Raymond Briggs, Senior Account Officer, Barclays Bank Plc,London – United Kingdom. I am writing following an opportunity in my office that will be of immense benefit to both of us. I am contacting you with respect to inherit a portfolio amounting to $35,520,000USD (Thirty Five Million, Five Hundred and Twenty Thousand United States Dollar) deposited by a German Merchant named Mr.Lan. Jaeger. On the 18th of October 2002, Mr. Jaeger deposited $12,000,000 USD(Twelve Million United States Dollars) under our portfolio management department for four years and the deposit matured on the 18th of October 2006 with over 196% growth which amounted to a total of $35,520,000 USD(Thirty Five Million, Five Hundred and Twenty Thousand United States Dollar).The account has been dormant and unclaimed due to unavailability of a next of kin/relation to claim his money.Mr. Lan Jaeger,
What’s this space doing here? I don’t know. It was here when I got the email. So far, we’ve seen missing spaces, the repetition of a huge amount of cash, bad punctuation. What’s next?
has since passed away without stating his next of kin because he deposited the funds in our establishment at a point he was finalizing divorcing his wife and had no kids coupled with the fact that he was an orphan, this funds has since mature and the roll-over on the funds has also expired. This sum of $35,520,000 USD (Thirty Five Million, Five Hundred and Twenty Thousand 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 is also in my possession.According to the banking law and guidelines here in london, stipulates that at the expiration of six (6) years such funds will be revert to the ownership of the Government for financing military operations, such as purchasing of arms and ammunitions for the military. In order to avert this negative development.
Hey! Another space for no reason. At least this one was preceded by a period (in the middle of the sentence… I can see it now, Scammer 1 says to his buddy,”Can you proofread this for mistakes?” Scammer 2 says,”You have an empty space here! Put a period at the end of the paragraph.”
I will like to seek for your permission as a foreigner to stand as the next of kin to Mr. Lan Jaeger. so that the fruits of this old man’s labour will not be use for financing weapons which will further enhance the courses of war in the world in general. Since, It is not compulsory that the next-of-kin/relation must be a blood relation to the deceased. The money will be paid into your account for us to share in the ratio of 60% for me and 30% for you as gratification for assistance rendered and the balance of 5% for will be responsible for the major /trivial expenses incurred if any during the course of the transfer, while 5% will be given to any Orphanage home in your country. Thereafter, I will visit your country for sharing according to the percentage indicated. There is no risk at all as all the paper work for this project will be done by my attorney and with my position as the (Senior Account Officer, Barclays Bank Plc, London) guarantees the successful execution of this project. Upon your response, I shall then provide you with further information’s 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.Please, reply immediately with your full name and contact details on e-mail:,(mr.raymond_briggsxy@live.com)
Blah blah blah blah, the usual line of crud these guys try to feed you. The split, including a charity giveaway, the guarantee that nothing can go wrong, we’ve heard all this before.
Awaiting your urgent reply.
God Bless You,
Mr. Raymond Briggs.
Senior Account Officer,
Barclays Bank Plc
United Kingdom.
Once again, we find that there are just too many mistakes to be believed. Not to mention the original premise: A German guy deposits funds in a British management firm, dies, and now this guy wants our help stealing the money. Of course if we help him, not only do we become rich, but we keep all that cash out of the government’s hands. The government who, by law, must use that cash to fund war efforts. Good grief.
I am Jon, and God Bless You, Mr Briggs.
Sir, I want to be assure if this e-mail comes from your bank or it is a fraudulent act. Is it is true, Sir, kindly reply me through my e-mail.
Thanks
BARCLAY’S BANK OF LONDON PLC
54 Lombard Street London.Postcode: EC3P
Tel: +07035931142/Tel: +07035938058
Fax: +0207691236.
Att: Mr.Jopnathan.
I am the director of foreign Operations and International fund Wires Transfer of Barclay’s bank of London Plc and I am writing to you in respect of your mail and the nomination letter / Fund transfer request from M’s Grace Frederic, that she wishes you to be her trustee and representative for the claim of her late father’s deposit with our bank.
Late Dr Frederick George was our late customer with Account No. (110/3335669969) and a substantial amount (US$9.700.000.00) Nine Million Seven Hundred Thousand us Dollars deposit with our bank.
Hence Mr. Mr.Jopnathan.You has been appointed as a trustee to represent the next of kin to this deposit of late Dr George Frederic. However you have to present to our bank the below listed information’s and documents before our bank will make the transfer of the fund belonging to our late customer late Dr George Fred to your nominated bank account. [edit: ROFL!]
1. You have to get a power of Attorney and Affidavit of oath permitting you to stand as a representative / Trustee to the next of kin to the deposit of late Dr George Frederic with our bank. This power of Attorney and Affidavit documents must be prepared and sign by a Senegalese resident lawyer. Due to the next of kin refugee status in the present country were she reside which our bank have been duly informed.
2. You are required to Re-confirm and send to us your telephone and fax number for easy communications and notification of the transfer schedules.
3. You are to forward to us your bank account details and contact information, your real name as our bank will not be held responsible for any Mis-Transfer of fund to UN-authorized bank account as a result of mistake from you.
Finally On the receipt of the above documents / information’s with satisfactions we shall process your claim and make the transfer of the fund to your nominated bank account under 48hours.
We sincerely apologize to you for any inconvenience and we promise to offer our customers the best of our services.
Thanking You
Mr.Daniel Luis.
BARCLAY’S BANK DISCLAIMER:
This message and its attachment, if any, are confidential and may contain legally privileged information. If you are not the intended recipient, please contact the sender (BARCLAY’S BANK UK PLC) immediately and delete this message and its attachment, if any, from your system. You should not copy this message or disclose its contents to any other person or use it for any purpose.
Thanks.
[jon]Thank You! I highlighted a few things but it quickly became obvious that nearly everything could be highlighted….
Hola solo para dejar constacia que este tipo de correos es fraudulento, a mi me contactaron por medio de nombres de chicas supuestamente refugiadas en Senegal y sin conocerme ni mas cada una me suguirio traerla a mi pais conmigo bajo la promesa de compartir la fortuna de su supuesto padre el Doctor Frederick George y sus $9,700,000.00 dolares.
Tengan cuidado, nadie te comparte tal cantidad de dinero por que si, mas aun quien puede creer que una mujer extranjera con tanto dinero se va ir contigo solo por que si.
Esta es mi aportación,ojala sirva para evitar que timen a las personas.
Cuidado y suerte,
PD.ahh y por si fuera poco involucran a un Banco Barclays de gran renombre y te piden enviar la info a una cuenta de yahoo. Solo piensen que ese enorme y poderoso banco tiene sus propios servidores y dominios en la red, no usaria un correo de yahoo gratuito. Es absurdo y ofensivo que usen ese tipo de mensajes menoscavando nuestra inteligencia, claro siempre habra a quien le gane la ambicion y la idea de dinero facil, por eso lo seguiran haciendo. usa tus neuronas.
Gracias Héctor.
Para ordenar de resumir lo que ha dicho, tenemos que usar nuestro cerebro a veces!
Sir,
I got a amazing mail by” YAHOO BOARD” that the have selected me as winner & have issued a cheque by “BARCLAYS BANK OF ENGLAND”(BARC 4578,CHEQUE NO:233006679 8234017 3401 & ISSUED ON 22.04.09)AMOUNT IS GBP 300,000.OO.
Kindly help me please that whether it’s ANY KIND FRAUD CASE,please help me out to avoid any kind of fraud please.
With regards.
Your sincerely:
SUBHASHISH BHATTACHARYA.
INDIA.
ID:subhashish_bhattacharya@yahoo.com
[jon]I have requested the email for review. Thanks for stopping by Wordout!
i would like to know that this E-Mail is from your Bank or its fraudlent
BARCLAY’S BANK OF LONDON PLC
54 Lombard Street London.Postcode: EC3P
Tel: +447-031-864-549 /Tel: +447-031-815-801.
Fax: +.+448-704-712-722.
Att: Mr Shafique Ahmed.
I am the director of foreign Operations and International fund Wires Transfer of Barclay’s bank of London Plc and I am writing to you in respect of your mail and the nomination letter / Fund transfer request from M’s Mary George that she wishes you to be her trustee and representative for the claim of her late father’s deposit with our bank.
Late Dr George was our late customer with Account No. (110/3335669969) and a substantial amount (US$9.700.000.00) Nine Million Seven Hundred Thousand us Dollars deposit with our bank.
Hence you has been appointed as a trustee to represent the next of kin to this deposit of late Dr George.However you have to present to our bank the below listed information’s and documents before our bank will make the transfer of the fund belonging to our late customer late Dr George Fred to your nominated bank account.
1. You have to get a power of Attorney and Affidavit of oath permitting you to stand as a representative / Trustee to the next of kin to the deposit of late Dr George Frederic with our bank. This power of Attorney and Affidavit documents must be prepared and sign by a Senegalese resident lawyer. Due to the next of kin refugee status in the present country were she reside which our bank have been duly informed.
2. You are required to Re-confirm and send to us your telephone and fax number for easy communications and notification of the transfer schedules.
3. You are to forward to us your bank account details and contact information, your real name as our bank will not be held responsible for any Mis-Transfer of fund to UN-authorized bank account as a result of mistake from you.
Finally On the receipt of the above documents / information’s with satisfactions we shall process your claim and make the transfer of the fund to your nominated bank account under 48hours.
We sincerely apologize to you for any inconvenience and we promise to offer our customers the best of our services.
Thanking You
Mr.Daniel Luis.
BARCLAY’S BANK DISCLAIMER:
This message and its attachment, if any, are confidential and may contain legally privileged information. If you are not the intended recipient, please contact the sender (BARCLAY’S BANK UK PLC) immediately and delete this message and its attachment, if any, from your system. You should not copy this message or disclose its contents to any other person or use it for any purpose.
Thanks
~~ Well, I am not a banker. But I highlighted a few of the obvious scam flags – it’s definitely a scam. ~~jon
Sir, I want to be assure if this e-mail comes from your bank or it is a fraudulent act. Is it is true, Sir, kindly reply me through my e-mail.
Thanks
— On Wed, 8/12/09, BARCLAYS Bank wrote:
From: BARCLAYS Bank
Subject: B.B.L Fund Trans File 1
To: sureshkumarpatel63@yahoo.com
Cc: gracegood23@yahoo.com
Date: Wednesday, August 12, 2009, 9:15 AM
BARCLAY’S BANK OF LONDON PLC
54 Lombard Street London.Postcode: EC3P
Tel: +447-031-864-549 /Tel: +447-031-815-801.
Fax: + 448-704-712-722.
Att: MrSurehkumar Chimalal Patel .
I am the director of foreign Operations and International fund Wires Transfer of Barclay’s bank of London Plc and I am writing to you in respect of your mail and the nomination letter / Fund transfer request from M’s Grace George that she wishes you to be her trustee and representative for the claim of her late father’s deposit with our bank.
Late Dr George was our late customer with Account No. (110/3335669969) and a substantial amount (US$9.700.000.00) Nine Million Seven Hundred Thousand us Dollars deposit with our bank.
Hence you has been appointed as a trustee to represent the next of kin to this deposit of late Dr George.However you have to present to our bank the below listed information’s and documents before our bank will make the transfer of the fund belonging to our late customer late Dr George Fred to your nominated bank account.
1. You have to get a power of Attorney and Affidavit of oath permitting you to stand as a representative / Trustee to the next of kin to the deposit of late Dr George Frederic with our bank. This power of Attorney and Affidavit documents must be prepared and sign by a Senegalese resident lawyer. Due to the next of kin refugee status in the present country were she reside which our bank have been duly informed.
2. You are required to Re-confirm and send to us your telephone and fax number for easy communications and notification of the transfer schedules.
3. You are to forward to us your bank account details and contact information, your real name as our bank will not be held responsible for any Mis-Transfer of fund to UN-authorized bank account as a result of mistake from you.
Finally On the receipt of the above documents / information’s with satisfactions we shall process your claim and make the transfer of the fund to your nominated bank account under 48hours.
We sincerely apologize to you for any inconvenience and we promise to offer our customers the best of our services.
Thanking You
Mr.Daniel Luis.
BARCLAY’S BANK DISCLAIMER:
This message and its attachment, if any, are confidential and may contain legally privileged information. If you are not the intended recipient, please contact the sender (BARCLAY’S BANK UK PLC) immediately and delete this message and its attachment, if any, from your system. You should not copy this message or disclose its contents to any other person or use it for any purpose.
Thanks Sir, I want to be assure if this e-mail comes from your bank or it is a fraudulent act. Is it is true, Sir, kindly reply me through my e-mail.
Thanks
Absolutely, without any doubt, this is a scam.
~jon
My dearest one,
How are you doing this morning,hope you are fine.darling below is the part of the lawyer’s mail and i learnt that he needed some money for the service..so help me and pay the lawyer fast so that he will proceed with this service immediately.remember it is only this document that are required and i will be very happy to have this assistance rendered by you.please try and send the money for him to enable the lawyer continue with this job.be informed that i trusted this matter to you nad i would’nt want you to disappoint me..please do let me know when you send the money to the lawyer.hoping to hear from you soon.below is part of the lawyer’s mail.
Yours forever,
Divine
In view of above and from my inquiries,it will cost the sum of 510 Dollar for authentication of the power of attorney,250 Dollar for swearing of the affidavit of oath at the federal high court here before it becomes valid,120 Dollar for notary stamping at the notary office (before it will go out from Senegal here) and my consultation & legal processing fee of 310 Dollars.Total of (1,290 Dollars) One thousand,two hundred and ninety dollars only to get everything done in your name.
YOU ARE TO TRANSFER THIS MONEY THROUGH WESTERN UNION MONEY TRANSFER WITH THE NAME OF MY ASSISTANT AND ADDRESS BELOW:
NAME……………….PETER SAMUEL
COUNTRY………………….SENRGAL
CITY…………………………DAKAR
QUESTION………………..HOW ARE
ANSWER……………………..FINE
MAKE SURE YOU INFORM ME IMMEDIATELY YOU TRANSFER THE MONEY TODAY,SO WE CAN START THE PREPARATION OF THE DOCUMENTS (WHICH WILL BE READY BY THE NEXT TWO WORKING DAYS).ATTACH HERE IS MY LAW FILM ID CARD TO ENABLE YOU KNOW WHOM YOU ARE DEALING WITH.
NOTE;WE COLLECT PAYMENT BEFORE RENDERING SERVICES(AS THE BARRISTER’S LAW OF THE UNITED NATION DEMANDS),FOR TRANSFER.
(MY PRIORITY IS TO RENDER THE BEST SERVICES TO MY CLIENTS)
YOURS ADVOCATE,
Bar (Dr) CLIFFORD BENSON.
TEL: +221-7658xxxx
Sometimes I wonder if scammers have found this site and are testing their new stuff here. Well, Mr. Divine, this one fails.
There are too many scam flags to name them all, but here are a few: What exactly is a “law film” and how does that help me know who I am dealing with? And by the way, THERE IS NO BARRISTER’S LAW OF THE UN. You didn’t even spell the country correctly – where exactly is “Senrgal” anyway? This is one of the worst scam emails I’ve ever seen. Thanks for running it through the filter!
~jon
Hello Divine,have learned that this are your fake barclays account.Amazing stuff!
Dan
我也收到了这样的来信，我还傻了吧唧的给她会信呢。不过我有一条原则，要钱没有。看了您的提醒，非常感谢！
Translated loosely at google:
Comment by Hu Xueyan.
“I have also received such a letter, I also silly Baji’s letter to her would do. However, I have a principle, not money. Saw your reminder Thank you very much!”
You know the key to avoiding these scams – have principles and live by them! Thanks for stopping by,
~jon
can you tell us the number of the foreign asset transfer depatment in your banks office in 54 . lambard street in london ,
i like to know if some one called , in the foreign exchange department
mr. DAVID SMIDT if exist he sould there work as director of the foreign exchange departmen t
thanks
Nobody here by that name – if you’ve received an email you’re not certain about, copy it and paste it here. I will look at it and tell you if it appears to be a scam fake email.
A good rule to use is this: If someone you never heard of sends you an email saying you can have a bunch of cash for nothing, or you can have a bunch of cash if you help them scam some other folks out of it – well, it’s probably a scam.
~jon
I MR, ……………… el socio extranjero a la señorita Mercy Mabou, la hija y familiares a sus clientes finales DR.Patrick Mabou que vale la pena cuenta de depósito de USD5.3 millones de euros (cinco millones y trescientos dólares) en su banco,
Deseo confirmar esta cuenta y conocer los requisitos y condiciones para que la asistiera a transferir ese dinero en mi cuenta hasta que se reunirá en mi país, de acuerdo con nuestro acuerdo.
Gracias por su cooperación.
Atentamente,
El Sr. …………………….
BARCLAYS BANK OF LONDON PLC.
Barclays Bank of Scotland plc del Reino Unido.
Next of Kin: MERCY Mabou
Nombre de cuenta DR.PATRICK Mabou
Número de cuenta: BLB745008901546/QB/91/A
Cuenta Número de referencia: BBS875PKY
Cuenta Depósito Inicial Saldo: dólares de los EE.UU. 5.3MILLION
E-Mail: (barcleybankofcotland@scotlandmail.com)
E-Mail: (barcleysbanktransfer@scotlandmail.com)
El nombre del oficial de transferencia es DR.DIAMOND
Teléfono: +447031818556 / 447031818556.
Fax: +44-8704718464
My dearest.
How are you today i hope yo
I’m assuming you wanted an opinion of this particular email which you received. Even though the whole email is not there, there is enough stuff included here for me to grade this one “F” – for FAKE. I highlighted the relevant portion above in bold. (Hint: Something important is misspelled.)
~jon