Francis Tia
As always, I use different colours to indicate who is writing, as follows:-
Emails from Francis are in black italics
Emails from me are in blue
My comments are in red
So, take a seat, and let's see what our lad Francis is made of...
----- Original Message -----
From: "francis_tia" <xxxxxxxx@libero.it>
To: "francis_tia" <xxxxxxxx@libero.it>
Subject: From Francis Tia
Date: Thursday, December 11, 2003 2:15 PM
From: Francis Tia.
NB! Please; get back to me through my private email:
xxxxxxxx@yahoo.fr
Dearest One,
It is my pleasure to write you after much consideration since I can not be able to see you face to face at first. Being the only son of my late father, Mr. Steven Tia. I am 19 years of age. My late father was a limited liability Cocoa and Gold merchant based in Republic of Ghana before his untimely death. After his business trip to Abidjan Cote D'Ivoire.
A week after he came back from his trip , he was assassinated with my mother by his enemies (business colleages). Which my mother died, instantly, but my father died after five days in the hospital, on that faithful afternoon. I didn't know that my father was going to leave me after I had lost my mother. But before he gave up the ghost, it was as if he knew he was going to die. He my father , (may his soul rest in perfect peace) he disclose to me that he deposited the sum of $9.5 million US dollars in one of the prime bank here in Abidjan Cote D'Ivoire.
That the money was meant for his Cocoa and Gold business he wanted to invest in Abidjan Cote D'Ivoire. Though, according to my father he deposited the money in the bank's suspense account,he disclosed to me where he kept the documents(Lodgement documents) issued to him by the bank and instructed me to seek for a life time investment abroad.
I have succeeded in locating the bank and confirmed the existence with most honest and confidentiality .Now Due to the crices in Cote D'Ivoire I am soliciting for your assistance to help me transfer this money out from Abidjan to your account abroad so that we should invest it in any lucrative business in your country because this is my only hope in life.
Your handsome reward is negotiable and I promise to compensate you greatly. Awaiting anxiously to hear from you so that we can discuss the modalities of this transaction. If this proposal is acceptable, please kindly contact me through e-mail address xxxxxxxx@yahoo.fr immediately for more discussion.
Thanks for your kind attention and mutual understanding .
Best Regards,
Francis Tia +225xxxxxxxx
Another typical scam letter: the English is not too bad, good use of lower case, the usual parent in a high-powered job who meets an untimely end leaving a large amount of hard cash languishing in a bank or security company just waiting for a kindly benefactor to stump up the readies to pay the relevant fees. The "original message" cut lines indicate that the message has been copied at least once (careless!) and, as usual, our lad uses two different addresses. (A third different one appears later. I suspect Yahoo! is proactively shutting down scammers' accounts.)
I write back as "Rula Baxter" (a middle-aged lady living in Torquay), sounding enthusiastic:-
From: "Rula Baxter"
To: xxxxxxxx@libero.it,xxxxxxxx@yahoo.fr,xxxxxxxx@yahoo.fr
Subject: Re: From Francis Tia
Date: Fri, 12 Dec 2003 21:40:21 +0000
Hello Mr Tia,
How nice to receive your message. I must admit I'm interested and a little excited at the sound of your proposal but I should like some proof of your identity before we go any further. Please send me a photograph of yourself holding a large notice with the following words printed on it: "A MESSAGE TO YOU RULA" - exactly those words, nothing more, nothing less. That way I can be sure you are who you say you are and we can make arrangements safe in the knowledge of each others identities. Of course if you would like a photograph of me in exchange, I'm sure I can do that.
I look forward to doing some profitable business with you.
Rula Baxter (Torquay, England).
From: Francis Tia <xxxxxxxx@yahoo.fr>
To: "Rula Baxter"
Subject: "A MESSAGE TO YOU RULA"
Date: Sat, 20 Dec 2003 12:46:14 +0100 (CET)
Dear Rula Baxter,
Thank you very much for your response, and for your decision to fully assist me in this hour of need. But most importantly,I want you to show your credibility promise that you will be honest and trustworthy to me during my relationship with you, I believe I could trust you, I will go and take the picture and send to you immediately Sir.
Secondly,you have to keep this business transaction confidential and top secret between you and me for my safety because the people that killed my father is after me,so I would love to transfer the money with your name into your personal account for self-keeping.
I contacted you to please do this following thing for me, to help and make sure that this money will be smoothly transfered into your bank account, you will also help to source for a nice investment where you will invest and manage the money for me. You will make arrangement for me to come over to your country to continue my Education.
After giving me the necessary assurance, I will like you to contact the bank manager.
Mr. Edward Amadu
Agricultural Development Bank.
Abidjan Cote D'Ivoire.
TEL: 0022-505-xxx-xxx
Fax: 0022-505-xxx-xxx.
email: xxxxxxxx@mail2bank.com
and confirm what is required to transfer the money into your account, I called and told him about you,that you are my late father close business associate and family friend that base abroad that you are presently my guradian and that you want to assist me come over to your country to further my education.
Rula Baxter, I believe that GOD made this choice for me. this money is a legally acquired money by my late father, he is a cocoa dealer.
This is a risk free transaction. Remember we have something in common(my relationship with you) and also you will assist me invest it in your country, most specially I will like to further my education in your country, I need you to assist me inquire a very good school(medical colleage) I will also like you to invest this money into real estate management or hotel management or any of your choice.
please do call me with this number .(0022.507.xxx.xxx),
I will like to speak with you to expl ain more in details.
Thanks and may Almighty God bless and guide you.
Looking forward to hear from you .
Best regards.
Francis Tia.
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From: "Rula Baxter"
To: "Francis Tia" <xxxxxxxx@yahoo.fr>
Subject: Re: "A MESSAGE TO YOU RULA"
Date: Sun, 21 Dec 2003 18:33:19 +0000
Hello Francis,
Thank you for the lovely photograph. It is nice to see who one is talking to. I am so excited that I am exchanging email with someone thousands of miles away! Of course I will send you some in return so that you may know who you are speaking to. My husband bought me a digital camera for my birthday last month and I have been busy learning how to use it. It's completely automatic and has a built-in flash and also a timer which you can set, then run round and be in the picture. It beeps for ten seconds and then takes a photo of you! I'm not very good so far but I'm sending you the best two. They are of me in my home. Please let me know if you like them and I will send some more.
Bye for now and have a lovely Christmas!
Love and kisses,
Rula.
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From: Francis Tia <xxxxxxxx@yahoo.fr>
To: "Rula Baxter"
Subject: Thanks for your respond please contact the bank here.
Date: Mon, 22 Dec 2003 17:43:32 +0100 (CET)
Dear Rula,
Thanks for your respond and the pictures you send to me. I am very happy to hear from you.
Please I will like you to contact the bank here immediately you receive this mail please and instruct the this money be transfared to the account you will provide please.
I will be expecting to hear from you to know the out come of your contact with the bank here. Please give me your telephone number so that I will call you. or you call me immediately you receive this mail please I will like to speak with you.
Thanks and God bless you.
Best regards
Francis.
Hey, he likes the photos - bless him! Ah, but it's straight down to business: he wants me to contact the bank so that they can relieve me of my money. I'll leave him to stew for a couple of days...
From: Francis Tia <xxxxxxxx@yahoo.fr>
To: "Rula Baxter"
Subject: "A MESSAGE TO YOU RULA"
Date: Wed, 24 Dec 2003 11:03:25 +0100 (CET)
Dear Rula,
How are you today, I hope very fine. I did not hear from you, have you contacted the bank here.
please get back to me immediately you receive this mail.
thanks and God bless you.
yours son
Francis.
Aw, c'mon, Frankie-boy, it's Christmas - a middle-aged lady has things to do! I'll leave him to stew a couple more days...
From: "Rula Baxter"
To: "Francis Tia" <xxxxxxxx@yahoo.fr>
Subject: Re: "A MESSAGE TO YOU RULA"
Date: Sat, 27 Dec 2003 12:45:06 +0000
Hello Francis,
Yes, I wrote to you just before Christmas. I thanked you for the lovely photograph and said how nice it was nice to see who one is talking to. Perhaps there are some problems with your email? I am so excited that I am exchanging email with someone thousands of miles away! Of course I will send you some photos of me in return so that you may know who you are speaking to. My husband bought me a digital camera for my birthday last month and I have been busy learning how to use it. It's completely automatic and has a built-in flash and also a timer which you can set, then run round and be in the picture. It beeps for ten seconds and then takes a photo of you! I'm not very good so far but I'm sending you the best two. They are of me in my home. Please let me know if you like them and I will send some more.
Bye for now and have a lovely Christmas!
Love and kisses,
Rula.
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From: "Rula Baxter"
To: "Francis Tia" <xxxxxxxx@yahoo.fr>
Subject: A message from Torquay!!
Date: Sun, 28 Dec 2003 21:19:36 +0000
Hey Francis - did you get my email? I'm a bit worried because other people say their not getting my emails either. I wanted to make sure you saw my photos. I've got a cracking set of fun bubbles hanging off my chest, what do you reckon?! I bet you'd like to suck them, eh Francis my boy? I have a friend called Annie. I'll send you some photos I took of her yesterday!!
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Now I search the Web for something a little more "unusual". I end up sending our lad the following:-
From: "Rula Baxter"
To: "Francis Tia" <xxxxxxxx@yahoo.fr>
Subject: Pictures of Annie
Date: Sun, 28 Dec 2003 21:23:05 +0000
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From: xxxxxxxx@yahoo.fr
To: "Rula Baxter"
Subject: Happy New Year from Francis Tia
Date: Sat, 3 Jan 2004 04:38:06 -0700
Dear Rula Baxter,
Francis Tia [ xxxxxxxx@yahoo.fr ] has sent you an e-card from 123Greetings.com.
123Greetings.com is all about touching lives, bridging distances, healing rifts and building bonds. We have a gallery of e-cards for almost every occasion of life. Express yourself to your friends and family by sending Free e-cards from our site with your choice of colors, words and music.
Your e-card will be available with us for the next 30 days. If you wish to keep the e-card longer, you may save it on your computer or take a print.
To view your e-card, choose from any of the following options:
--------
OPTION 1
--------
Click on the following Internet address or
copy & paste it into your browser's address box.
http://www.123greetings.com/view/DB40103043806808
--------
OPTION 2
--------
Copy & paste the e-card number in the "View Your Card" box at http://www.123greetings.com
Your e-card number is
DB40103043806808
If you need help in viewing your card or any other assistance, please visit our Help / FAQ section located at http://www.123greetings.com/help/
If you need further help, feel free to write to us at support@123greetings.com
Best wishes,
Postmaster,
123Greetings.com
*If you would like to send someone an e-card, you can do so at http://www.123greetings.com
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I'm a bit busy so I leave it a week, then send our lad a "holding" email - a ploy to waste time and frustrate him:-
From: "Rula Baxter"
To: xxxxxxxx@yahoo.fr
Subject: Re: Happy New Year from Francis Tia
Date: Sat, 10 Jan 2004 14:58:31 +0000
Hi Francis,
Unable to read your e-card. What is it?
Did you receive my photos? I can send more!
Regards,
Rula.
From: Francis Tia <xxxxxxxx@yahoo.fr>
To: "Rula Baxter"
Subject: Please contact the bank here
Date: Mon, 12 Jan 2004 17:27:33 +0100 (CET)
Dear Rula Baxter,
Thank you very much for your response, and for your decision to fully assist me in this hour of need. But most importantly,I want you to show your credibility promise that you will be honest and trustworthy to me during my relationship with you, I believe I could trust you, I will go and take the picture and send to you immediately Sir.
Secondly,you have to keep this business transaction confidential and top secret between you and me for my safety because the people that killed my father is after me,so I would love to transfer the money with your name into your personal account for self-keeping.
I contacted you to please do this following thing for me, to help and make sure that this money will be smoothly transfered into your bank account, you will also help to source for a nice investment where you will invest and manage the money for me. You will make arrangement for me to come over to your country to continue my Education.
After giving me the necessary assurance, I will like you to contact the bank manager.
Mr. Edward Amadu
Agricultural Development Bank.
Abidjan Cote D'Ivoire.
TEL: 0022-505-xxx-xxx
Fax: 0022-505-xxx-xxx.
email: xxxxxxxx@mail2bank.com
and confirm what is required to transfer the money into your account, I called and told him about you,that you are my late father close business associate and family friend that base abroad that you are presently my guradian and that you want to assist me come over to your country to further my education.
Rula Baxter, I believe that GOD made this choice for me. this money is a legally acquired money by my late father, he is a cocoa dealer.
This is a risk free transaction. Remember we have something in common(my relationship with you) and also you will assist me invest it in your country, most specially I will like to further my education in your country, I need you to assist me inquire a very good school(medical colleage) I will also like you to invest this money into real estate management or hotel management or any of your choice.
please do call me with this number .(0022.507.xxx.xxx),
I will like to speak with you to expl ain more in details.
Thanks and may Almighty God bless and guide you.
Looking forward to hear from you .
Best regards.
Francis Tia.
That's a bit boring - the exact same email he sent me on 20th December. But then hot on the heels of that email I receive this from our lad's bank:-
From: "Agricultural Development Bank Abidjan" <xxxxxxxx@mail2bank.com>
To: "Rula Baxter"
Subject: CONFIRMATION!!
Date: Tue, 13 Jan 2004 05:53:49 -0800
FROM:THE DESK OF THE DIRECTOR (REMITTANCE DEPT.)
ATTN: MRS. RULA BAXTER.
RE:FOREIGN OPERATION DEPARTMENT ( APPROVAL NOTICE)
THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS OF INTERNATION REMITTANCE DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURAL DEVELOPMENT BANK TAKES THIS LIBERTY TO CONFIRM APPROVAL PROCESS OF US$9.5MILLION IN FAVOUR: MRS. RULA BAXTER.
PLEASE NOTE:THAT SINCE FRANCIS TIA IS NOT THE ORIGINAL SIGNATORY TO THE DEPOSITED FUND BUT RATHER HIS LATER FATHER,THIS BANK IS REQUESTING HIM TO PROVID THE BELLOW LISTED LEGAL DOCUMENTS FROM THE FEDERAL HIGH COURT HERE IN ABIDJAN FOR US TO BE ABLE TO ADHERE TO THE INSTRUCTION GIVEN TO US TO CONTACT YOU FOR ONWARD TRANSFER OF THE FUND INTO YOUR ACCOUNT.
THE DOCUMENTS ARE AS FOLLOW.
1) ATTESTATION OF THE SOURCE OF FUND
2) COURT CLEARANCE CERTIFICATE (C.C.C)
3) AFFIDAVIT FOR CLAIM/TRUTH
4) YOUR PROOF OF IDENTITIES(e.g. Passport,Driving Licence etc)
AFTER VERIFICATION PROCESS IS COMPLETED, YOU WILL BE CONTACTED OF THE OUTCOME. IF FOUND SATISFACTORY, YOU OR YOUR REPRESENTATIVE WILL THEN BE INVITED FOR THE FINAL RELEASE OF THIS FUNDS WHICH WOULD BE MADE PAYABLE TO YOU BY A CERTIFIED BANKERS DRAFT DRAWN IN YOUR NAME OR BY TELEGRAPHIC WIRE TRANSFER,WHICHEVER METHOD YOU CHOSE.THE FINAL ASPECT OF THE FINAL RELEASE OF THIS FUND WILL BE DONE IN THE PRESENCE OF YOU OR YOUR REPRESENTATIVE WHO IS EXPECTED TO CHECK AND COUNTERSIGNS ALL THE NECESSARY RELEASING DOCUMENTS.
UPON YOUR RECONFIRMATION, WE SHALL UPDATE YOU OF THE PAYMENT SLIP/TRANSFER ADVICE NOTE VIA OUR ACCOUNT WITH OUR CORRESPONDENT BANK WHO SHALL FURTHER THE CREDIT INTO YOUR DESIGNATED ACCOUNT.
IF REQUIRED FURTHER CLEARIFICATION DO FEEL FREE TO CONTACT ME.
DO HELP US TO SERVE YOU BETTER.
YOURS FAITHFULLY
MR. EDWARD AMADU.
Agricultural Development Bank.
Abidjan Cote D'Ivoire.
TEL: 0022-505-xxx-xxx
FAX: 0022-521-xxx-xxx
How come a major financial institution relies on free mail accounts? In any case, I don't really want to give "Mr Amadu" my personal telephone number so I do what I usually do: I claim I'm deaf. I offer him a fax number (to show good will) and then try to wangle a photo out of him too:-
From: "Rula Baxter"
To: "Edward Amadu" <xxxxxxxx@mail2bank.com>
Subject: Re: Mr Francis Tia
Date: Tue, 13 Jan 2004 07:47:34 +0000
Hi Mr Amadu,
I thought I had explained to Francis before I am almost completely deaf and I am unable to use a telephone except for a "Minicom" which is a special telephone for the deaf so I can't really call you unless you also have a Minicom. Do you have a Minicom? Never mind anyway, I have asked my good friend Mrs Miggins who runs the pie shop on the corner whether she will let me receive messages on the fax machine in her office and she says yes, that's perfectly in order.
So please, in order to expedite this matter and pursue it without any further delay, please send me a list of exactly what you expect me to do and I will do it all as quickly as possible. But you must tell me what I have to do so I can sort things out at my end, especially if I have to arrange any travelling. Please send the list using the fax system. Mrs Miggins explained that I must tell you what her fax number is and this is what she told me to say: the fax system is number 09066-610300 but to use it from abroad you have to take off the zero and replace it with 44 so it becomes 44-9066-610300. Then you have to add an international dialling code which she says is usually 00 but it might be different depending on where you're transmitting from. Please make sure it's marked "For the attention of Woopsie" so it gets to me and no-one else. That's what Mrs Miggins calls me. She's a funny old stick don't you think?
Oh, and one more thing: I would like to see a photograph of your Good Self just so I know exactly who I am dealing with. You must be holding a sign saying "BELIEVE IN GBOD". The extra "B" is there to make sure the sign was written specially for me and you're not just using some other sign you already made sometime in the past. I'm sure you can understand how careful I have to be with matters as sensitive as this and having a picture of you will help me feel so much better.
Regards,
Rula.
By the way, don't try that number - it will cost you £1.50 a minute! I don't get an answer from Mr Amadu - I wonder if he tried to fax me anything? - so I write a chasing email, suitably enthusiastic. I don't want our lad to think I'm not serious about this:-
From: "Rula Baxter"
To: "Agricultural Development Bank Abidjan" <xxxxxxxx@mail2bank.com>
Subject: Re: CONFIRMATION!!
Date: Sat, 17 Jan 2004 16:40:55 +0000
Dear Mr Amadu,
Thank you for your email. It looks like we're all ready to do business now. I don't mind admitting to you that I am getting very excited at the prospect!
There seems to be just one last thing I am needing you to do as I have mentioned before to you and also to Mr Tia and that is to let me have a photograph of yourself so that I know exactly who I am dealing with. Mr Tia sent me one of himself and I can see he is a God-fearing Gentleman of the Highest Regard and Esteem. If you can arrange to do that one small thing for me then I will know for sure that you are also a God-fearing Gentleman and I will have no hesitation in placing my services entirely in your hands to be guided by you for the ultimate benefit of our mutually beneficial enterprise.
As I said in my last email, in the photograph I expect you to be holding a sign saying "BELIEVE IN GBOD". As I explained before the extra "B" is there to make sure the sign was written specially for me and you haven't just used a picture you found on the Internet of somebody anonymous. As a bank official yourself I'm sure you can understand how careful everyone must be these days with financial matters. If I have a picture of you then know I will believe in you and I will feel so much better.
If you likewise require a photograph of me I can certainly send you one - all you have to do is ask.
Thank you so much for this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.
Regards,
Rula.
I tell Francis that I've received an email from the bank. I haven't, but he won't know - he's probably working several mugs simultaneously so he won't be able to keep track. I sound enthusiastic again:-
From: "Rula Baxter"
To: "Francis Tia" <xxxxxxxx@yahoo.fr>
Subject: Re: Please contact the bank here
Date: Sat, 17 Jan 2004 16:45:05 +0000
Dear Francis,
I have today received an email from your bank and it looks like we're ready to proceed with this transaction. I'm a bit confused by the details in the email as I don't deal with banks very much myself but my understanding is that the bank are waiting for some confirmations from you and then it will be ready for me to do my part. I don't mind admitting to you that I am getting very excited now! You can rest assured that I have not mentioned any of this to anyone else in the world, so your secret is safe with me.
I trust you are well. Maybe we will meet one day, God willing.
Regards,
Rula.
From: "Agricultural Development Bank Abidjan" <xxxxxxxx@mail2bank.com>
To: "Rula Baxter"
Subject: From Mr. Edward Amadu.
Date: Mon, 19 Jan 2004 01:00:25 -0800
Attn: Rula Baxter,
This is to acknowledge the receipy of your mail, As I will tell you, it is not my duty to send you my picture but due to I have made up my mind to assist this young man Francis, because his late father was a very good costomer to our bank I will do every thing possible to assist him. this morning he was in my office demanding on how he will get the documents required by our bank to enable us effect the transfer and I have directed him to the Fedral High Court where he will get the documents.
I will take a picture today and send to you as poof that you required, and I will like you also to send me yours, as a matter of fact please do all possible to see that you assist this young man Francis because he has talked good about you. and he have all his hope on you.
I promise to assist you and Francis to the best of my knowlege.
I hope to hear from you and exect the required documents for us to contact you for immediate transfer your fund.
Yours faithfully,
Mr. Edward.
Mr Amadu is holding out for the cash before he sends a photo of himself, but I want the photo first. I'm happy to send him one of "myself", courtesy of Google Image Search:-
From: "Rula Baxter"
To: "Agricultural Development Bank Abidjan" <xxxxxxxx@mail2bank.com>
Subject: Re: From Mr. Edward Amadu.
Date: Tue, 20 Jan 2004 23:13:39 +0000
Hello and greetings Mr Amadu,
Certainly I will send you a photograph of myself. I hope I've done it right. Let me know if you get it okay. I look forward to seeing a photograph of your good self. As I explained to Francis, I do like to see who I am doing business with. Don't forget the sign: "Believe in GBOD".
Hopefully we can complete this business matter very soon now!
Best regards,
Rula Baxter (Mrs), Torquay, England.
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From: Francis Tia <xxxxxxxx@yahoo.fr>
To: "Rula Baxter"
Subject: Please Mummy get back to me immediately you recieve this mail from your son Francis
Date: Mon, 19 Jan 2004 15:04:48 +0100 (CET)
Dear Mummy,
Thanks for your mail, I am just coming from the fedral hich court now, Immediately i recieve your mail I rushed to the bank to know what they write to you that they are waiting from me, I was asked for some documents by the bank and I dont have the documents and I was directed to the Fedral High Court where to obtain the documents, I went to the Court I was very lucky to meet with the registrer at the court and after our discaution he agreed to issue me the documents but he said that I will pay for stamp duty and other legal fees which he calculated to $2,950 and now the only money left with me is $1,600 and I dont know what to do, as the bank director told me that immediately I provide this documents that they will contact you to transfer the money into your account that you will provide.
Please Mummy can you please help me with the ballance of $1,350 please to get this documents, immediately the money is transfared you take back your money please.
I will be expecting to hear from you so that I will give you contact of the registrer for you to send the money to him, for him to issue me the documents for the bank to contact you and transfer the money into your account. and I come over to meet you please.
Thanks and God bless you Mummy.
Yours son
Francis.
"Mummy"? What's that all about?
From: "Rula Baxter"
To: "Francis Tia" <xxxxxxxx@yahoo.fr>
Subject: Re: Please Mummy get back to me immediately you recieve this mailfrom your son Francis
Date: Mon, 19 Jan 2004 17:42:20 +0000
Hi Francis,
I think you meant to send this to your mother but you must have sent it to me accidentally.
Good luck,
Rula.
From: Francis Tia <xxxxxxxx@yahoo.fr>
To: "Rula Baxter"
Subject: Please I have taken you as mu Mummy Please.
Date: Tue, 20 Jan 2004 10:38:44 +0100 (CET)
Dear Mummy Rula Baxter,
It is you that I realy want to send the message to, I told you on my first mail about the death of my mother and father, I have taken you as my mother that is why I am calling you Mummy, you are of my late mothers age, as I saw on the Photo that you send to me, please as I write to you on the mail, please try all your best to help me get this documents required by the bank from me to transfer the money to your account that you will provide please. I went to the registrer at the court to inform him that my mother that is you will be sending the ballance of th money for the documents to him, and I asked him how possible it is? and he told me that it will be better if you send the ballance of $1350 to him as I have with me $1600, and he told me that you can send the money to him with his name through western union money transfer
this is his name.
Mr. James Williams.
Rue 13 bp xxxx Abidjan 13
Cote D'Ivoire.
please as soon as you send the money please send me the information to collecte the money so that I will go to him with it for him to issue me the documents immediately please.
I hope and believe you will help me for the sake of God please. so that this money will be transfared to your account and I come over to meet you please.
I will be expecting to hear from you Mummy Rula Baxter.
Yours Francis.
<GULP!> I don't think I've ever been called "Mummy" before. This almost brought a lump to my throat! But hang on, who's this "James Williams" fellow?
From: "Rula Baxter"
To: "Francis Tia" <xxxxxxxx@yahoo.fr>
Subject: Re: Please I have taken you as mu Mummy Please.
Date: Tue, 20 Jan 2004 21:47:06 +0000
Hi Francis,
I'm sorry, I thought you had sent an email to the wrong address. I am not very good with computers and I thought perhaps I had done something wrong! I must say I was deeply moved by your last letter. As I have no children of my own, I would be so delighted to have you think of me as your new mother. Perhaps the photographs I sent you reminded you of your own dear late mother. She was so lucky to have a son like you. Perhaps my breasts reminded you of her a little bit as well? Men say I have lovely breasts. If you would like some more photographs of me all you have to do is ask.
I would like to write to Mr James Williams if you would be so kind as to give me his email address?
Looking forward to completing this matter as quickly as possible now,
Rula.
Oh Rula, ou are just dying to get your tits out again, aren't you?!
From: Francis Tia <xxxxxxxx@yahoo.fr>
To: "Rula Baxter"
Subject: From Your Son Francis
Date: Wed, 21 Jan 2004 14:38:38 +0100 (CET)
Dear Mummy,
Thanks for your mail I am very happy to hear from you. Please Mummy I will be very happy if you will help me to get this documents so that the bank will transfer this money as the only thing holding the transfer now is this documents because the bank Maneger told mùe that immediately I provide the documents that they will contact you to transfer the money into the account you will provide.
Mummy as you demanded I have gone to the court to get the email address of the registrer this is the email he gave to me. xxxxxxxx@yahoo.fr
xxxxxxxx@yahoo.fr please write him please Mummy and send the money to him so that he will issue me the documents.
Please Mummy I am very happy to have you now I thank God.
I will be expecting to hear from you Mummy. Mummy you can send me more of your Photo.
Thanks and God bless you
Your son
Francis.
Hey great, another email address! I wonder if Mr Williams will let me have a photo?
From: "Rula Baxter"
To: "Francis Tia" <xxxxxxxx@yahoo.fr>
Subject: Re: From Your Son Francis
Date: Fri, 23 Jan 2004 08:31:36 +0000
Dear Francis,
I don't know who this new person is you're telling me about. I'm still waiting for an email from Mr Amadu. He has asked me for a photograph of myself to prove who I am and I sent him a photo as he asked. Now I am waiting for one from him. I will write to this new person as well if that's what you want me to do but I'm starting to get a bit confused.
Speak to you soon,
Rula.
From: Francis Tia <xxxxxxxx@yahoo.fr>
To: "Rula Baxter"
Subject: From Your Son Francis
Date: Fri, 23 Jan 2004 10:50:02 +0100 (CET)
Dear Mummy,
Thanks for your mail, Mummy I told you he is the registrer at the Fedral High Court who will issue me the documents that the bank required. I will go to the bank to know why Mr. Amadu has not contacted you but I believe he is waiting for me to provide the documents as he told me the last time that immediately I provide the required documents that they will contact you to transfer the money.Please Mummy dont be confused. Please Mummy you know the only thing holding this transfer now is this documents, Please Mummy will you send the money to the registrer? I will be expecting to hear from you Mummy.
thanks and God bless you Mummy
yours son
Francis.
From: "Rula Baxter"
To: "Francis Tia" <xxxxxxxx@yahoo.fr>
Subject: Re: From Your Son Francis
Date: Fri, 23 Jan 2004 17:24:18 +0000
Hi Francis my dearest boy,
Yes, the only thing holding up this transfer now is the documents - the documents and the photograph of Mr Amadu holding a large sign saying "BELIEVE IN GBOD" - with the extra "B" - as he has agreed.
We are very close now. Believe in God and your dreams will come true.
Love,
Rula.
Right, let's see if Mr Williams will hand over a photo:-
From: "Rula Baxter"
To: xxxxxxxx@yahoo.fr
Subject: From the computer of Mrs Rula Baxter in Torquay, England
Date: Fri, 23 Jan 2004 08:45:59 +0000
Dear James Williamm,
I am the adopted mother of Francis Tia, a lovely boy who is now in Dire Straits and I urge you to help me recover his position in life as the Good Lord would surely intend to happen. He has asked me to contact you to get some money transferred. Will you let me know exactly how much is required as my money is currently tied up in a Granny Bond with the Hairebaire and Peevely Building Society and I must give ten days notice of withdrawal. You probably know how it is with these long-term investments - if you pull out too quickly you end up in a sticky mess!
There seems to be just one last thing I am needing you to do as I have mentioned before to you and also to Francis and that is to let me have a photograph of yourself so that I know exactly who I am dealing with. If you can arrange to do that one small thing for me then I will know for sure that you are a God-fearing Gentleman of the Highest Regard and Esteem and I will have no hesitation in placing my money in your hands to be guided by you.
To make sure you are who you say you are, please be holding a sign saying "BELIEVE IN GBOD". The extra "B" is there to make sure the sign was written specially for me and you haven't just gone off and found a photograph of some ne'er-do-well off the World Wide Interweb. As someone who deals with financial matters yourself I'm sure you can understand how careful everyone must be these days with financial matters. If I have a picture of you then know I will believe in you and I will feel so much better. I have attached a photograph of myself so you can know who you are dealing with.
I am getting so excited now!
Regards,
Mrs Rula Baxter.
(Woops, I omitted to attach my photo, entirely accidentally. Let's see if he notices!)
From: James Williams <xxxxxxxx@yahoo.fr>
To: "Rula Baxter"
Subject: To Mrs Rula Baxter in Torquay, England
Date: Fri, 23 Jan 2004 14:11:40 +0100 (CET)
Dear Madam,
This is to inform you that I recieved your mail to me regarding the matter of issuing some documents to Francis Tia, your adopted son as stated. realy he told me that his mother will be sending the fee to obtain the documents and I have given him my name and address to send the fee through western union transfer. immediately we recieve the fee I will issue him the documents.
bassed on the documents required, the total cost is $2,950 (Two thousand nine hundred and fifty Dollars.)
Do you mean you required me to snap a picture and send to you to proof who you are dealing with?. realy I am Mr. James Williams, and I am the registrer at the Fedral Ministry of Justice. I dont know why you need my picture first, you told me you send your picture but I did not recieve any picture. Francis told me how serious he needed this documents and has been pleeding to me to issue the documents, but it is not on my power to issue such documents without the required fee. but since he has explained to me little about him self I will do every thing possible to see that he gets the documents as I am a Christian. now do you still want me to send you my picture? I will do that immediately I recieve yours.
I expect your reponse.
your faithfully.
Mr. James Williams.
Yes, I do want that photo. I don't care who you are - if you don't send it, we don't do business! Okay, I send him mine (correctly this time), and I also start to play stupid. (No, it really is an act - honest!)
Now's the time to slow our boy down a bit. I subscribe him to forty or fifty interesting newsletters. I also sign a couple of guest books in his name and leave his email address lying around in a couple of Usenet newsgroups. Before long he'll be wading through an inbox knee deep in junk mail.
From: "Rula Baxter"
To: "James Williams" <xxxxxxxx@yahoo.fr>
Subject: Re: To Mrs Rula Baxter in Torquay, England
Date: Fri, 23 Jan 2004 17:57:49 +0000
Dear Mr Williams,
A squillion apologies to you! I am not very clever with computers and I thought my picture was attached to the last email but you are telling me it was not. That's a surprise to me because I thought it was. Did you look right at the bottom near the end between where it says Select Signature and Send or Save Draft? I must have pressed the wrong button or maybe switched my computer off before the photo reached you.
I shall try again, please, please, be patient with me as I said I am not very good with computers. This one keeps telling me I have performed an illegal operation, what do you think that means? Maybe it used to belong to a doctor or a surgeon of some sort as I bought it second-hand at a car boot sale. I have never performed an operation in my life - I mean, I can't even slice a loaf of bread straight and the computer is telling me I have performed an illegal operation! Once when it told me that I looked out of the window and there was a police car driving slowly down the road. I wonder if the police were trying to track me down? Anyway I switched it off as fast as I could and hid it away in a cupboard!
I think I got the photo thing right this time, I shall leave the computer switched on all night in case you can't get to your inbox in time. Please tell me if you still can't see it. I'm sorry it's not a very good picture of me - it's a bit fuzzy because I had to stand the camera on a pile of books and set the automatic timer. Please tell me if it's okay, if not I can send another one. But in any case you can see who I am now.
I'm glad to hear you're a good Christian gentleman. I also try to be a good Christian but who amongst us can say we're really good? I mean, we try to be, don't we, but no-one is truly good like Our Saviour the Good Lord Jesus Christ who washed away our sins with His Blood on The Cross. Do you know what I mean? I think we understand each other. I mean, I think we are both playing different ends of the same xylophone, as we say in the UK.
Anyway, thank you for understanding why I am hesitating to send my money to someone I don't know, not like my adopted son Francis who has become so dear to me over these last few weeks. He has sent me a photograph which I keep by my bed so his is the last face I see at night and the first one to greet me when I rub the sleep out of my eyes in the morning. The sun shines so brightly from his hopeful young face, I can't wait to meet him in person! So yes please, your kind offer of a photograph will be much appreciated, Francis knows all about it. I will know immediately by your eyes and your smile that you are an honest God-fearing gentleman who can be trusted and I will feel so much happier knowing you are who you say you are. I feel this is the only proof I can ask for. Oh, and don't forget - you must be holding a large sign saying "BELIEVE IN GBOD" - with that extra "B" - so I know it's definitely your good self.
One more thing: you say the amount required is $2950 but as you are aware we do not use dollars in England, we use the Queen's Pound. Does this mean American dollars? Do you actually want me to send dollars because if so I will need to get them directly from the Hairebeare and Peevely Building Society where my investments are currently tied up in a Granny Bond. I can send you English Pounds if you like, that will be quicker, or I can send you Euros. If so I shall need to know how many pounds or how many Euros. Please tell me what to do. I'm not very good at business matters, my late husband Dilberry used to handle all those sorts of things.
You are being so helpful to my lovely Francis, I feel we are getting close to completing this important and complicated matter. May the Good Lord light your way and a chorus of angels sing you to sleep each night.
Best wishes,
Rula Baxter (Mrs),
Torquay, England.
|
|
From: Francis Tia <xxxxxxxx@yahoo.fr>
To: "Rula Baxter"
Subject: From Your Son Francis
Date: Sat, 24 Jan 2004 12:07:26 +0100 (CET)
Dear Mummy,
Thanks for your mail, I went to the Court today to meet the registrer to inform him that I will come for the documents as soon as you send the money to him. and he told me that you write to him that you asked him to send you his picture and I told him to do so immediately I believe he will send his picture to you, about Mr. Amadu. mummy you know he is a Bank Manager Please we will not wait untill he gives you his picture please Mummy, you know that this money belongs to me and you now we will not like that any body delays the transfer please mummy.Please let us try and get this documents so that the bank will transfer the money into your account and we take our money please. and I come over to meet you please. Mummy please try and send the money to the registrer so that he will issue me the documents please. I will be expecting to hear from you Mummy.
Thanks and Gopd bless you. I believe in God Mummy.
yours Son
Francis.
I hear what you're saying, Frankie, but I want the photo before I send any money. This is a good stalling tactic: agree with the scammer but don't actually do what he's asking:-
From: "Rula Baxter"
To: "Francis Tia" <xxxxxxxx@yahoo.fr>
Subject: Re: From Your Son Francis
Date: Sat, 24 Jan 2004 15:39:01 +0000
Hello Francis,
I believe you, my dear. I have a good feeling about all this. I have just come back from the building society where my money is invested and told them that I need to withdraw the amount required. They say it will be ready on Wednesday. I am sure your bank manager is quite able to handle such a simple transaction so as soon as the photograph arrives in my email box we will be ready to complete the transfer. I do not think a good Christian gentleman like him will put any unnecessary obstacles and delays in your way, surely. I am ready to act so the only person we are both waiting for is Mr Amadu. Everything is in his hands now. The sooner he sends me that picture, the sooner we will be able to put an end to all this nonsense. I'm sure you know what I mean!
Love,
Rula.
An email from the Man From The Ministry:-
From: James Williams <xxxxxxxx@yahoo.fr>
To: "Rula Baxter"
Subject: To Mrs Rula Baxter in Torquay, England
Date: Sat, 24 Jan 2004 16:09:14 +0100 (CET)
Dear Madam,
This is to inform you tha I am very much in receipt of your mail and your beautiful picture. and I promise you I will send mine as soon as possible, I will go to the studio now to snap a picture that I will send to you. as soon as I get the picture today or tommorrow I will send it immediately, just to proof my self to you on whom I am as a God fearing young man. and I will do all that is possible to issue the documents to Francis as soon as I receive the required fee. As you said you can send the fee in Queen's Pound and it approximately £1,450.
I will be expecting to hear from you,
yours faithfully
Mr. James Williams.
Let's make it absolutely clear to Mr Amadu that I'm not going to do anything until I get a photo of him, and I'll dangle the money in front of him just to make sure I've still got his attention:-
From: "Rula Baxter"
To: "James Williams" <xxxxxxxx@yahoo.fr>
Subject: Re: To Mrs Rula Baxter in Torquay, England
Date: Sat, 24 Jan 2004 15:48:11 +0000
Hello Mr Amadu,
I have just been emailing with Francis. The building society where my money is invested say that they can release the funds on Wednesday so we are nearly all set to proceed. I just knew that you were a good Christian gentleman and you would not put any unnecessary obstacles and delays in our way. As soon as the photograph arrives in my email box we will be ready to complete the transfer. Don't forget to be holding the sign as I have asked.
Maybe when all this is over you would like to visit me here in beautiful Torquay, they call it The English Riviera, it is right by the sea and very beautiful (except for today because it is winter time and it is cold and raining), but usually it's very nice.
Regards,
Mrs R Baxter.
At this point I was starting to lose interest - the game didn't appear to be going anywhere and I didn't seem to be getting that elusive "GBOD" photograph. So I logged on to Yahoo! France and created an account in the name of Samuel Igbana, a name I plucked from a scam email I'd received in the past. Samuel wrote to Rula and Rula forwarded the email to Francis:-
From: "Rula Baxter"
To: "Francis Tia" <xxxxxxxx@yahoo.fr>
Subject: Fw: URGENT!!
Date: Sun, 25 Jan 2004 13:18:10 +0000
Hello Francis,
Please, I receive a letter from someone called Samuel Igbana who claims to be your father. When I ask him to explain what he is writing to me about and how can he be your father with a different name he sends me another email saying his name is not what he first tells me, not Igbana but Igbana Tia, and he tells me about your sister Miriam. Who is Miriam, is she your sister and why is she involved now? I'm so confused I will need to sit down in a dark room with a damp towel wrapped around my aching head until the throbbing goes away. Please write to me and tell me what this means, this Samuel Igbana Tia.
Love,
Rula.
----- Original Message -----
From: "Igbana Samuel" <xxxxxxxx@yahoo.fr>
To: "Rula Baxter"
Subject: URGENT!!
Date: Sun, 25 Jan 2004 14:08:12 +0100 (CET)
DEAR MRS RULA BAXTER,
GODS BLESSING UPON YOU. I HAVE EXPLAIN ALREAY I AM SAMUEL IGBANA TIA I HAVE JUST GIVEN YOU MY WORDS. I TOLD YOU THAT I ENTRUSTED THIS TRANSACTION UNTO MY DAUGHTER MIRIAM TIA AND THAT FRANCIS MUST BE INFLUENCE BY A BAD ATTORNEY AND AT A TIME TIME, I JUST FOUND OUT THAT THE ATTORNEY HAS OVER INFLUENCED HIM. I WAS INFORM ABOUT THE DEVELOPMENT AND I DECIDED TO OVERSEA THE WHOLE THING MY SELF.
MY SON HAS REFUSED TO LISTEN AS HE HAS BEEN INFLUENCED BY THE ATTORNEY AND THEY FEEL THAT THEY CAN ACHIEVE ANY THING BEHIND ME AND I BET YOU IN THE NAME OF JESUS CHRIST THE SON OF THE ALMIGHTY GOD YOU AND I WORSHIP THAT IF YOU GO AHEAD AND PAY THAT MONEY TO THEM WITHOUT MY APPROVAL AND DIRECTION, NOTE VERY CAREFULLY THAT YOU WILL NEVER EVER GET A DYME OUT OF THE DEPOSITED MONEY. IT IS A PROMISE.
I HAVE DISCUSS WITH THE SECURITY COMPANY PERSONELS AND THEY EVEN WILLING TO METET WITH YOU IN LONDON IF THAT IS EASIER FOR YOU INSTEAD YOU GO SOMEWHERE FAR AWAY. THE MONEY IS MOST PRESENTLY WITH THE ECOWAS SECURITY AND VAULTS AS I SAY TO YOU IN MY EMAIL IF YOU DOUBT ME, TRY IT OUT BECAUSE EXPERIENCE THEY SAY IS THE BEST TEACHER. YOU WILL DEFINITELY COME TO ME TO ASK QUESTIONS AND I MAY NOT BE DISPOSED TO ATTEND TO YOU. I SHALL LET YOU KNOW WHO TO CONTACT AND HOW IF YOU CHOOSE TO BE WISE. LET ME HAVE YOU PERSONAL CONTACT NUMBER(S) AND MAKE SURE THAT YOU DO NOT LEAVE UNTILL THESE IS SORTED OUT (THOUGH YOU HAVE A CHOICE.)
I THANK GOD THAT YOU ARE A GOD FEARING PERSON AND A VERY STRONG MEMBER OF A CHURCH WHERE THE WILL OF PREVAIL. YOU SHOULD KNOW THE CONSEQUENCES OF A CHILD WHO DISOBEYS THE PARENTS. BE WISE AND MAY THE BLESSINGS OF GDO THE CREATOR OF THE UNIVERS GUIDE US TO DO THE RIGHT THING.
SAMUEL IGBANA (TIA) FATHER OF MIRIAM AND FRANCIS IGBANA TIA
The text of the email was from a previous "game". I'd received an approach from the son of the assassinated Congolese president Laurent Kabila offering me a slice of $50M if I forked out a wodge of hard-earned to cover "demurrage" and "modalities" - typical "lad" words - to secure the release of his late father's fortune which was - surprise, surprise - festering away in the vault of a security company in The Netherlands. The cash would be used, apparently, to take care of his poor widowed mother in her declining years.
I immediately wrote back saying not to worry, I had already been negotiating with his mother for several weeks and, with that in mind, I was due to fly to Amsterdam in a couple of days with a wallet full of Euros to meet her and a representative of the security company. I would hand over the money, they would extricate the cash, and I would receive $10M for my troubles. Easy peasy!
It was in reponse to that email from me that I received the email whose text I have recycled above. (Unfortunately I managed to delete all traces of that "game" but I may produce a brief write-up of it in due course.)
For added effect, Samuel Igbana also dropped Francis a line. Apologies in advance - I really must practise my West African patois:-
From: "Samuel Igbana" <xxxxxxxx@yahoo.fr>
To: xxxxxxxx@yahoo.fr
Subjet: Stayyy ouuuttt!!
Date: Sun, 25 Jan 2004 16:08:04 +0100 (CET)
HEY MAN WHY YOU GET INVOLVE WITH MRS RULA BAXTER?? I AM VERY GOOD FRIEND OF HUSBAND MR DILBERY BAXTER FROM LONG TIME AND I BEEN TALK WITH HER FOR MANY MONTHS. I TELL HER YOU NO GOOD MAN TRYING TO GET MONEY FROM HER AND DO TO HER VERY BAD THINGS. I TELL YOU NOW YOU KEEP OUT MY BUISNESS OR I COME TO YOU AND SLAP FACE!
From: Francis Tia <xxxxxxxx@yahoo.fr>
To: "Rula Baxter"
Subject: From Your Son Francis.
Date: Sun, 25 Jan 2004 17:50:50 +0100 (CET)
Dear Mummy,
Thanks for your mail, Please Mummy I dont know any body called Igbana Tia, you can see that he is a lier.¨Please Stop comunicating with him immediately please. I believe it is one on the wicked people that syas in the Business center where I do go to check my mail. Please Stop Contacting him immediately you see his mail please dont reply to it. Did the person give you any telephone Number? if yes please give me to number let me see please. If not please Mummy you know ever since I have been writing to you I never told you that I have any sister please do not beleive them they are my late fathers enemy I hope so Please I will not go to that place to wite mail to you . I hope my enemies are there, Please Mummy I am telling you the truth please I will not like that you comunicate with them again please.
I will go to the bank to inform Mr. Amadu to send you his Picture please.
I will be expecting to hear from you immediately please Mummy.
From Your son
Francis.
Getting worried now are we, Francis? Run along and get that nice Mr Amadu to pose with a silly sign around his neck, then I can send you the money you asked for and we can get our hands on the $9.5M. We're nearly there, Frankie - just be patient and we'll all be rich men - haha!
At this point I was lucky enough to discover a real gem on another scam baiting site. It was an email sent by a scammer to another scam baiter after the scammer had realised he'd wasted several months trying to con somebody who was much, much better at playing the game than he was. All I needed to do was insert Francis's name in the appropriate places, wind it up and let it go:-
From: "Samuel Igbana" <xxxxxxxx@yahoo.fr>
To: xxxxxxxx@yahoo.fr
Subject: IMPORTANT MESAGE
Date: Sun, 25 Jan 2004 19:31:06 +0100 (CET)
HEY MR TIA ALIAS HOMOSEXUAL IGBO MAN & ETE(MUGU),
YES I KNEW VERY WELL IT WAS YOU AND THIS WAS WHY I WRITE BECAUSE YOU ARE NOT A WISE MAN,BASTARD.
I WILL FUCK YOUR MOTHER,FATHER AND YOUR ENTIRE FAMILY YOU THIS BASTARD RABBIT.NO NO NO OK I WILL GIVE YOU FUCK YOUR MOTHER DOLLAR OK.
OK NO NO NO,I WILL NOT FUCK YOUR FAMILIES AND PARENT. THE REASON IS THAT THEY HAVE AIDS OK.I DONT WANT TO BE CONTAMINATED BY YOURS BASTARD FAMILIES.I WILL FUCK YOUR ASSH-HOLE AND EVERY FRIENDS WILL FUCK ALSO AFTER ME ONE BY ONE OK.ALSO AFTER US ANIMALS WILL FUCK YOU ALL OK.I MEAN YOUR BASTARD HARLOT MOTHER,YOUR BASTARD PROSTITUTE MOTHER.THIEF,YOU WANT TO STEAL MONEY.UNH UNH COME AND COME QUICK AND STEAL IT.BASTARD.
OK WHAT DID I TOLD YOU MR TIA.I TOLD YOU THAT YOU ARE NOT A WISE MAN BUT A BASTARD MOTHER FUCKER.FUCK FUCK FUCK YOUR ASSH-HOLE.I LIVE IN ABIDJAN WHERE YOU ARE.
EVEN I SAW YOU YESTERDAY EATING RUBBISH WASTED FOOD.POOR MAN AND HUNGRY LION.COME AND CARRY MONEY AND GO TO HELL AND DIE BASTARD.SEE ME SEE TROUBLE.WASH WASH,COME AND CARRY,TRANSFER,TOPPERS,CONTRACTS DO YOU KNOW ANY OF THIS JOBS.OK I WILL TEACH YOU AND YOU WILL CARRY IT TO HELL AND DIE THERE.I PRAY IT FOR YOU BASTARD AND PRODIGAN SON.DONT YOU KNOW THAT YOU ARE ALREADY REJECTED BY YOUR SO CALLED BASTARD FAMILIES.
I ASSURE YOU THIS.WILL YOU FIGHT?.LET US WRESTLING AND SEE WHO WILL WON?.YOU ARE A SHORT ARROGAN BASTARD MAN.CAN YOU FUCK YOUR MOTHER AND FATHER AND SISTERS AND BROTHER?.I KNEW THAT YOU ARE A HUMANNIZER AND A HOMOSEXUAL.YOUR CURSE IS LIKE A CRIPPLE AND BLIND MAN CURSE THAT DONT WALK OR SEE THE PERSON IT WAS SENT TO.
DO YOU KNOW GOLLIATH IN THE BIBLE?YES JOSEPH ONLY STONED HIM TO DEATH.A GIANT MAN WITHOUT ANY SINGLE POWER.YES HE WAS YOUR FATHER.INFACT GOLLIATH WAS YOUR FATHER?.DONT YOU KNOW THAT YOU ARE A BASTARD SON?. PLEASE GO AND ASK YOUR MOTHER ABOUT YOUR REAL FATHER?. ASK YOUR FRIENDS THEY WILL TELL YOU OK.ALL OF THEM KNOWS IT.YOUR MOTHER IS HIDING VERY SECRET THINGS AWAY FROM YOU?.STONE YOUR PROSTITUTE AND BASTARD MOTHER TO DEATH AND BEFORE SHE WILL GO DOWN SHE WILL TELL YOU ABOUT YOUR FATHERS HISTORY.DONT YOU KNOW THAT I MYSELF FUCKED YOUR MOTHER BEFORE SHE GAVE BIRTH TO YOU?.ASK YOUR MOTHER ABOUT MR SAMUEL IGBANA?.AFTER THAT I WILL TELL YOU ONE STORY CONCERNING YOUR MOTHER IN ABIDJAN.
I FUCKED HER JUST BECAUSE TO BUY HERSELF FOOD.STORY STORY,STORY!.I AM A HAPPY MAN AND NOT A BASTARD OK.DONT TALK AND NEVER WRITE BACK YOU BASTARD MAN YOU.I DONT INITIATE MYSELF WITH BASTARDS AND PRODIGAN PEOPLES LIKE YOU MR TIA?.
I ONLY TESTED YOU BECAUSE OF YOUR BAD HISTORY I HEARD. GOLLIATH IS NO MORE IN EXISTENCE.A DEAD CURPSE NOW. HUH! HUH! YOUR FATHER IS DEAD BASTARD.GO AND DIE IN HELL.IGBO MAN.GUY MAN.ETE MAN.419 MAN.I KNEW YOU ARE THE SAME PARTY WITH ME.WE ARE ALL THE SAME OK. YOUR ARE A 419 AND I AM A 419 IN ABIDJAN.I AM VERY POPULAR OOOOOOO OOOOOOOOOOOK.
HOLY GHOST FIRE.FIRE FIRE FIRE!!!.MR TIA FIRE FIRE FIRE.GOODBYE POOR AND BASTARD MAN.
MR SAMUEL TANKO IGBANA
It's quite beautiful - almost poetry! I could never have written anything half as good as that in a month of Sundays. How will our lad react?
From: Francis Tia <xxxxxxxx@yahoo.fr>
To: "Rula Baxter"
Subject: From your son Francis.
Date: Sun, 25 Jan 2004 18:34:07 +0100 (CET)
Dear Mummy,
I will be very happy if you will not communicate with this person again please. dont even read his mail again please, because as you write to me, he told you his name later he told you that was not his name again,this will let you know that he is not who he said he is then he decide to add my last name to his name. Please Mummy I know you will follow my instruction please as soon as you receive his email in your mail box delate it without reading what he write please.
I am very happy that you contacted me immediately. Please Mummy you know that I will never tell you what is not truth. I want you to believe me that I dont know the person he must be the wwicked person that wants to kill me. please do not reply to his mail and do not read his mail.
I will be expecting to hear from you Mummy .
Thanks and God bless you Mummy.
Yours son
Francis.
N:B Please Mummy send me all the mail he write to you please.
From: Francis Tia <xxxxxxxx@yahoo.fr>
To: "Rula Baxter"
Subject: From your son Francis.
Date: Sun, 25 Jan 2004 22:09:38 +0100 (CET)
Dear Mummy,
Thanks for your mail, Please Mummy I know this is the work of the Devil, the person doing this must be an agent of Satan,
Mummy I know this must be the wicked people that wants to kill me and take my money from me please Mummy do not contact the person again as soon as you see his email just delet it without reading it please, I will be very carefull here. I pray that we get this documents and the bank transfer the money I come over quick Mummy.
Can you change your email address, if you can just, just write my email address down and change your email address and write me with the new one immediately please. you send email to the Bank and Mr. James Williams email with the new email please. Mummy please I trust you and believe in you that you will not contact the person again and will not read his email again.
I will be expecting to hear from you Mummy.
Yours son
Francis.
He obviously doesn't want me speaking to Samuel, presumably in case Samuel give the game away and spoils the scam. Then, as good as his word, Mr Williams comes up with the goods:-
From: James Williams <xxxxxxxx@yahoo.fr>
To: "Rula Baxter"
Subject: From Mr. James Williams
Date: Mon, 26 Jan 2004 13:20:12 +0100 (CET)
Dear Madam,
Thanks for your mail, I recieved your mail and I am sending the picture as requested to fufill my promise to serve you as requested, I am James Williams of Fedral Ministry of Justice who is going to issue the documents to Francis not Mr. Amadu. I promise you that I will issue him the documents as soon as I recieve the required fee, I am a good Christian and will do my best to help you.
Please let me know that you recieve this picture.
Best regards
Mr. James Williams.
|
From: "Rula Baxter"
To: "James Williams" <xxxxxxxx@yahoo.fr>
Subject: Re: From Mr. James Williams 20
Date: Mon, 26 Jan 2004 19:02:53 +0000
Dear Mr Williams,
Thank you for the lovely photograph, I can see from your face that you are a kind and honest man, I'm not surprised you are going out of your way to help my adopted son Francis. I have today spoken to Mr Muttley, the cashier at the Hairebeare and Peevely Building Society (who sniggers a lot and smells a bit like a wet dog if you ask my opinion), and he said the cash will be ready on Wednesday. I will write to you again when I have any news.
Regards,
Mrs Rula Baxter.
Let's keep Francis "ticking over": reply to his last email without giving him any real information and wind him up a bit more:-
From: "Rula Baxter"
To: "Francis Tia" <xxxxxxxx@yahoo.fr>
Subject: Re: From your son Francis.
Date: Sun, 25 Jan 2004 18:12:07 +0000
Dear Francis,
I have deleted his first email accidentally, I told you I was not very good with computers, but I did send you his second email did I not? Please look at my last email again and you will see what he has written to me. I thought he must know you because he uses the same kind of email address xxxxxxxx@yahoo.fr - what does that mean? I don't know how African names work, he said Samuel Igbana and then Tia, perhaps that is his surname. He asked me to call him on a special number and speak to him to sort out the confusion but I only remember it began with 225 because that's the number of Mrs Miggins pie shop so it stuck in my mind but I don't know the rest of it, I deleted the email accidentally. The road was Avenue de Marsielle or something like that, I don't speak French. I'm frightened, I don't want to speak to him, what do you think I should do? He said I should find out where your house is and tell him and he would go round to you and KICK YOUR ASS, I don't think that's very nice, I believe he wants to hurt you. What should I do now?
Love,
Rula.
The lad's next move surprised me. I hadn't divulged Samuel Igbana's email address to anyone except Francis, so I wasn't expecting to receive this:-
From: "Robert Fulton"
To: xxxxxxxx@yahoo.fr
Subject: Re:
Date: Sun, 25 Jan 2004 14:18:52 -0800 (PST)
Hey,
Well I got your email and I am wondering about what you need me to do for you. I would be more than happy to help you out but I need more specific details as to what you need me to do. Let me know how I can possibly help you get what you need. give me your number to call
Robert. Los Angeles.
Of course, I have to play along. I send "Robert" a typical scam email:-
From: "Samuel Igbana" <xxxxxxxx@yahoo.fr>
To: "Robert Fulton"
Subject: PLEASE HELP MY POOR FAMILY
Date: Tue, 27 Jan 2004 21:47:45 +0100 (CET)
DEAR ROBERT FULTON,
IT IS WITH DUE RESPECT AND HUMILITY WE SEND THIS MAIL TO YOU WHICH WE BELIEVE WILL BE OF GREAT INTEREST TO YOU AND IN VIEW OF THE FACT THAT YOU WILL BE OF A GREAT ASSISTANCE TO ME AND MY JUNIOR SISTER AND BROTHER.
MY NAME IS SAMUEL IGBANA 26YEARS OLD, A FORMER MEDICAL STUDENT OF FREETOWN UNIVERSITY AND MY SISTER –JULIAN 20YEARS OLD, ALSO A FORMER STUDENT OF WILBERFORCE COLLEGE IN FREETOWN, WHILE OUR MOST JUNIOR BROTHER MICHEAL I2YEARS WAS IN PRIMARY SCHOOL.WE ARE BONAFIDE CITIZEN OF SIERRA LEONE. OUR LATE FATHER MR MARCUS IGBANA WAS THE DIRECTOR GENERAL OF SIERRA-LEONIAN MINING CO-OPERATION (S.L.M.C) BEFORE THE PEAK OF THE CIVIL WAR BETWEEN THE REBEL FORCES OF MAJOR PAUL KOROMA AND THE COMBINED FORCES OF ECOMOG FORCES THAT ALMOST RUIN MY COUNTRY AND AS A RESULT OF THIS CIVIL WAR WE LOST OUR FATHER RESULTING IN OUR NOT COMPLETING OUR EDUCATION AND WE CAME INTO ABIDJAN COTE D’IVOIRE TO SEEK ASYLUM WITH OUR MOTHER LAST YEAR JANUARY 2001 OUR MOTHER DIED OF HEART ATTACK, SINCE THEN THINGS HAS NEVER BEEN THE SAME AGAIN WITH US NOW AT THE REFUGEE CAMP.
OUR AIM OR PURPOSE OF CONTACTING YOU IS THIS, BEFORE THE DEATH OF OUR MOTHER THERE WAS THIS MONEY WITH A SECURITY COMPANY HERE IN ABIDJAN OUR MOTHER TOLD US ABOUT THAT OUR LATE FATHER DEPOSITED. THIS MONEY IS THIRTEEN MILLION UNITED STATE DOLLARS ( $13,000,000.00 ) SINCE THE DEATH OF OUR MOTHER WE HAVE MADE EVERY EFFORT SO THAT THIS MONEY COULD BE RELEASE TO US BUT WE WERE TOLD THAT OUR LATE FATHER MADE THE DEPOSIT ON A NAME OF A FOREIGNER WHOSE NAME WAS NOT KNOWN. COUPLE OF WEEKS AGO I WAS AT THE SECURITY COMPANY TO EXPLAIN OUR SITUATION TO THEM AND THE DEATH OF OUR MOTHER AND THRY OBLIGE TO ASSIST US SECURE THIS MONEY UNDER THE CONDITION THAT WE SHOULD LOOK FOR A FOREIGNER ASSUME MY LATE FATHERS FOREIGN PARTNER.
IN VIEW OF THIS WE PRIMARILY SEEK YOUR ASSISTANCE TO ACT AS OUR LATE FATHER’S FOREIGN BUSINESS PARTNER TO CLAIM THIS MONEY FROM THE SECURITY COMPANY . EVERY DOCUMENTS RELATING TO THIS TRANSACTION WERE ALL IN MY POSSESION HERE IN ABIDJAN .
FINALLY, WE HUMBLY SOLICIT YOUR IMMEDIATE ASSISTANCE IN THE FOLLOWING WAYS :
1. TO ASSIST US CLAIM THIS MONEY FROM THE SECURITY COMPANY AND TRANSFERING IT TO YOUR PRIVATE ACCOUNT IN YOUR COUNTRY .
2. MAKING A GOOD ARRANGEMENT IN SECURING SCHOOL FOR MYSELF AND MY JUNIOR ONES.
3. MAKING A GOOD ARRANGEMENT FOR OUR TRAVELLING TO YOUR COUNTRY AND MAKE A GOOD ARRANGEMENT FOR A BUSINESS INVESTMENT ON OUR BEHALF .
4. FOR YOUR ASSISTANCE , I BEG TO CONCEDE 25% OF THIS MONEY TO YOU .
HOPING TO HEAR YOUR HUMBLE OPINION SOONEST.
BEST REGARDS
SAMUEL IGBANA AND JUNIORS
(xxxx xx united nation refugee camp Abidjan)
CONTACT PHONE NUMBER: +225 xx xx xx xx
Now to wind our lad up a bit more:-
From: "Rula Baxter"
To: xxxxxxxx@yahoo.fr
Subject: Here is the mail he sent me
Date: Sun, 25 Jan 2004 18:16:28 +0000
Hello Francis,
Here is the mail he sent me. He sent me another one saying tell him where you live and he will go round to your house and KICK YOUR ASS. In his other email he called you a HOMOSEXUAL MUGU, I hope you are not a homosexual, what does MUGU mean? Please, my head is spinning with all these problems, I am going to turn off the computer and watch the television, maybe tomorrow I will feel a little bit stronger to face all these problems.
Love,
Rula.
----- Original Message -----
From: "Igbana Samuel" <xxxxxxxx@yahoo.fr>
To: "Rula Baxter"
Subject: URGENT!!
Date: Sun, 25 Jan 2004 14:08:12 +0100 (CET)
DEAR MRS RULA BAXTER,
GODS BLESSING UPON YOU. I HAVE EXPLAIN ALREAY I AM SAMUEL IGBANA TIA I HAVE JUST GIVEN YOU MY WORDS...[etc]
I imagine he wanted a copy of Samuel Igbana's email so that he could try to identify him. He doesn't react to it, at least not to me.
From: Francis Tia <xxxxxxxx@yahoo.fr>
To: "Rula Baxter"
Subject: From Your son Francis. 20
Date: Mon, 26 Jan 2004 13:34:33 +0100 (CET)
Dear Mummy,
I did not hear from you today I hope you are ok. Mummy I will be expecting to hear from you Today. Please Mummy I want that every mail I will send to you now will have code to avoid people writing to you as me please. in every mail I will write to you I will add (20) at the subject like this. if you did not see the 20 please do not read the mail it is not from me please. Mummy I have to be very carfull now.
Subject From your Son Francis 20.
Thanks and God bless you Mummy.
Yours Son
Francis.
From: "Rula Baxter"
To: "Francis Tia" <xxxxxxxx@yahoo.fr>
Subject: Re: From your son Francis.20
Date: Mon, 26 Jan 2004 19:24:46 +0000
Good day to you Francis,
I was so very worried when I received the email from Samuel Igbana, you're right he must be a very evil man. I will delete any emails I get from him. Do you think he knows where I live? It is a big house in a popular part of Torquay, xxxxxxxxx xxxx, number x, right on the corner opposite the shop which sells chocolate teapots. Do you have such things where you are?
I will do as you say, that is I would change my email, but I haven't got a scoob how to do it. My late husband Dilberry used to handle all the tricky stuff with the computer but since he was sadly taken from me with a dose of the old bum grapes I have had to make do with advice from my friend Mrs Miggins (from the pie shop - I must have told you about her), but she doesn't really know much more than I do. I use the Windows browsing system on Outlook plugged into the telephone socket on the wall. Do you know how I can change the email on that? You young people are so clever with your fast little fingers, I don't understand half the things you get up to. Perhaps when you come to England you can show me all the things your fingers can do? I would enjoy that! Anyway tell me how to change my email and I'll get that sorted out faster than a greyhound with a chilli pepper up his chuff, as we say in the UK.
I see that I have other messages, I shall read them now, but not from the nasty Samuel Igbana. Please look after yourself and lock the door if he visits you.
Love,
Rula.
From: "Agricultural Development Bank Abidjan" <xxxxxxxx@mail2bank.com>
To: "Rula Baxter"
Subject: From Mr. Edward Amadu.
Date: Mon, 26 Jan 2004 09:06:32 -0800
Attn: Rula Baxter,
Madam,
francis came to my office telling me the problem he is having with some people that he do not know and has asked me to explain to you. as the person claims that he is francis father. please Madam I will that you do not listing to them because they are noy saying the truth as I know that Francis father is dead. and this people may be the people that killed his father, they are trying to see that you stop helping Francis, but I will strongly stand by you to help francis, i will advice that you continue to help francis, as the Good has directed you to do.
i pray that you people get this required documents as soon as possible for our bank with my assistance transfer your fund as soon as possible and Francis gets out of this country .
please Madam I hope you will understan that this is a chalenge to you as a Good Christian. so Do not loose faith continue to do the good work that God has directed you to do.
I will be expecting to hear from you.
Please I will like you to send me the telephone number given to you by this bad people so that we get them and treat them accordinly.
Your Faithfully.
Mr. Edward Amadu.
More nonsense from Rula - she really is completely batty! I start to get really silly now, just to find out how far I can stretch our lad's credulity:-
From: "Rula Baxter"
To: "Agricultural Development Bank Abidjan" <xxxxxxxx@mail2bank.com>
Subject: Re: From Mr. Edward Amadu. 20
Date: Mon, 26 Jan 2004 19:49:30 +0000
Dear Mr Amadu,
Thank you for your email. I was so very worried when I received the email from Samuel Igbana who changed his name to Samuel Igbana Tia, but Francis has explained that he is an evil man so I will delete any emails I get from him. Do you think Francis will be safe from him if he has already killed his father? It makes my blood run cold, it really does. Francis tells me I should change my email. I have explained I'm not very clever where computers are concerned and he's going to explain to me how I am to do it. I will write to you again when my email has changed so you can start using the new one. Mr Igbana told me to call him on the telephone but I deleted the email. I remember his number started with 225 though because I thought that's a coincidence, that's the same number as Mrs Miggins' pie shop, 225 xxxxxxxx Crescent. I don't want to write to him again because I am afraid he will find out where I live, I live alone and a woman on her own is easy prey for undesirables as you probably know. I wish I had kept it or maybe his email and perhaps the police could track him down. Should I go to the police myself and explain the problem, what do you think?
Oh, I called the Hairebeare and Peevely Building Society today and spoke to Mr Muttley and he said the cash will be ready on Wednesday. Wacky races, as we say in the UK!
By the way, I don't appear to have received a photgraph of you. I'm sure I asked for one. I've had one from Francis which I keep by my bedside and today I have also received one from the gentleman in the Ministry of Justice who is preparing the legal documents. Now I just need one from you. Please can you do this for me, so I can see that you are a trustworthy and honest God-fearing gentleman? To make sure you are who you say you are you should hold a sign paying tribute to my poor late husband Dilberry Baxter, something like "POOR DILBERRY" would be perfect. That way I know you're not sending me some picture you downloaded off the Internet. I've attached a picture of me so that you can see my own face. It was taken at the Christmas Ball of the Richard Gere Gerbil Appreciation Society, an organisation which poor Dilberry used to spend much of his spare time and money supporting.
Regards,
Rula Baxter (Mrs)
Torquay, England.
|
|
From: Francis Tia <xxxxxxxx@yahoo.fr>
To: "Rula Baxter"
Date: Tue, 27 Jan 2004
Woops, I accidentally deleted today's email from Francis. In it he assured me that he was locked away safely in his home, the bad man couldn't get to him and I wasn't to worry about his safety. However he stressed that I should proceed with the money transfer tomorrow without fail and asked me to confirm everything was going smoothly. He also repeated his request that I should change my email address.
But I want that photo:-
From: "Rula Baxter"
To: "Francis Tia" <xxxxxxxx@yahoo.fr>
Subject: Re: From your son Francis.20
Date: Tue, 27 Jan 2004 18:26:12 +0000
Hello Francis,
I am glad to hear you are keeping yourself safe. I spoke to Mr Muttley again and he assures me the money will be ready. I am waiting to receive Mr Amadu's photograph and then we are all set. I am going to sit down with a nice cup of tea now and relax, after all this worry I will rest easy knowing you are safe. Yes, I think a nice quiet evening with my pussy Fellatio and a Mars Bar.
Love,
Rula.
From: "Agricultural Development Bank Abidjan" <xxxxxxxx@mail2bank.com>
To: "Rula Baxter"
Subject: From Mr. Edward Amadu.
Date: Tue, 27 Jan 2004 02:22:41 -0800
Dear Rula,
Thanks for your mail, I will look after Francis, he will be save, but try all your best to see that he comes over to you immediately your fund is transfared.
Since you are not clever in computer to change your email I will advice you that you stop reading any email from this person make sure you delet every email he send to you dont bother to read them. Dont bother to go to the police, God will arrrest him and put him in jail.
About the Picture, Please Madam I am very busy with my work as a Bank Manager you know I am very busy but I will make out time to snap picture and send to you as requested.
We will be expecting the required documents for our bank to effect your transfer. I expect to hear from you.
Regards
Mr. Amadu.
Not a chance, Eddie baby - I want that photo!
From: "Rula Baxter"
To: "Agricultural Development Bank Abidjan" <xxxxxxxx@mail2bank.com>
Subject: Re: From Mr. Edward Amadu.
Date: Tue, 27 Jan 2004 18:21:56 +0000
Dear Mr Amadu,
I knew I could trust you, my feelings were right all along. I see Francis has written me another email, perhaps he can explain how to change my email address. I do hope so.
I look forward to hearing from you soon,
Rula Baxter (Mrs)
From: Francis Tia <xxxxxxxx@yahoo.fr>
To: "Rula Baxter"
Subject: From your son Francis.20
Date: Wed, 28 Jan 2004 16:39:03 +0100 (CET)
Dear Mummy,
How are you Today I hope very fine, Thanks be to God, I am save Mummy. I have not heard from you today, I hope we are going to get the documents today or tomorrow, Please Mummy I will be expecting to hear from you immediately you send the money to Mr. James Williams so that I will go for him to issue me the documents and I take them to the Bank for the transfer.
I will be expecting to hear from you Mummy.
Thanks and God bless you I hope to be with you as soon as possible Mummy.
Yours son
Francis.
No Francis, I told you I wanted that photo and I'm quite prepared to hold out until I get it. Let's just make the point again:-
From: "Rula Baxter"
To: "Francis Tia" <xxxxxxxx@yahoo.fr>
Subject: Re: From your son Francis.20
Date: Wed, 28 Jan 2004 20:25:23 +0000
Hello Francis,
Not to worry, Mr Amadu wrote to me and told me he was very busy so I suppose that means he won't be able to send me his picture for a day or two. I know how busy these big businessmen are, when I want to see my bank manager I have to make an appointment, wait for weeks, then turn up with with a bag of weasels on my head singing Yankee Doodle Dandy. You know what I mean?
By the way, I'm very worried because I'm still receiving emails from that nasty Mr Igbana. I'm deleting them but I'd rather change my email as you suggested, I'm afraid he might find out where I live. Please can you let me know how to do that because I'm not very good with computers, my late husband Dilberry set this up for me (when he wasn't playing with those damn gerbils). Maybe you could start sending mails to his address because we used to use the same computer, I suppose it was DILBERRY@xxxxxxxx.COM. Does that sound right?
Please please help me change my email, it uses the Windows system of browsing called Outlook on the Internet. If you can't help I shall get Mrs Miggins from the pie shop to help me, she has very fishy fingers, I don't know what she gets up to on her own in the evenings.
Love,
Rula.
From: Francis Tia <xxxxxxxx@yahoo.fr>
To: "Rula Baxter"
Cc: DILBERRY@xxxxxxxx.COM
Subject: From your son Francis.20
Date: Thu, 29 Jan 2004 10:18:49 +0100 (CET)
Dear Mummy,
How are you today I hope very fine, Mummy, I am sending mail to the second email address you gave to me as soon as you recieve it then we will be useing it to write.
please Mummy dont worried about the about the nasty Mr Igbana, only make sure you do not read his email. he will never know you or locate you Mummy he will not find where you live, and he will never see me by the grace of God, only please Mummy try to send the money to the registrer today so that he will issue me the documents for the bank to transfer the money and I come over quick Please Mummy. It is better I get out of this place very quick. Please Mummy try all your best today to send the money to the registrer at the court please. let me know immediately you send it please so that I will go and get the documents please. for the bank to transfer this money. I went to see Mr. James Williams and he told me that immediately he recieve the money he will issue me the documents that he has send his picyure to you, that he is ready to help me immediately he recieve the money he will give me the documents. Please Mummy try and send the money to him today please.
I will try to see how I will get a new email box for you. only it will be in yahoo.co.uk. I hope that will be ok Mummy. Please Mummy I will be expecting to hear from you.
Thanks and God bless you Mummy I hope to be with you soonest.
Yours son
Francis.
From: Francis Tia <xxxxxxxx@yahoo.fr>
To: "Rula Baxter"
Subject: From your son Francis.20
Date: Thu, 29 Jan 2004 20:46:12 +0100 (CET)
Dear Mummy,
How are you today I hope very fine, Mummy I did not hear from you
today, what is happening, have you been able to send the money
to the registrer for the documents? please Mummy you know this
documents is the only thing holding the transfer, the bank is
waiting for the document. Please Mummy I will be very gratfull if
you will do this tomorrow please. as soon as I get you a new email
address I will send the information to you Mummy.
I hope to hear from you My mummy.
Thanks and God bless you.
Yours son
Francis.
I think I'll let him stew a couple of days...
From: Francis Tia <xxxxxxxx@yahoo.fr>
To: "Rula Baxter"
Subject: From your son Francis.20
Date: Fri, 30 Jan 2004 09:35:38 +0100 (CET)
Dear Mummy,
I did not hear from you again today what is happening, Please get
back to me please. I will be expecting your most urgent mail please.
Thanks and God bless you Mummy.
Yours son
Francis.
From: Francis Tia <xxxxxxxx@yahoo.fr>
To: "Rula Baxter"
Subject: From your son Francis.20 Please Mummy get back to me
Date: Fri, 30 Jan 2004 17:00:46 +0100 (CET)
Dear Mummy,
How are you today, are you Ok? Please get back to me immediately
you recieve this mail please.
I will be expecting to hear from you.
Thanks and Gos bless you Mummy.
Yours son
Francis.
Our lad is starting to worry. I think it's time to step up the nonsense... let's see if any of this load of codswallop triggers any alarm bells in what passes for his mind:-
From: "Rula Baxter"
To: "Francis Tia" <xxxxxxxx@yahoo.fr>
Subject: Re: From your son Francis.20
Date: Fri, 30 Jan 2004 18:19:38 +0000
Dear Francis,
I'm sorry I was unable to check my mail last night, I went to the Womens Institute at Seldom-Cum-Friday with my good friend Mrs Miggins. (We call them "Ladies of the Night" because they make most of their money in the evenings!) They held a very interesting talk entitled "Topiary: The Fluff Or The Smooth?" by the celebrated pubic artist Mary Huff. She was introduced on to the stage by the Reverend Spooner - you can imagine what confusion that caused! The Reverend is a lovely fellow - he says I am a "shining wit". Isn't that nice?
Good news! Mrs Miggins's nephew Baldrick says he knows how to change my email, he says it's dead easy, even a complete idiot could do it. That's very lucky for me because as far as I'm concerned Baldrick is indeed a complete idiot. I wouldn't trust him to sit the right way round on a lavatory. The very first time I met young Baldrick, I turned to my husband Dilberry (God rest his soul) and said "Is this child suffering from serious brain damage or have you ordered a new vacuum cleaner?" My, how we laughed! Where was I? Oh yes, Baldrick will be coming round at the weekend, probably on Sunday when we get back from the morning service at St Graham's-in-the-Grange and he said he'll sort out my new email then. He says I can't have Yahoo email because it has to be Microsoft Windows but he will give me an address no-one can possibly guess. That will sort out that nasty Mr Igbana!
I have just had another email from that Mr Amadu. I don't like him very much, I'm trying to help and he just barks orders at me. Bark, bark, bark! I only want a picture of him like that nice Mr Williams sent me. Now there's a man I could go for. Woof! If Mr Amadu doesn't send my a picture in the next couple of days I think you should find someone who's up to the job and dump him like a smelly old sock. Pooh! I told him to send me a picture and he said he would, he wanted one of me, so I sent it and now he's delaying and producing all sorts of contrafibularities. I shall wait to see if he sends it to me tomorrow and I'll let you know as soon as I receive it.
It's absolutely peeing down here. What's it like where you are?
Love,
Rula.
From: "Agricultural Development Bank Abidjan" <xxxxxxxx@mail2bank.com>t;
To: "Rula Baxter"
Subject: AGRICULTURAL DEVELOPMENT BANK.
Date: Fri, 30 Jan 2004 00:51:14 -0800
FROM:THE DESK OF THE DIRECTOR (REMITTANCE DEPT.)
ATTN: RULA BAXTER
RE:FOREIGN OPERATION DEPARTMENT ( APPROVAL NOTICE)
THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS OF INTERNATION REMITTANCE DEPARTMENT OF ADB
TAKES THIS LIBERTY TO CONFIRM APPROVAL PROCESS
WE ARE STILL EXPECTING THE REQUIRED DOCUMENTS FOR ONWARD TRANSFER
OF THE FUND INTO YOUR ACCOUNT.
DO HELP US TO SERVE YOU BETTER.
YOURS FAITHFULLY
MR. EDWARD AMADU.
No, no, no, you don't appear to have understood at all. I want a photo before we do business! I write back in an equally business-like tone, all upper case for added effect:-
From: "Rula Baxter"
To: "Agricultural Development Bank Abidjan" <xxxxxxxx@mail2bank.com@gt;
Subject: Re: AGRICULTURAL DEVELOPMENT BANK.
Date: Fri, 30 Jan 2004 18:07:11 +0000
MOST NOBLE AND EGREGIOUS SIR,
WITH REFERENCE TO YOUR EMAIL OF THE 27TH INST, I AWAIT RECEIPT OF PHOTOGRAPHIC ITEM(S) AS AGREED HERETOFOR. PLEASE ARRANGE TO FORWARD SUCH ITEM(S) STRICTLY IN THE SPECIFIED FORMAT ONLY WITH ABSOLUTELY NO VARIATION FROM INSTRUCTIONS AT YOUR EARLIEST CONVENIENCE WITH A VIEW TO CONCLUDING OUTSTANDING ARRANGEMENTS.
I AM, SIR, YOUR MOST FAITHFUL AND OBEDIENT SERVANT,
RULA BAXTER (MRS)
From: Francis Tia <xxxxxxxx@yahoo.fr>
To: "Rula Baxter"
Subject: From your son Francis.20
Date: Fri, 30 Jan 2004 21:50:10 +0100 (CET)
Dear Mummy,
Thanks for your mail, I am happy that you have got who will change your email for you. I am very happy now.
Dear Mummy, you know this money belongs to me and you have seen my picture, Mummy please, try all your best to see that this money is transfared and I come over to meet you please, for the sake of my late parents and God. I will be very happy if you will send the money to the registrer at the bank who is going to issue me the documents for the bank to transfer the money. as you said the registrer has send you his picture. Mummy please. you know that this money belongs to me and you now, let us not look at the bank Manager, please lets try and see that this money is transfared immediately please Mummy. Mummy I am pleeding to you. remember my condition here Mummy. I need to get out of this country immediately please Mummy. Mummy please save me from here please. I know you will. Please it will be very good if you will help we get this documents if possible tomorrow please Mummy. as soon as we get the documents and I take it to the bank, I hope Mr. Amadu will transfer the money immediately. Please Mummy I will be expecting to hear from you please. Mummy I will not look for another person , Mummy I love you I will like to stay with you please. ever since I saw your picture I never remember that my parents have died I allways look at your picture. Please Mummy help to see that I get this documents and the bank transfer the money please. you are my only hope now Mummy. Mummy I am crying now, please Mummy help me to get this documents for the bank to transfer this money please. Mummy will you because of the picture of Mr. Amadu stop to help me?
Please Mummy I will be expecting to hear good news from you Please Mummy.
Yours only son
Francis.
It doesn't look as though I'm going to get a photo of Mr Amadu, does it? Either our lad is working on his own or else he doesn't know anyone who owns a suit! I'll let him stew a bit longer...
From: Francis Tia <xxxxxxxx@yahoo.fr>
To: "Rula Baxter"
Subject: From your son Francis.20
Date: Sat, 31 Jan 2004 16:32:17 +0100 (CET)
Dear Mummy,
I did not hear from you today. Mummy I hope to hear from you please. Mummy are you sending the money to get the documents to the registrer Mr. James Williams? Please Mummy I will be very happy if you will send the money to him please so that I get this documents. Please Mummy I will be expecting to hear from you.
Thanks and God bless you.
Yours Son
Francis.
No, you can wait. But what's this? Another message from Samuel Igbana's potential benefactor in the States? No, it's just our lad trying to get some information about the man who insulted and threatened him:-
From: "Robert Fulton" <xxxxxxxx@yahoo.com>
To: "Samuel Igbana" <xxxxxxxx@yahoo.fr>
Subject: Re: PLEASE HELP MY POOR FAMILY
Date: Wed, 28 Jan 2004 13:20:07 -0800 (PST)
Hello Mr Philip,
Thank you for your letter. As I said, I am willing to go ahead and assist you in the deal provided it would be safe for me.
I would like to help you and your brother and sister. Could you please give me some more information on what you are wanting me to do. I would like to help but what will be my compersation.
Robert.
I really can't be bothered baiting Francis twice in parallel. I think I'll let the Robert Fulton thread drop and concentrate on Francis himself.
From: "Rula Baxter"
To: xxxxxxxx@yahoo.fr
Subject: change of email address
Date: Sun, 01 Feb 2004 17:22:48 +0000
hi francis
this is baldrick miggins
my auntie mildred asked me to come over to mrs baxters and change her email address to something completely different because she was scared someone was trying to find out where she lives
i said i would change it to something no one could guess something without her name in it
she showed me your email saying about yahoo.co.uk and i think thats a good idea
im going to set up a new mailbox now and change the computer to use that one instead
ill send you another email as soon as its working with the new address
cheers!
From: Francis Tia <xxxxxxxx@yahoo.fr>
To: Rula Baxter
Subject: From your son Francis20
Date: Wed, 4 Feb 2004 12:35:51 +0100 (CET)
Dear Mummy,
How are you today ? I hope very fine. Mummy I did not hear from you since all this day, I only recieved a mail with your mail address from baldrick miggins she said she is the person to change your email address.
Mummy, when are you going to send the money to the registrer so that we get the documents.
please Mummy you know that this documents is the only thing holding the transfer now. Please get back to me immediately you recieve this mail please. I am worried to hear from you please.
Thanks and God bless you Mummy
Yours Son
Francis.
From: Francis Tia <xxxxxxxx@yahoo.fr>
To: Rula Baxter
Subject: From your son Francis.20
Date: Sat, 7 Feb 2004 11:30:53 +0100 (CET)
Dear Mummy,
I did not hear from you again what is happening. Please get back to me immediately you recieve this mail.
Thanks and God bless you.
yours son
Francis.
Ah, bless him - he's obviously very worried about his new mummy! We've let him stew long enough, let's bombard him with more nonsense:-
From: "Rula Baxter"
To: Francis Tia <xxxxxxxx@yahoo.fr>
Subject: Weasels!
Date: Wednesday, February 11, 2004 1:05 PM
Hello my dearest Francis,
What a nightmare I've been having and how I've worried about you! How are you? I hope that nasty Samuel Igbana hasn't been in touch with you again? My mailbox is full of emails from him, I just deleted all of them without looking at them. I got your emails too. When that imbecile Baldrick Miggins tried to change my email, he completely shagged up my computer! He tried to change it to Yahoo as you suggested but after he did that Outlook could not work with the new address. He spent most of Sunday evening swearing at the computer but never did get it to work at all. He said he'd be back the next day but then he got knocked off his skateboard and ended up with his ankle in plaster and the doctor said he should take it easy for a few days.
Anyway eventually Mildred drove him round to my house and he spent the whole of last Saturday doing a lot more swearing but still no luck. He even had the lid off but that didn't seem to make any difference. He said the problem might be the hard disk and he might have to format it. What does that mean? You seem to know such a lot about computers! I told him I don't use disks I just keep everything on the computer. Then he said he was stumped and I would have to go back to using Mail.Com and he asked me what was the password. Well I don't know do I? I mean, poor Dilberry set the computer up before his nasty accident. Did I ever tell you how he came to meet his Maker? So anyway, Yahoo wouldn't work at all and Mail.Com came up and just kept asking me for a password. I never had to put a password in before so I didn't know what it was.
Baldrick ended up sending an email to Mail.Com from the computer at the public library. He explained the problem to them and they told him what the password was: "HORNYLITTLEBITCH". Poor Dilberry must have made that up when he set up the email. It was like a message from the dead, you see "horny little bitch" was what he used to call me when we were in the throes of lovemaking. I was so overcome with emotion and the memories of poor Dilberry that I had to hide myself away for an hour or so with my Rampant Rabbit. I felt a lot better after that, as I'm sure you can imagine!
Anyway I'm at the public library now because my computer is still not working even on Mail.Com. That stupid idiot Baldrick is round my house right now trying to get it to work properly. I shall probably get back and find the damn place burned to the ground or overrun with weasels. Have I told you about the outbreak of weasels we've been experiencing here? No I don't suppose I have. They're a damn nuisance. There are stories about them in the Torquay News on an almost daily basis, I shall have to see if I can work out how to send you one (story I mean, not weasel). The librarian says he can scan a newspaper and send whole pages on email. Isn't that amazing? Do you have weasels where you are?
They have two Internet computers here at the library if you are too poor to have your own or if you trust a complete moron to tinker with yours and he screws it up. I'm a bit annoyed because I had to spend £1.20 on the bus fare to get here and using the computer costs 50p for each twenty minutes. I shall ask Mrs Miggins to give me a free pie as compensation, after all it was her nephew who caused all these problems (though not the weasels, obviously).
The librarian is helping me with this because they don't have Outlook on these computers, all the email is done on something called the Worldwide Web - not a modem in sight! Do you use a modem? The flickering lights are so pretty, don't you think? Oh hang on, I have to put another 50p in the slot... that's better. Anyway because I can't get Outlook on this computer I haven't got any of your previous emails so I can't remember what we agreed. Please can you remind me how much I was going to send you and what address to send it to?
Looking forward to seeing you soon,
Your loving mother.
Oh dear, I haven't heard from him for nine days - he's not usually quiet for this long. I do hope he's not losing patience with me. Or perhaps he's starting to become suspicious... I'll give him a little jiggle - maybe remind him I have that cash put aside just waiting to wing its way into his pocket:-
From: "Rula Baxter"
To: "Francis Tia" <xxxxxxxx@yahoo.fr>
Subject: From Rula Baxter
Date: Fri, 20 Feb 2004 10:07:31 +0000
Dear Francis,
Things are going from bad to worse here, that is to say things were bad and now they're worse. Do you understand what I mean? The congenital idiot Baldrick Miggins has spent every evening this week trying to fix my computer but now it doesn't even get as far as the wavy Windows flag thing when it's turned on. I'm going to take it in to PC World on Saturday where I bought it and see if they can fix it. Until then I have to catch the number 97 into town and feed fifty pence pieces into the coin box to use the Interweb at the public library. None of my old email letters are on this computer and I only knew your address because I printed out the one you sent me with your lovely picture. I caught the nine o'clock metropolitan tram into town and I'm at the public library now tippy-tap-tappeting away at the keyboard. There's a horrible smelly man sitting next to me in the big comfy chairs people sit in to read the newspapers, I think he just came in to get out of the cold but he keeps looking at me strangely. It's winter here. What's it like where you are? We're still having problems with these damn weasels. Whilst I'm typing this letter the librarian is copying an article from the Torquay News about the weasels and I will send it to you so you can see what I mean. If you have any ideas for getting rid of them please let me know, they are driving everyone crazy round here.
The money is still in my current account, that is the account I can get at the money quickly, not like the Granny Bond where I have to give a week's notice to draw it out. There's about £1800 more in the current account than there usually is so I suppose that's the money I'm supposed to be sending to your man but I haven't got his details. Can you send me his details again? I can't remember what we agreed. Please can you remind me exactly how much I was going to send and what address to send it to? This all seems to be taking so long, I'm starting to lose heart a little bit, I don't mind telling you!
Please, please reply as soon as possible.
Best regards,
Rula.
PS. The librarian has finished copying that article so I'm attaching it to this email. Please let me know if you get it okay?
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But no, he's still trying. In fact I received this one twice: once without our secret code ("20") then again five minutes later with the code intact:-
From: Francis Tia <xxxxxxxx@yahoo.fr>
To: Rula Baxter <xxxxxxxx@xxxxxxxx.xxx
Subject: From your Son Francis 20
Date: Sun, 22 Feb 2004 22:22:34 +0100 (CET)
Dear Mummy,
Thanks for your mail I have been sending you message since all this days and it will only come bank as failure I was wondering what is wrong. mummy I have been telling the bank that I will come with the documents as soon as possible for them to contact you and transfer the money, and I promised the registrer that as soon as I hear from you that you will send him the money for the documents.
Mummy this is the address of the registrer that you will send the money to.
Mr. James Williams.
Rue 13 bp xxxx Abidjan 13
Cote D'Ivoire.
Remember to send me the information to collect the money so that I will take it to him for him to issue me the documents immediately and I submit them to the bank for the transfer. about the amount the registrer told me that you said it will be better he tell you how much it will be in pounds and it is £1450 pounds.
Please Mummy dont lose heart God is going to help us as soon as you send the money to the registrer and he issue me the documents I will take them to the bank immediate for them to transfer the money and then you will withdraw money to send to me for my coming over to meet you. Please Mummy I am very happy to hear from you.
Please Mummy I will like you to contact Mr. James williams also to inform them that you will be sending the money for the documents as soon as possible so that he will be ready to issue me the documents as son as he recieve the money. this is his email address again james_williamm@yahoo.fr. and also try to contact the bank too.
Thanks and God bless you Mummy I am very happy that I hear from you again, I will be expecting to hear from you Mummy.
Yours son
Francis.
You little shit, Francis! That article took me a couple of hours to create and you don't even acknowledge that you've read it! Well you've upset me now - you can stew for a few days and I might consider writing back to you... if I can be bothered...
Ahah! I was just looking round another scam-baiting Web site and I found a series of emails from a scammer calling himself "Larry Lamido Moore". Take a look: http://www.scamorama.com/larry-koffi.html. Looks too much like the style of our lad Francis to be a coincidence, don't you think? As I intend to run down this mailbox fairly soon, I'll play the "Larry" card and see if he picks up on it. I'll also ask him about the weasels and send him a copy of Rula's new haircut for good measure. Let's see if I can wind him up a little!
From: "Rula Baxter"
To: "Francis Tia" <xxxxxxxx@yahoo.fr>
Subject: The money is on its way!
Date: Wed, 25 Feb 2004 13:16:26 +0000
Hello Francis,
Yes, yes, yes, don't worry - I'm just off to the Hairebeare and Peevely Building Society now to sort out the money. I'm glad that horrible Mr Amadu has stopped writing to me. When all this is over I shall send him a snotty note telling him exactly what I think of him. My computer is down at PC World at the moment and they say it will be ready by the weekend. They are having to undo all the damage that stupid boy Baldrick Miggins did to it when he was trying to change my email address. I'm still having to catch the bus into town and come to the public library to do my email. Such a bother! If I catch him near my computer again I shall remove his testicles with the bluntest, rustiest knife I can find - if he has any!
Anyway, look, you didn't say whether you'd read my last email, the one about the weasels? What do you think, eh? They're still absolutely everywhere - there was even one sitting on top of the bus stop this morning and it urinated on the postman as he cycled by! Please tell me, do you have weasels where you are? They're damn nuisance, don't you think?
Didn't you say you were from Ghana? I have a friend at the Women's Institute who has a pen pal in Ghana. They write to each other by email, not like the old days when letters went by steam boat and took weeks to arrive anywhere! His name is Larry Lamido Moore and he says he's coming over to Britain soon and he's going to visit her. Won't that be nice? I can't wait until you come and visit me! What sort of name is Lamido? I've never heard of it before.
By the way, I thought you would like to know I had an appointment at Mary Huff's salon in Paignton yesterday - I told you she was a well-known local pubic artist - and she trimmed my hair in such a pretty shape and dyed it completely black. When I got back home I was so pleased with it I just stared and stared at it in the mirror! I've managed to take a photo of it and I've attached it to this email. I hope you like it, it's the first time I've had it dyed and I think it turned out quite well. What do you think? I might show it to the milkman tomorrow! You can run your fingers through it when you come to visit me. Am I naughty or what?!
Let me know how you are getting along, whether you have any weasels where you are, and what you think of my new haircut.
Love,
Rula.
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From: "Rula Baxter"
To: "Francis Tia" <xxxxxxxx@yahoo.fr>
Subject: I'm so sorry!
Date: Tue, 02 Mar 2004 19:19:37 +0000
Dear Francis,
I'm so sorry I haven't been in touch sooner. I hurt my ankle last week, I ended up in the accident unit at the local hospital to get it X-rayed, the doctor said it was sprained and I was to rest it so I couldn't get to the library to email you. However I got a friend to collect my computer from PC World, they've fixed it at last, undone all the damage that fool Baldrick did to it, even wiped his sticky pawprints off it and put some extra megabytes in it, they said to make it run faster. It cost me £70 but I'm just glad to get it back. That's the last time I let a complete idiot play around with it!
I rang the building society today and told them to get your money ready and I would be in tomorrow or the next day at the latest to collect it. I've got Mr Williams's address, Rue 13 bp xxxx Abidjan 13 Cote D'Ivoire, so £1450 will be on its way to him very soon now.
Again, my sincerest apologies for the delay, but we're nearly there now so hang on just a couple of days and your wait will be over, then perhaps we can start making some plans for the future!
Deepest regards,
Rula.
And I'll give the "registrar" a little jiggle for good measure:-
From: "Rula Baxter"
To: James Williams <xxxxxxxx@yahoo.fr>
Subject: Is everything okay?
Date: Wed, 03 Mar 2004 21:56:31 +0000
Dear Mr Williams,
I hope this reaches you okay. I'm worried about Francis as he hasn't written to me for a while. My mailbox has been getting some more emails from Samuel Banana but I don't read them because he said some very horrid things last time. I do hope Francis is okay. Have you heard from him recently?
Life has not been too kind to me, last week I fell on a wonky paving stone and sprained my ankle. The hospital X-rayed it and told me not to walk on it for a few days but I'm going into town tomorrow to get Francis's money from the building society (that's a type of bank which lends money to people to buy their own homes). He says I'm to send it to you so I will do that. This all seems to be taking so long, doesn't it?
Best wishes to you and please write back and let me know how Francis is doing. He has been so brave, and him such a young lad and all.
Regards,
Rula Baxter.
From: James Williams <xxxxxxxx@yahoo.fr>
To: Rula Baxter <xxxxxxxx@yahoo.fr>
Subject: From Mr. James Williams
Date: Thu, 4 Mar 2004 14:31:13 +0100 (CET)
Dear Madam,
Thanks for your mail to me, I have been expecting to hear from you because Francis came to me and told me that you will get in touch with me for the documents he required. he came to see me yesterday to know if I have heard from you I told him I have not, I am very sory for for the accident I hope you are allright now.
Francis is Ok only he is worried to see that he gets this documents that he required. I will inform him that you contacted me immediately he is here.
As soon as you send the mone