{"id":408,"date":"2008-05-22T14:16:20","date_gmt":"2008-05-22T19:16:20","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/oranchak.com\/?p=408"},"modified":"2008-05-22T14:16:20","modified_gmt":"2008-05-22T19:16:20","slug":"oh-mariam-almaleek-we-could-have-had-something","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/www.oranchak.com\/?p=408","title":{"rendered":"Oh Mariam Almaleek, we could have had something."},"content":{"rendered":"<p>Normally, I ignore the constant stream of spam that comes my way.  But I got an email from a scammer, and I wanted to waste the scammer&#8217;s time, so I thought I would have some fun.  The scammer&#8217;s emails are in indented green; my replies are in bold blue.<\/p>\n<style>\n.m {\nfont-style: italic;\ncolor: #060\n}\n.d {\nfont-weight: bold;\ncolor: #009;\n}\n<\/style>\n<blockquote class=\"m\"><p>\nDearest,<br \/>\nPlease permit me to introduce myself and my reason for contacting you as we have not met before. My name is Mariam Almaleek (Miss) from Ivory Coast in West African Sub-Region.<br \/>\nI am 22years only and a second year accountancy student.I am the only daughter (child) of my late parents who died some years back (Mr .Kamal and Mrs Hanifah Almaleek).<\/p>\n<p>The reason I contacted you is about a business proposal you might be interestest on but before I go into details I would want to know more about you. Please respond me as quickly as possible so I can furnish you with more details.<br \/>\nI am looking up to hearing from you ASAP.<br \/>\nThanks and God bless<br \/>\nMariam\n<\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p><b class=\"d\"><br \/>\nNice to hear from you. \u00a0I am a successful businessman looking for new opportunities. \u00a0Let me know what you have in mind.<br \/>\n-Dave<br \/>\n<\/b><\/p>\n<blockquote class=\"m\"><p>\nDear\u00a0Mr. David<br \/>\n\u00a0<br \/>\nSir<br \/>\n\u00a0<br \/>\nThanks a lot for your response to my letter.\u00a0\u00a0 Before I go in details, I would like to re-introduce myself once again so as to allow you know more about me. My name is Mariam Almaleek, 22 years old and a second year accountancy student. I am the only surviving child of my late parents (Mr. Kamal and Mrs.Hanifah Almaleek). My mother who died when I was only 4 years was a white South African. My father married her when he based in South Africa but they later came back here in Ivory Coast in West Africa which is my father&#8217;s home country and I was born and raised up here.<br \/>\nBefore his tragic death, my father was a well known business person here who uses to export Cocoa,Rubber,Coffee and other agricultural produce from here to overseas. Sadly to say, my father was poison by his uncle because of his wealth.<br \/>\n\u00a0<br \/>\nHowever, the reason I contacted you is about some money ($6.500.000) my father deposited in a bank here. My father told me by his bed side that he planned to use the money set-up a Rubber processing factory so as to enable him meet a demand of the product at that time but his uncle decided to poison him because of greed over his wealth.<br \/>\nWhen his health deteriorated, he advised me to look for a reliable business person outside my country here who can assist me claim and invest the money into REAL ESTATE BUSINESS overseas. Now, I am soliciting your assistance to claim the money and to invest it into the REAL ESTATE BUSINESS as my father had instructed or any other business in your country.<br \/>\n\u00a0<br \/>\nPlease if you are interested and willing to help me, do let me know as quickly as possible so we can discuss how to proceed.<br \/>\nI am hopefully waiting on your soonest and positive response.<br \/>\n\u00a0<br \/>\nThanks and God bless<br \/>\n\u00a0<br \/>\nSincerely<br \/>\n\u00a0<br \/>\nMiss Mariam Almaleek\n<\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p><b class=\"d\"><br \/>\nMiss Mariam Almaleek,<\/p>\n<p>Thank you for the background information; I hope your father&#8217;s uncle is brought to justice over his horrible act. \u00a0What a tragedy!<\/p>\n<p>What are the next steps for me to assist you in claiming your father&#8217;s money? \u00a0Do you have any other information you can give me about his business?<br \/>\nThanks,<br \/>\n-Dave<br \/>\n<\/b><\/p>\n<blockquote class=\"m\"><p>\nDear Mr. David<br \/>\n\u00a0<br \/>\nThanks for your response and willingness to help me. First of all, I would like to assure you that my late father was a well respected person during his time and he earned the money\u00a0by honest means.<br \/>\nThe reason I contacted you for help is because of my father&#8217;s advice\u00a0to me to look for someone outside here to help me invest the money overseas so I can stay away from his siblings.<br \/>\nNow, I would want you to tell me more about your self and your government&#8217;s condition concerning foreigners coming to invest there.<br \/>\nAlso, I want you to send me your\u00a0personal information&#8217;s such as\u00a0( your Identity Card, your address, telephone and fax number) so I can submit it to the bank here. I will send you the deposit slip of the money\u00a0and other details as soon as I submit your\u00a0personal information&#8217;s\u00a0to the bank\u00a0and you will contact the bank to know how the transfer\u00a0can be carry out\u00a0to your account.<br \/>\n\u00a0<br \/>\nWhile the transfer will be going on, you will send me a letter of invitation so as to allow me get your country&#8217;s visa here because I would want to join you there immediately after the transfer is done.<br \/>\nWhen I come there we will discuss face to face about investments and how\u00a0you\u00a0can help me\u00a0resume my education there<br \/>\nI am hopefully awaiting your soonest response so I can proceed.<br \/>\n\u00a0<br \/>\nThanks and God bless<br \/>\n\u00a0<br \/>\nMariam<br \/>\nAttached is my picture<br \/>\n<center><br \/>\n<img decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/oranchak.com\/mariam-01.jpg\"><br \/>\n<\/center>\n<\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p>(That photo looks like it was scanned right out of some fashion catalog)<\/p>\n<p>So it&#8217;s the same old &#8220;send me your personal information so I can rip you off while you are waiting for a big money transfer&#8221; scam.  Nice try.  Here, let me offer some bait:<br \/>\n<b class=\"d\"><br \/>\nMariam,<\/p>\n<p>I have been working in the software business for about 20 years now and I&#8217;ve had several successful investment engagements with foreigners already. \u00a0In fact, I find this type of work to be very rewarding. \u00a0I once partnered with a languishing software reseller that was struggling until we found some investors from overseas. \u00a0Now the company is pulling in $20 million annually. \u00a0Our government seldom has problems with overseas money, as long as the investments are not made with illegal means. \u00a0To this end, I will be willing to provide my personal information if I can receive a token of good faith, such as a picture showing the letterhead of stationary used by your father&#8217;s business, or a picture showing yourself and your father together.<\/p>\n<p>I look forward to doing business.<br \/>\n<\/b><\/p>\n<blockquote class=\"m\"><p>\nDear Mr David<br \/>\n\u00a0<br \/>\nThanks for telling me about you. See in the attachment a picture I took with my late father and his French business partner when they inaugurated a joint Rubber processing company here few months before my father\u2019s death but its regrettable the way my father\u2019s share in the company and other assets was sold off by his uncle after my father\u2019s death.<br \/>\n\u00a0<br \/>\nAlso you will see in the attachment a picture of my father\u2019s coffin during his burial ceremony. As I said before, I will send you the contact of the bank and other details concerning the fund as soon as I received your information\u2019s and submits it to the bank. Then you will negotiate with the bank on how to get the fund transfer to your account.<br \/>\n\u00a0<br \/>\nI am looking forward to hearing from you<br \/>\n\u00a0<br \/>\nThanks and God bless<br \/>\n<center><br \/>\n<a href=\"http:\/\/oranchak.com\/mariam-02-big.jpg\"><img decoding=\"async\" border=\"0\" src=\"http:\/\/oranchak.com\/mariam-02.jpg\"><\/a><a href=\"http:\/\/oranchak.com\/mariam-03-big.jpg\"><img decoding=\"async\" border=\"0\" src=\"http:\/\/oranchak.com\/mariam-03.jpg\"><\/a><br \/>\n<\/center>\n<\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p>That second picture has some EXIF information in the photo data:<\/p>\n<blockquote><p>Software|Adobe Photoshop CS2 Windows<\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p>Uh huh.  Yeah.  Look at her head in that second picture.  Click to see the bigger version, and look at how her head stands out from the rest of the picture.<br \/>\nNow, &#8220;she&#8221; tries to sweeten the deal by sexing it up a little bit:<\/p>\n<blockquote class=\"m\"><p>\nDear Mr. David<br \/>\n\u00a0<br \/>\nSee in the attachment three more of my pics.<br \/>\n\u00a0<br \/>\nThanks<\/p>\n<p>Mariam<br \/>\n<center><br \/>\n<a href=\"http:\/\/oranchak.com\/mariam-04-big.jpg\"><img decoding=\"async\" border=\"0\" src=\"http:\/\/oranchak.com\/mariam-04.jpg\"><\/a><a href=\"http:\/\/oranchak.com\/mariam-05-big.jpg\"><img decoding=\"async\" border=\"0\" src=\"http:\/\/oranchak.com\/mariam-05.jpg\"><\/a><a href=\"http:\/\/oranchak.com\/mariam-06-big.jpg\"><img decoding=\"async\" border=\"0\" src=\"http:\/\/oranchak.com\/mariam-06.jpg\"><\/a><br \/>\n<\/center>\n<\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p>Uh huh.  What I want to know is what the poor woman who posed for these photos thinks of being used in an international scam like this.<br \/>\n<b class=\"d\"><\/p>\n<p>Mariam,<\/p>\n<p>Thank for the information and photos. \u00a0As I prepare my personal information, I would like to get some more information about the Rubber processing company so I have all my records straight before we conduct our transaction. Can you tell me the name of the company, as well as the full names of your father and uncle?<\/p>\n<p>Regards<br \/>\n<\/b><br \/>\nBut she&#8217;s starting to sniff me out:<\/p>\n<blockquote class=\"m\"><p>\nDear Mr David<br \/>\n\u00a0<br \/>\nI have\u00a0given you\u00a0the necessary information&#8217;s about me as well as my late\u00a0father&#8217;s picture as you requested\u00a0but I am wondering now if you really want to help me?. Please, this is a transaction that involves large sum of money my late father toiled in years to earned here, therefore I need to know more about you so as to reassure my trust in you.<br \/>\n\u00a0<br \/>\nI will send you further information&#8217;s as requested\u00a0but let me get your details and conclude discussion with the bank here.<br \/>\n\u00a0<br \/>\nThanks and God bless<br \/>\n\u00a0<br \/>\nMariam\n<\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p><b class=\"d\"><br \/>\nMariam, thank for this opportunity. \u00a0I understand your concern. \u00a0But from time to time I receive information about people that are not honest about their business transactions online. \u00a0I really do want to help you. \u00a0But I need some more evidence that you are truly who you say you are and that your father did indeed leave you the money. \u00a0All I need is some more information about the names of your father and uncle, and the name of the Rubber plant. \u00a0Also, tell me which details you need from me to initiate this transaction. \u00a0What kind of bank account will work best for you?<br \/>\nRegards,<br \/>\n<\/b><\/p>\n<blockquote class=\"m\"><p>\nDear mr david<br \/>\n\u00a0<br \/>\nThank you for your response, but I would say that your interest to assist me was rather unspecific following the\u00a0sentences contained in your reply. You seem to doubt the authenticity of my proposal which I dont find strange because of the means by which I have contacted you, Please accept my apologies for this, it was due to prompt accessment of your recent email.<br \/>\n\u00a0<br \/>\nI am quite skeptical in believing that you really want to help me,if not, why were you reluctant\u00a0in\u00a0sending me your\u00a0personal\u00a0data so as to\u00a0allow me know whom I am dealing with.<br \/>\nConsidering the money involved, it is rather\u00a0uncompromised for me to release more information about my family unless i see your\u00a0reliable information\u00a0and be sure of the person\u00a0I am\u00a0entrusting my father&#8217;s hard earned money\u00a0to his hand,\u00a0my trust is not given out lightly on this. I need to be convinced\u00a0that\u00a0you\u00a0are a\u00a0honest person with some integrity.<br \/>\nYou should also have trust in me as I will have in you otherwise what will be the point going further if we cannot establish some trust for each other. It is true that I contacted you for\u00a0assistance\u00a0due to my present situation as orphan but your decision to help me will only be at your free will as I cannot impose\u00a0it on you, it is your choice to disagree or accept with the principles as a whole.<br \/>\n\u00a0<br \/>\nI would indeed be overwhelmed\u00a0seen you\u00a0in person here if that is possible, perhaps\u00a0I would lead you to the bank\u00a0so you will stand as my guidian to\u00a0do a face to face\u00a0negotiation with them concerning this transaction.<br \/>\n\u00a0<br \/>\nWell if I may remind you again, you are required to send a copy of your Driver&#8217;s Licence or your International Passport, your address and phone numbers. My curiousity can be justified considering the money in question, besides, it is this copy of your Driver&#8217;s Licence or International Passport that will be be used by the\u00a0bank to have all the necesary documentations perfected.<br \/>\n\u00a0<br \/>\nIf you really intend to\u00a0help me it would be necessary to have these scanned and sent to me immediately via email attachment.<br \/>\n\u00a0<br \/>\nThanks<br \/>\n\u00a0<br \/>\nMariam\n<\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p>OK; fine.  Mariam, you win.  A scan of my license, eh?  I can do that.  Oops, something must have gone &#8220;wrong&#8221; with my &#8220;scanner&#8221;:<br \/>\n<b class=\"d\"><br \/>\nMariam,<\/p>\n<p>Sorry for the long delay in replying &#8211; I was away on travel for business. \u00a0It has been a very stressful time for me and unfortunately my emails have piled up; it&#8217;s been hard to keep up with everything. \u00a0I&#8217;m sure you can relate to this. \u00a0Do you have days like this when you think you simply cannot keep up with everything that&#8217;s happening? \u00a0Sometimes I wonder if I am in the right profession. \u00a0Have you ever thought this? \u00a0What would your dream job be? \u00a0I am very curious, since you are from another country; I believe our American work culture is very different from other countries. \u00a0I&#8217;d be very interested to know what it&#8217;s like to work in your country.<\/p>\n<p>Anyway, I had some problems with my old scanner. \u00a0I went out and bought a new one, but the Windows drivers were flaky &#8211; the scanning program crashed a few times. \u00a0But I did manage to get a good scan of my license in between crashes. \u00a0It is attached.<\/p>\n<p>I look forward to speaking with you about the next steps. \u00a0I hope I can be of assistance in your time of need!<br \/>\nRegards,<br \/>\n-D<br \/>\n<center><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/oranchak.com\/mariam-07.jpg\"><\/center><br \/>\n<\/b><\/p>\n<blockquote class=\"m\"><p>\nDear Mr. David<br \/>\n\u00a0<br \/>\nThanks for your email I had received. Anyway, I will be waiting till you put your scanner in order, then you can send me a clear picture of your identity card\u00a0with your separate\u00a0picture to my curiosity. Also you will send me your address, and phone numbers.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>I will tell\u00a0you when I get your clear scanned identity card and other information&#8217;s. What you sent can not be considered identity card as no immage appeares in it.<br \/>\n\u00a0<br \/>\nThanks<br \/>\n\u00a0<br \/>\nMariam\n<\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p><b class=\"d\"><br \/>\nMariam,<\/p>\n<p>I think I have resolved the problem with my scanner.  Probably something to do with gamma rays and sunspots.  Anyway, my license is attached.  I look forward to the next steps of our business arrangement!<br \/>\nRegards<br \/>\n<center><br \/>\n<img decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/oranchak.com\/mclovin.jpg\"><br \/>\n<\/center><br \/>\n<\/b><br \/>\nYes.  That&#8217;s right.  I *am* <a href=\"http:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Christopher_Mintz-Plasse\">McLovin&#8217;<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>I didn&#8217;t hear from her again.  Well, duh.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Normally, I ignore the constant stream of spam that comes my way. But I got an email from a scammer, and I wanted to waste the scammer&#8217;s time, so I thought I would have some fun. The scammer&#8217;s emails are &hellip; <a href=\"http:\/\/www.oranchak.com\/?p=408\">Continue reading <span class=\"meta-nav\">&rarr;<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[6,11,16,22,30],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-408","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-crackbaby","category-funny","category-meaningless","category-pain","category-scams"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.oranchak.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/408","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.oranchak.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.oranchak.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.oranchak.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.oranchak.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=408"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"http:\/\/www.oranchak.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/408\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.oranchak.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=408"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.oranchak.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=408"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.oranchak.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=408"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}