by Jim Pooley
Sat Jun 21, 2008 7:31 am
This is a personal account of a scam, but not my account. It comes from someone I was recently in contact with. Scam - fairly typical 'I'm a refugee with millions of dollars, please help me get it out of the country' email:
The victim was eventually persuaded to travel to South Africa. This is his story:
URGENT ASSISTANCE FOR THE FAMILY
Please do not be embarrassed to receive this mail especially since we
don’t know each other or meet in person before. I was opportune to have
your esteemed particulars from South Africa Information Exchange
(S.A.I.E.), in my search for a reliable person to handle a very
confidential transaction, which involve a transfer of fund to a foreign
account.
My concern has centered on how I could transfer my late father’s money
amounting to US$25.5 Million (Twenty-Five Million Five Hundred Thousand
United States Dollars) out of South Africa for a better investment abroad.
I am MR BENSON BORDER GEZI, the son of comrade Border Gezi. My father was
the former Zimbabwean Minister for youth, gender and Employment creation.
While alive, my father stood against seizure of white farms and the
distribution of it to the blacks without compensation to the white owners.
Because of my father’s sincerity, he was killed by a planned motor
accident along Harare-Masvingo Road near Mvuma Province of Zimbabwe.
Before his untimely death, my father told me some few weeks earlier that
he kept one diplomatic box with a private finance and Security Company in
Johannesburg, South Africa which contains US$25.5 Million (Twenty-Five
Million Five Hundred Thousand United States Dollars). He warned that he
only declared the contents of the diplomatic box to the Security Company
as a family treasure/ values, with insurance values of the said amount. He
also told me that he used my name as the beneficiary of this money being
his first child. The original document that shows the Deed of lodge, Proof
of Deposit, and Depository Agreement between my late father and the
Management of the Security Company was kept with the reputable South
African Lawyer.
Because of South African Financial Law, which bared asylum seeker/ refugee
like me to operate an account that exceed US$1000 and fear of the amount
involved, I decided to write to you to seek your help for this money to be
transferred into your company’s or personal bank account while all
arrangement for a hitch free transfer have been fully taken care of.
Please indicate your private phone and fax numbers, which will allow an
easy flow of communication before or after sending the money into your
account. I want to assure you also that this transaction is 100% risk
free. As for your reward for this kind assistance, my family and I are
ready to offer you 20% of the total sum while 10% will be set aside for
expenses incurred in the course of the transaction.
If you are willing to help me, please try as soon as possible to get back
to me through the above private telephone and fax numbers. Please, I do
hope that this money will be safe when finally transferred into your
account. I do hope of establishing a good relationship with you and your
family after this transaction. Please for confidential reasons, I urge you
to reply me on this private e-mail address.
([email protected]). God bless you.
Best regards,
MR. BENSON BORDER GEZI.
Email: [email protected]
The victim was eventually persuaded to travel to South Africa. This is his story:
I just returned from Johannesburg where I was to assist
one of those REFUGEES from ZIMBABWE and I was neer
death. I spent up to day allmost $10,000 up to today
on this guy and when I came to Johannesburg and they
arranged place for me to stay, only about 2 hours
after I arrived 3 guys entered my room where I was put
to stay with guns they tight me up ,tape my mouth to
prevent from nois and told me they will kidnapp me and
I have to cooperate with them or be KILLED. They ask me
to give them all my money I have and the FIGHT just begin.
I am 62 years old and they were 3 of them, but I told
myself if I have to go with them and be killed anyway, I righter
dye here and start fight back. I want to buy some time,
maybe someboby will hear me? I did it for about 10 minutes
and than being without OXYGEN, taped ny mouth and nose,
suddenly I lost consience and next thing I wake up to
everybody surprise and POLICE next to me, telling me
I BEAT ALL THE ADDS MAKING MIRACLES BEING ALLIVE
telling me they left me thinking I AM DEAD,NOT BREATHING
so they took my wallet with $1750 and bunch of CREDIT
CARDS and surprisingly left my Passport that I found under the
bed and $ 2000 in TRAVELERS CHECKS in envelope untouched,
probably not checking CONTEND OF ENVELOPE. GOD was
my SAVOR! I made MIRACLE. Police took me to American
Embassy next day and following day Embassy order POLICE to
release me to go home. I consider myself extremly lucky
and I can say I am born SECOND TIME. Thank GOD.
I made history and survive the TERROR that 80% peaple
would not be surviving. Those things happening only
in the MOVIES .
