Haiti Earthquake collections : scam emails

There are no adequate words that I can use on a public forum to express my revulsion for the lowlife who are exploiting the tragedy in Haiti.

The following scam emails are doing the rounds - there may be more.

Please treat any unsolicited email of this nature with the utmost suspicion. If you wish to donate then there are numerous well known authentic charities through whom this may be done.

Hello Sir/ Madam

Do get across to the Haiti earthquake victims through M.E. FOUNDATION home.

Save a Life today through us

God bless you as you contribute to the victims of natural disasters

For any form of relief material you plan to send across, please do contact our home team Mr. David Isco Iker on [email protected] or call us directly on +34634026536

Yours in Service

Mrs. Mary Isco Iker
President
M.E. FOUNDATION

Hello xxxxxx

We greet you in the name of the almighty one, thanks so much for you prompt reply for the help we seek to send down to the needy ones out there, may heavens see to your life with such prompt responses.


M.E. FOUNDATION is a foundation formed from the heavenly mind of Dr. Bruce Wilkinson the Founder of ‘Walk thru the Bible Ministries and Global Resources’ and the author of the New York times #1 bestseller ‘The Prayer of Jabez’, A life God Rewards, Secrets of the vine, the Dream Giver and other numerous book and also a founder of several global initiatives including organizations that recruited and trained thousands of Americans to address hunger, AIDS, and poverty in Africa. Bruce and his wife, Darlene, have three children and six grandchildren. They live outside Atlanta . he was once any active member of the CCF( Christian child fund), but with the survey he made, he came to realize that its not only Christian child that needs help out there and that also we have come to notice that many NGOs, Companies, Ministries and Individuals are willing to reach out to help their fellow humans but due to one thing or the other are not able to reach out to them, so that’s why we came up with the ideal to form this foundation in the spirit and memory of Lady Saint Mary Isaac of Spain and we are to Start off from Africa, because survey done shows us of many Charity homes there that are fading or closing up out of neglect or lack of help coming to them from any sources as a Charity and the kids once in this Charity home are forced to Child Labor or Modern day Slavery or Early marriage(Regarding to the Girls in them) and which is a Home foundation made up by Volunteers from all over the world in the spirit to work in the Lord's vineyard.

We have been a home on appeals for any form of relief materials to be sent across to the crisis affected nations before this Haiti incident happened, so we have to divert most of all our materials down to Haiti for now and use our home for a means of appeal to make sure the donation and materials sent gets to the right victims, so we plan with the materials and fund the home have at hand already we plan to move down there and offer the possible help that can do and with more donations to come, we are to buy drugs and foods and arrange for possible means of shelter for the victims when we get there.

M.E. FOUNDATION homes are located in Spain and UK and which we plan to put up our home structures in some nations some enough: We are at

Spain Home: Calle – Barrocal 17c, Malaga , Spain . 29010.

Contact Phone: +34634026536

Fax: +34911881318


UK Home: 11 Kensington Church Street, London, W8 7 LN

Contact phone: +447024057510

For the donation, we will like to know from where you plan to send it from and which of our home will be convenient enough for you to send it to for us to know the account to provide you with.

Remain blessed

Yours in Faith

Mrs. Mary Isco Iker

President

M.E. FOUNDATION

From FR_THOMAS MARTINS <[email protected]>
to [email protected]
date Fri, Jan 15, 2010 at 7:57 AM
subject Haiti Earthquake Appeal.Donate at the British Red Cross lawyer
signed-by yahoo.co.uk

hide details 7:57 AM (7 hours ago)


Haiti Earthquake Appeal
The devastating earthquake in Haiti has left thousands in need of aid.

* Donate at the British Red Cross
to our lawyer working for the Haiti Earthquake Appeal Fund.Send money faster by Western Union Money Transfer as stated below.

Contact the solicitors
Roland Stuart
UK SOLICITORS.
169 Walworth Road
London SE17 1RW
DX 34905 Walworth
United Kingdom
Email: [email protected]

WESTERN UNION INFORMATION.

RECIEVERS NAME. ROLAND STUART.
ADDRESS. LONDON.

SEND US THE WESTERN UNION MTCN/SENDERS NAME AS ADDRESS AND THE AMOUNT SENT AS WE SHALL SHOW APPRECIATION BY CONTACTING YOU BACK AFTER YOUR DONATION.

MAY THE LOVE OF GOD BE WITH YOU AS YOU DONATE.

REGARDS,

from Mr Rees Vivian Paul <[email protected]>
to
date Thu, Jan 14, 2010 at 7:39 PM
subject Haiti Earthquake Disaster Use This Funds
mailed-by frognet.net

PLEASE REPLY TO THIS BELOW PRIVATE EMAIL

[email protected]

Dear partner

This letter may come to you as a surprise due to the fact that we have not
met personally. My name is Mr Rees Vivian Paul Britain citizen , a
business merchant in Port-au-Prince Haiti I was a victim of the Haiti
Earthquake disaster that led over 174,000 people dead in Haiti Aceh
province.

Well, I lost all my family members and was seriously injured as a result
of this catastrophe and currently hospitalised in London England. My
illness has defiled all form of medical treatment and I only have about a
weeks to live according to medical report. I have not particularly lived
my life so well, as I never really cared for anyone not even myself but my
business. But now I regret all these as I now know that there is more to
life than just wanting to have or make all the money in this world. Now
that I know my time is near, I want to will and give most of my properties
and assets to you to enhance the relief of other Asian Tsunami Victims and
other charity aid. I have decided to give alms for charity aid, as I want
this to be one of the last good deeds I do on earth. But i am afraid most
of these charity organisations will use it for their personal interests
without someone to co-ordinate this task.

Hence, i am seeking a trust-worthy person who is able to help me carry out
this great task. Now that my health has deteriorated so badly, I cannot do
this my self any more. I lost alot of money, assests, properties, etc due
to this disaster. Meanwhile, i still have $46.200 million dollars (Fourty
Six million Two Hundred U. S. dollars only) cash deposit that I have with
the bank in England. I will want you to help me collect this deposit and
dispatched it for humanitarian aid.

Also the president of the United States Of America has also donated $100
million dollars for this aid to help the crisis and i want to support him
by using my funds,Also you will let them know that it is I Mr Rees Vivian
Paul that is making this generous donations to them to serve as memorial
while I was on earth. I am writing this from my laptop computer in my
hospital bed where I wait for my time to come. I pray that God uses you to
support and assist me with good heart.

Also, these are the necessary criteria you have to meet before I will give
you the full authority over the fund:

(a). My conviction of your transparent, honesty and diligence and you will
treat this transaction as I have instructed you to do.

(b). Upon the receipt of the funds, you will promptly release 15 million
USD to charity aid to help the needy, 15 million USD will be used for
investment and you will ONLY take the balance 16 million 2 Hundred
Thousand USD for your noble assistance.

(c). You must be ready to produce me with enough information about
yourself to put my mind at rest, by providing your full beneficiary name,
your contact address, telephone and fax numbers for further communication.

(d) All necessary legal documentations must be undertaken before you can
have the full right over this fund and other properties which i will give
to you in due course.

(e) Also, you will be entitle to 20% of the annual income of any
investment you wish to go into in rder to enhance further charitable work.
I would suggest that you can invest this money into stocks, properties,
bonds, etc. or any lucrative business you may suggest.

I will bring you into the complete picture of the transaction when I have
heard from you. Your urgent response will be highly appreciated with all
your contact details.

Thanks for your anticipated cooperation and Gob bless you.Please do send
all response to my below contact private email
[email protected]

Yours faithfully,

Mr Rees Vivian Paul

Thanks for posting this information,

Of note, there are more scam emails and some information on this scam posted in News and Announcements here viewtopic.php?f=2&t=5706

Urgent Response:Help Haiti

From:
"Haiti Students Union" <[email protected]> [Add]
To:

Date:
Sat, 16 Jan 2010 5:02 PM (23 hours 1 min ago)


dear sir/madam,

At this time we the entire Haiti students Union in the United Kingdom are calling out with one voice for help to our home country,we are worried about our family
members/friends back home in the earthquake zone. Many (students)have not heard from their family since the tragedy.On January 12, 2010 When disaster struck, we pray that
our neighbors will help us in our greatest time of need. It is still unclear how many have been killed in the earthquake, which measured 7.2 magnitude on the Richter
scale, but aid agencies fear thousands are dead.President Rene Preval(our President)described the scene in Port-au Prince as 'unimaginable.

Presently,Bloodstained bodies are piled high in the streets of the Haitian capital of Port-au-Prince today amid fears that thousands have died in a catastrophic
earthquake.Rescuers have been forced to dig through rubble with their bare hands to free trapped survivors as the Red Cross said up to three million people may have been
affected.British and international aid agencies are rushing to assist today as the full horror of the disaster began to emerge.Parliament has collapsed. The tax office
has collapsed. Schools have collapsed. Hospitals have collapsed and also churches, Among the fatalities were about 36 UN staffs, including Hedi Annabi, the Secretary
General's special envoy, who were working inside its five-storey headquarters when it collapsed.The Roman Catholic Arcbishop of Port-au-Prince Monsignor Joseph Serge Miot
also died. His body was found in the ruins of the archdiocese office.

What can we do, thousands of miles away? Well,we are stepping up to help our people of Haiti by getting food and basic supplies to our home country.
You can help too by considering a small donation to these Associatiion.For your donations please,pay to our Union President via western union money transfer minimum of $30 dollars.
http://www.theworldchallenge.co.uk
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/worldne ... ke-Victims

Thanks and God bless you.
your's Sincerely
Comrade Variola Belensky
(Sec-Gen)

Send your Donation to Name:Emmanuel Darly (Union President)United Kingdom
phone number:+447045712481
test question and answer:what is money sent for? Answer Haiti
Please as soon as your donation is made,send the payment information to our accnt officer.
email:[email protected] for proper documentation and acknowledgment

HELP HAITI LONDON
13 Liverpool Road,
Islington, London,
N1 0RW

Dear.Friend

On Tuesday, a catastrophic earthquake struck near Port-au-Prince almost the whole of Haiti. The full extent of the damage is still being assessed, but the death toll -- already in the thousands -- is climbing fast.

This is the worst earthquake to hit the area in more than 200 years. Entire communities have been ripped apart and as many as 3 million people have been directly affected, including tens of thousands of American citizens who are in Haiti.

Haiti is racing to confront the enormous devastation -- and the OFA community can help.
Footage is pouring in of homes collapsing, Haitians carrying injured family members, and hospitals being overrun in what was already the poorest nation in the Western Hemisphere.

we have directed this means of contact individuals to respond with a swift, coordinated, and aggressive effort to save lives. Personnel from the United States and our partners in the international community are on the ground in damaged areas right now, working side by side with the Haitian people. They're providing food, water, and sanitation supplies, saving lives and helping Haitians,please your help is also needed

Despite the fact that we are experiencing tough financial times now we encourage those who can to reach out and help. It's in times like these that we must show the kind of compassion and humanity that has defined the best of our national character for generations.

PLEASE FOR NOW YOU CAN SEND YOUR DONATIONS BY WESTERN UNION TO OUR HELP HAITI LONDON CORDINATIOR ANN BROWN WITH THE BELOW INFORMATION,NO AMOUNT ITS TOO SMALL HELP AND GOD WILL BLESS YOU!!

Receiver:Ann Brown
Location:London Uk
Email: [email protected]
send her all related information or call john on +447031842276

Please if you make any donation send us the following informations for reference .
1) Your full name:

2) Sex:

3) Age:

4) Occupation:

5) Mobile / Telephone Number:

6) Country:

6) Nationality:

As this story continues to unfold, I hope you will continue to keep the people of Haiti in your thoughts and prayers, as well as the many Haitian-Americans who have done so much to enrich our country and who are worried about friends and loved ones in this time of need.

Thank you,

David Cole

Thank you and welcome NoticeBored

The scammer in your e-mail is using an e-mail address ending in 'consultant.com'. These e-mail accounts are free and disposable addresses provided by mail dot com.

Telephone numbers that begin '+44(0)70' are 'Follow Me Anywhere' numbers that can be diverted virtually anywhere in the world.

Donations should go through Western Union - (Western Union wires and Moneygrams are not only untraceable, they're irretrievable. Once the recipient picks them up (which can be done at ANY Western Union office in the world), the money is gone.

A new one from low-life world...

From: janet Jones <[email protected]>
Reply to: [email protected]
IP: 41.220.75.17 - Nigeria

Good day my beloved one, my name is miss janet jones from port au-prince in Haiti, a young lady of 24 years, i lost my parents some days ago in the recent massive earthquake, on my way back from school, i saw our house been collapsed and i could not find my parents since them till today, there no one to help me out with accommodation and food first, how could i leave now without my people, and i still want to continue with my education.
I have not even eaten since yesterday, we were told that the unicef are coming with food. I want to travel to dakar senegal with my friend and her mother, her mother is expecting some fund, so we can leave the country to there own. I have no alternative. I saw your profile online and will send you my pictures in the next email, and will like to be your friend. I will be very happy to continue my education in your country. Please try to help me out in one way or the other, nothing is too small, i will be expecting your reply.
Remain Blessed,
Janet.

N.B.: this is not a charity scam using the Haiti disaster, but as this topic gathers all scams about Haiti, I thought it was the best place to post...

For every catastrophic disaster in the world, there are truely heartless people trying to make money out of it.

Return-Path: <[email protected]>
X-Originating-IP: [195.4.92.93]
Received: from [195.4.92.22] (helo=12.mx.freenet.de) by mout3.freenet.de
Reply-To: <[email protected]>
From: "REV FR. VICTORY GLENN"<[email protected]>
Subject: Haiti Earthquake Appeal
Date: Mon, 18 Jan 2010 22:44:04 -0000


Haiti Earthquake Appeal
The devastating earthquake in Haiti has left thousands in need of aid.

* Donate at the British Red Cross
to our lawyer working for the Haiti Earthquake Appeal Fund.Send money faster by Western Union Money Transfer as stated below.

Contact the solicitors
Roland Stuart
UK SOLICITORS.
169 Walworth Road
London SE17 1RW
DX 34905 Walworth
United Kingdom
REPLY TO. [email protected]

WESTERN UNION INFORMATION.

RECIEVERS NAME. ROLAND STUART.
ADDRESS. LONDON.

SEND US THE WESTERN UNION MTCN/SENDERS NAME AS ADDRESS AND THE AMOUNT SENT AS WE SHALL SHOW APPRECIATION BY CONTACTING YOU BACK AFTER YOUR DONATION.

MAY THE LOVE OF GOD BE WITH YOU AS YOU DONATE.

REGARDS,


REV FR. VICTORY GLENN
FOR.Haiti Earthquake Appeal
Tell: +44703 184 9167

Return-Path: <[email protected]>
X-Originating-IP: [209.85.219.168]
Received: by 10.216.90.139 with SMTP id
Date: Mon, 18 Jan 2010 15:36:40 +0400
Subject: urgent from United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (United Arab Emirates)
From: This sender is DomainKeys verified ali bahman <[email protected]>
To: [email protected]


United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees
P.O. Box 60772, Dubai,
Khalid Bin Waleed street
United Arab Emirates
Tel:+971556642397
Fax:+97155236589
Email:[email protected]

Attention: To whom it may concern.

We are using this medium to reach you about the dire need of your assistance to help the needy in earthquake striken country of Haiti.
Lots of lives were lost,buildings collapsed,there is urgent humanitarian need as your contribution is very essential.

The displaced people overthere need money,food,shelter and medicine.
If you want to send money,send it by western union money transfer on the information.
The receiver is a staff of the above mentioned office here in United Arab Emirates.

Name...... Innocent Njikonye
Destination....United Arab Emirates
Once you have send it forward the control number to enable our staff to collect it

Secondly,if you want to send clothes,food,blanket ,etc contact us asap for information to send it.

Thank you for helping the needy

Respectfully,

Ali Bahman
Director of protocols
United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees

Return-Path: <[email protected]>
X-Originating-IP: [65.55.90.110]
Return-Path: [email protected]
X-Originating-IP: [41.184.8.254]
From: John Walex <[email protected]>
Subject: HELP THE WORLD
Date: Sun, 17 Jan 2010 14:08:24 +0000


Web and phone donations to the Haiti Earthquake Appeal over the past 24 hours have added £10m to the £2m already raised, the Disasters Emergency Committee coalition announced this morning.

The massive response shows the UK public understand that member agencies need their support as they overcome grave communications and logistical problems to help the tens of thousands of people desperately needing assistance, says DEC.

The amount includes online and phone donations only, with amounts from corporate, postal, events, SMS and over-the-counter donations still to be recorded.

The DEC consists of Action Aid, British Red Cross, CAFOD, CARE International UK, Christian Aid, Concern Worldwide, Help the Aged, Islamic Relief, Merlin, Oxfam, Save the Children, Tearfund and World Vision.

At a speech to the Fabian's 2010 Conference today, the Prime Minister, Gordon Brown, declared: "It must now be said of Haiti, the poorest country in the western world, the country that in a short span has suffered three devastating hurricanes and now been shattered by one of the world’s worst earthquakes, that its wounded people need not just charity for a day, or sympathy for a week, but all that compassion can offer."

Relief has been arriving in Port au Prince at last, but too little has moved beyond the jammed airport say NGOs and reporters.

Damage to the seaport, roads and other infrastructure has prevented the speedy distribution of food, water and medical supplies.

We are charitable Organization based in United Kingdom, we had helped many victims in Africa, Asia, Euros and some other parts of the world. At present we are in Haiti to assist the victims of the earthquake and donate, to rebuild the Nation of Haiti. We are using this medium to solicit for your assistant in any form you are capable.

You can send any amount of money you can through western union money transfer using the information below;


Name: Raymond Ellis
Address: 13 Liverpool Road, Islington, London, London N1 0RW
Phone: +44 703 595 0947

As soon as you send the money, you can email us the western union details so that we can get it here. May God bless you.


HELP THE WORLD.
13 Liverpool Road, Islington, London, London N1 0RW.
+44 703 595 0947
[email protected]
[email protected]
[email protected]

Return-Path: <[email protected]>
X-Originating-IP: [66.34.57.1]
Received: from 127.0.0.1 (EHLO imageteq.propagation.net) (66.34.57.1)
Date: Sat, 16 Jan 2010 09:21:44 -0800
Subject: Save Haiti
From: Sharon Cole <[email protected]>
Reply-To: [email protected]


The British Red Cross Society
British Red Cross
UK Office
44 Moorfields
London EC2Y 9AL.

MAKE YOUR DONATIONS NOW.
_____________________________


Dear Reader,

A devastating earthquake measuring 7.3 on the richter scale struck Haiti on 12th January 2010 sending the Haitian Capital Port-Au-Prince into Chaos,killing hundreds and affecting thousands more.Please give what you can today to help thousands of people in desperate need of humanitarian assistance.

Relief aid workers from Red Cross have already been arriving at the Haitian capital with relief materials.

Donations have been grouped into two cartegories:
1:GROUP A {250 British pounds to 1,000 British pounds}
2:Group B{ 1,000 British pounds and above}

Donations are to be made payable immediately via western union money transfer or Money Gram International Money Transfer. and directly to our donations account liason officer as Receiver`s name: Sharon Cole

RECEIVER'S NAME: SHARON COLE (LIASON OFFICER)
DONATIONS ACCOUNT NAME:... SAVE HAITI
LOCATION: 44 Moorfields, london EC2Y 9AL

Please provide us via return email the following informations below as they appear on the western union or money gram ineternational money transfer s slip:

1. NAME AND ADDRESS OF SENDER
2. EXACT AMOUNT SENT.
3.MTCN.

Note: At British Red Cross we are committed to protecting your privacy as a Standard practice.We will not share your information unless you have previously indicate that you are happy for us to do so.

Hope to receive your donations soon as thousands needs your help.

please send return email with donations details to:

Your Sincerely,

For and on behalf of the British Red Cross Society.


Liaison Officer

From "John Slameu" <[email protected]

Dear Sir,

I am very sorry for not been in contact with you since 2 days ago. Internet cafe's here were all closed,all business closed as well.

I would appreciate anything (money) you can afford to send to me in helping my situation and my family condition. I would have suggest that you send the money to me through western union but unfortunately all western union office here were closed because everybody is still scare and afraid if anything can still happen. Though i am not with my i.d or anything to collect money here.

Can you please give me some time (hours) to ask from the foreign people from the organisations that do come here often and every 2 days if they can be of help and if they can help me to collect it through western union and give it to me in cash while they are here,also can you let me know where you want to help me send the money so that i can tell them.

Please get back to me as soon as possible.

May God almighty help you and bless your family.

Thanks very much.

John.

Another one:

from Mrs. Carol Williams. <[email protected]>
reply-to [email protected]
date Wed, Jan 27, 2010
subject CRY FOR HELP FOR PEOPLE OF HAITI EARTHQUAKE SAVE A CHILD AND SO MANY MOTHELESS MOTHERS

Hello Beloved one,

As you can seen and heard from the CNN front page news about my country
Haiti,This started and nothing we could do because we all have sinned
against God and His might hand is upon us,oh my country is about to
destroy forever,it was black night on the 11th of January 2010,i Mrs
Oyamada samuel was left alone without any a word from my family or my
loving husband.

what a catastrophe,but is GOd who has put this upon us as i watch our
house been destroyed and my husband been dead with my 6years old Daughter
Jose inside our family house as i was coming back from the work,
tears,cry's,i shout for help,called upon the name of the lord, but i could
not found the help, then i gave up, since i knows that, the hand of the
lord is upon us.

But today,the European union has called for help from the entire world,
but with help of the U.N, i was able to make my way to a country in
African called The Gambia a home of Tourist, as this was my first time of
been here without knowing any thing about this country.

Please dear one,as you can see,i lost all,my husband,my home and daughter
and now i can not boast of any thing any more,but only with the help of
you and yours friends, i can be able to live again and many others we has
escaped from the incident. We are many here PLEASE in the NAME of GOd,
please any thing that touches hear.You can drop your phone no and wait for
directive from doctor in charge.We don't mind food.,cloth,shoes and
anything you can send to help the motherless babies and homeless window.

Anything you want to send you can Mail to Sait Matty Road Bakau Banjul,
The Gambia C/o Fajo Williams

for your donation,kindly send any thing you wish from your heart through
western union money transfer with information as

Mrs Oyameda Samuel

City Banjul

State Banjul

Country The Gambia

Send the MTCN

You can reply us back to [email protected]

GOD WILL CONTINUE TO BLESS YOU


Yours Truly

Oyameda Samuel

PEOPLE OF HAITI EARTHQUAKE

my country Haiti, Mrs Oyamada samuel (typical Haitian name, I don't think)

my 6years old Daughter Jose (Boy's name but never let the truth spoil a good scam, or even a bad one for that matter)


What an idiot.

Good observations - but I wouldn't recognise that about the names, however. I don't know anything about other countries' names.

Sometimes, things that seem obvious errors to the people familiar with certain countries or cultures, can seem totally normal and acceptable to someone (like me) who doesn't know much about the wider world.

And sometimes scammers can be very clever, and fill their scam mails with what appear to be verifiable facts, correct terms, checkable addresses, and culturally appropriate names.

It can certainly be a 'clue' when something seems wrong in a scam mail. But the reverse situation - everything seems right - does not mean that it is not a scam. It can just mean that it is a cleverer scam.

The above scam letter, from Oyameda Samuel, is also being sent from this email address:

[email protected]

Well, Chris, I wish you would try and find out a bit about other countries in the world - apart from anything else it makes it much easier not to be "had"!

It's simple to find out on Google that Haiti is a French-speaking country, and almost all names there still sound French (it's very poor, so there would be no recent immigration from Africa). "Oyameda", on the other hand, is a very West African name. It hardly matters whether it's first name or last name, Google doesn't mind. The confusion of first and last names is a pointer to a muslim origin for the email - the scammer says "Mrs Oyameda Samuel" in the story, but the email address is just "mrsoyameda...". Muslim naming tradition is different to ours (and variable), and the reversal implies someone who doesn't quite understand the normal western name order. If "she" was Haitian she would have said "Mrs Samuel Oyameda", as Roman Catholicism is the official (and 80% actual) religion in Haiti, and they follow the western/Christian naming order. However, The Gambia is - surprise, surprise - 90% Muslim (Google again!).

All of which - with everything else - makes it a 100% certain scam. "Knowledge is power": get some knowledge, and empower yourself!

I'm with Chris here. I know that many Haitians are of African descent, and an African name wouldn't strike me as out of place.
We don't believe that scammers are anything but a very small proportion of all Nigerians. It's everything else in the email that makes it a scam.

I'm with Osbee here. A little bit of general and geographical knowledge goes a long way and keeps you safe.Also remember that scammers are not generally clever, they are stupid. Most of the emails that go around are simply copied by people who sit in internet cafes and cut and paste pre-written emails and send to a list of email addresses they have bought. They are not clever, the relatively clever one is the one who sits behind and rakes in the money.

That said, they are all vermin.

Also remember that scammers are not generally clever, they are stupid.

I wouldn't be to sure of this if I were you...


Edit to add (and the add is far longer than the original reply ):

@osbee

The theory about names is very unreliable.
Need an example?
My last name is 100% Polish.
My first name is from a particular part of France.
If I gave you my name, you would be unable to tell I'm from Belgium only with it, though I'm born and have always lived here.

So maybe YOU have the chance to detect such details as the order of first and last name, etc.
But it's not the case of all people on Earth, you know?
People WILL fall for this scam.
Because it plays with your feelings more directly than your wallet.