Watch out for Shafi
Scammers offer you money for nothing through the screen - Don Hankins
Sorry for this non-birding and non-Peru note, but considering that my last Nigeria scam post had quite a few visitors of thankful tour operators being hit by false bookings, I thought I’d warn for this new variant of the infamous Nigeria 419 Scam .
It is pretty amazing really. when I thought all ends had been covered, I get an instant message from Dr Allen William through Skype. Now the Nigeria scammers want to chat with you! It is a new level of trust all together – Oh, and this one is from Ghana!
Anyway, there are several things that should make you lift your eyebrows and see through this. My comments in brackets.
Dear Engblom, (I would have thought Dr William would have taken care to look for my first name to address me correctly)
I have been in search of someone with this last name Engblom,so when I saw your name I was pushed to contact you and see how best we can assist each other. I am Dr. Allen William, I am the regional manager of United Bank for Africa GHANA(UBA). I believe it is the wish of God for me to come across you on skype now. I am having an important business discussion I wish to share with you which I believe will interest you because, it is in connection with your last name and you are going to benefit from it.
One Late Shafi Engblom,a citizen of your country
(Yeah, Engblom is not a very common name in Sweden – and the combination with Shafi sounds just too incredulous)
had a fixed deposit with my bank in 2004 for 36 calendar months, valued at US$18,400,000.00 (Eighteen Million, Four Hundred Thousand US Dollars) the due date for this deposit contract was this 16 of January 2007. (You would have thought someone having 18.4 milion dollars in Ghana would show up in a google search – but NADA!)
Sadly Shafi was among the death victims in the May 26 2006 Earthquake disaster in Jawa, Indonesia that killed over 5,000 people. He was in Indonesia on a business trip and that was how he met his end.
My bank management is yet to know about his death,I knew about it because he was my friend and I am his account officer. Shafi did not mention any Next of Kin/ Heir when the account was opened, and Shafi was not married and no children. Last week my Bank Management requested that i should give instructions on what to do about his funds, if to renew the contract.
I know this will happen and that is why I have been looking for a means to handle the situation, because if my Bank Directors happens to know that Shafi is dead and do not have any Heir, they will take the funds for their personal use, so I don’t want such to happen. That was why when I saw your last name I was happy and I am now seeking your co-operation to present you as Next of Kin/ Heir to the account, since you have the same last name with him and my bank head quarters will release the account to you. There is no risk involved; the transaction will be executed under a legitimate arrangement that will protect you from any breach of law.
It is better that we claim the money,than allowing the Bank Directors to take it,they are rich already. I am not a greedy person, (hahaha!)
so I am suggesting we share the funds, 50/40% to both parties, and 10% for Expenses, my share will assist me to start my own company which has been my dream. Let me know your mind on this and please do treat this information as TOP SECRET. We shall go over the details once I receive your urgent response strictly through my personal email address.
allenwilliam.gh2009@gmail.com
We can as well discuss this on phone; let me know when you will be available to speak with me on phone. Have a nice day and God bless.
Anticipating your communication.
Dr. Allen William.
Reply
Dear Dr William
I don’t know if I can trust you! It looks a bit fishy that there also are people who have gotten almost identical messages from Ghana….
https://pragmatic-strategy.com/ansuz/?p=13
Now, F**k Off!
Shafi was here!
It would not surprise me if there has been recent variants of Shafi with an array of different surnames. It’d be fun to know. Let me know in the comment section.
- If you liked this post you may like: Nigeria scammer hitting on Peruvian birding company
Image by Don Hankins via Creative Commons license
