419 Scam Blow-by-Blow

timbos writes "Check out this six-page dissection of a 419 scam at The Register. In particular, the fake banking site that the fraudsters set up is interesting..."

1-419-COM-CAST.

[garcia]

Please carry out the following tasks, if it doesn't work then try from a different PC.
1.Click On Internet Explorer
2.Go to The TOOLS MENU
3.Go to Internet Options
4.Go to Advanced
5.Scroll down the list and Click/Tick the check box enabling Java
6. Restart Your Computer
7. Log on to UMCIB and go to e-banking then enter your usernameand password, this will take you to the transfer page.

If this doesnt work, please call me, my direct line is: [phone]

The accounts department insist that there is no problem from here and the problem is from your end.

I apologise most sincerely for the delays and your inability to access your account, however it is not a problem from our end as the system shows that everything is working perfectly and you are the only one with this problem, please try again and if the system persists please let me know.

Sounds like a Comcast technician talking to a subscriber about why their billing system charged twice the month's bill every month for six months or why there has been intermittent block sync on the cable modem.

Service Tech: "Oh, if you were to purchase this $50 line filter we could install it for $90/hr and you wouldn't lose block sync anymore!"

The 419 scammers can't get away with it why should Comcast?

Moderators please note: this was an attempt at humor.

419 is Ohio

[Anonymous Coward]

Off topic, but the first time I saw a "419" scam I thought it had something to do with Ohio. :)

So, is anything actually done to promote awareness of these kinds of scams. I always chuckle at the variations I get in my inbox, but surely we're not just relying on common sense to save the majority of the populace... are we?

Why is DG upset?

[Hatfieldje]

I mean, he got an e-mail that says:

US $8,370,000.00 has arrived here and you should have access to your account by Noon today.

This guy's rich. I hope someone sends me an e-mail telling me how I can get rich like him.

have mercy on 419 dudes

[rozz]

Please carry out the following tasks, if it doesn't work then try from a different PC. 1.Click On Internet Explorer 2.Go to The TOOLS MENU 3. ...

please stop bashing the 419 scammers .. the poor guys have enough problems already

Re:Mother nature at work.

[Anonymous Coward]

I love natural selection.

Me too, taking your lunch money and giving you swirlies helped me get the cheerleaders in high school, which increased my confidence, leading to better jobs, which further increased my attractiveness as a potential mate, which led to me having much better luck in my mating endeavors than you.

Sincerely,
the rest of the world who is tired of attempted slashdork elitism

Re:419 is Ohio

[NanoGator]

"So, is anything actually done to promote awareness of these kinds of scams."

I think the darwinism that is taking place is handling most of the awareness.

Re:OMGWTFLOL SLASHDORK

[Anonymous Coward]

You're new here aren't you?

I doubt it, that poster has the appropriate level of Slashangst.

Note to Soviet moderators: This humor is an attempt at you!

Payment to SCO

[Nom du Keyboard]

Hey, I just sent my $699 license payment to SCO through that bank. I'm sure they'll get it any time now and I can go back to running Linux legally.

They also offered to accept my $3000 RIAA apology-for-using-KaZaA payment.

And next week they've promised me a toaster for opening my new account.

Me me me!

[raehl]

For example, who really thinks that there is nothing wrong with going about pretending to be a dead persons uncle to claim money that isn't rightfully yours?

What's wrong with that? It's the $1,000 up-front out-of-pocket expense that I object to.

Re:Article quote:

[Warlok]

The spelling errors and grammar problems means they're not using Outlook to send mail...

Re:Just plain stupid

[cK-Gunslinger]

I love those "Cashless ATMs" and "Internet Terminal" schemes they offer on TV. Basically, they do all the the work and you just collect the profits each week! Ha! My favorite line is, "Millions have joined up, but the best locations are still available!" I wonder if those "millions" of people who signed up see those commercials and go, "WTF?! People are getting better locations than me?"

The 419 scammers are hilarious!

[shic]

My anti-spam hiccupped a couple of weeks ago and I saw one of their mails while sipping my first morning coffee. Clearly inflation was a serious problem in Nigeria... they wanted my help shifting 9 billion dollars someone unexpectedly misplaced. How sorry I felt for him trying to launder a sum in excess of the national GDP!

Re:Did anyone get...

[Anonymous Coward]

And your reply should have gone roughly like this:

Dear Angela,

I must admit, your offer sounds intriguing, and I am interested. However, before I proceed, I must ask you one simple question: how would you rate your cocksucking skills?

Thank you.

Re:419 is Ohio

[FJ]

Having lived in the Ohio 419 area code, I can confirm that it is indeed a scam. Please send me money.

ScamCop

[cbr2702]

Dear Sir,

I am moved by your plight and would sincerely like to help however I can. Would you please leave your contact information so I know where to to send the money?

-- Clive Bannister

Nigerian scammers have no shame...

[Dimensio]

I know of two Nigerian scammers who are willing to defraud a church of over $20,000. How do I know this? Because I claim to be a pastor of the church with the means to give them church funds. They are so greedy that they were willing to be baptized [iglou.com] in the name of our Church [iglou.com]. I even got them to sign the church membership agreement [iglou.com].

Now if I can just get a tithe from them...

Re:Quick Obligatory Summary

[Gyorg_Lavode]

Thanks to this story, we now know step 2!

What about the 420 scam?

[Rai]

All I got was a lousy bag of oregano. I call shenanigans!

419 Victim Blacklist - PROTECTED FOR LIFE!

[dekashizl]

I have a SOLUTION for 419 victims. If you've been a victim of a 419 scam, you can sign up on my "419 Blacklist". The way it works is that all 419 scammers are required to check their victims against this list, and if they are on the list, THEY CANNOT BE SCAMMED!

This is like a "Do Not Scam" registry (like the FTC's "Do Not Call"). It REALLY WORKS!

All you need to do is send your Name, address, SSN, and the credit card numbers, bank account numbers, and PINs of any and all accounts you wish to protect. Just a single email, and you're PROTECTED FOR LIFE!

This service normally costs $100 initially plus $50 per account you wish to protect, but I am making it available to Slashdot members for a special rate. I will WAIVE THE $100 SIGNUP FEE! Just send the information and paypal the fee to me and you will be PROTECTED FOR LIFE!

How can you lose? See what other members are saying:

"I feel protected. FOR LIFE!" -- Jack Hortens, 2003
"Thanks for protecting me for life." -- Peter Luzzo, 2003
"I've never felt so protected, especially for life." -- Thomas Frank, 2004

Sign up now.

Re:Yeesh

[GoPlayGo]

do you go around mailing random Africans to give them stacks of money?

I don't think the fact that they are African is signicant, unless you are in the habit of mailing stacks of money to random non-Africans.