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WARNING.....AV being infiltrated by fraudulent scamers?

By
Home Inspector with A Closer Look Home Inspections

             Prefer a loss to a dishonest gain; the one brings pain at the moment, the other for all time - Chilon

I logged on this morning to read a few blogs.  As fate would have it (LOL), I received a note here on AV from someone by the name of "Miss Roffina Naina" asking me to contact her.  I began thinking...."its kinda weird that she would not mention what she wanted to "talk" to me about, only mentioning that it was "private."

So I give her the benefit of the doubt thinking she saw or read something in one of my blogs or that she had a question about home inspection so I emailed her asking how I could be of assistance to her.  Here is the response she sent back....

From Miss Roffina Naina
Abidjan cote D`Ivoire
West Africa.
  

MY Dear, Please this mail comes to you directly,kindly ready and get back to me, Good  thing to write you.

I have a proposal for you,this however is not mandatory nor will I in any manner compel you to honour against your will. Your profile pushed me to send you this mail, I am Roffina Niana
,i am 23 years old Girl and the only daugther of my late Father Mr Richard Ehoha Naina.   My Father was a highly reputable business man (a cocoa merchant) who operated in the capital of Ivory coast during his days. It is sad to say that he passed away mysteriously in France during one of his business trips abroad on 12th.August 2005.Though his sudden death was linked or rather suspected to have been master minded by an uncle of his who travelled with him at that time. But God knows the truth!,    

Since then my father death took me so special. Before his death in the hospital, he told me about a box he concealed the sum of Ten million, five hundred thousand United State Dollars.(US D$10.5) deposited in one of the security company here in Abidjan, Ivory coast West Africa, which he disguised and declared the box to contain family valuables belongs to his foriegn bussiness partner instead of money, for security reasons,he do this for selfety of his life best known to him, by this way the company does not know the real content of the box.
  The deposit document which I have in my possession carries my late Father's name as the depositor in the security company,  i Really don't know what to do. This is because I have suffered a lot of set backs as a result of incessant political crisis here in Ivory coast. The death of my Father actually brought sorrow to my life that i will never forget, I am in a sincere desire of your humble assistance in this regards. Your suggestions and ideas will be highly regarded. Now permit me to ask these few questions:-  

1. Can you honestly help me as your daughter?  
2. Can I completely trust you?  
3 i hope you will not betray me when this fund get to you?  
4. Please, Consider this and get back to me as soon as possible.
 
Thank you so much Yours Miss Roffina Naina

I am sure we have all seen this type of scam before!  I did a search on google for "bank scams" and I received 1.2 million possible pages!  The website http://www.rediff.com/money/2002/dec/09dalal.htm has a few of them listed as well

The website over at http://www.scambusters.org/scamlinks.html has some good information on how and to whom we should report such activity. If you receive any type of email or correspondence from someone like "Miss Roffina" or some other fraudster promising $$$ in exchange for assisting them in moving so-called family fortunes out of their "war sticken country" or the like, report them immediately - I know I most definately will! 

Calvin Bailey
A Closer Look Home Inspections
www.inspectorpages.com/cbailey1
cbailey1@on.nachi.org

 

Show All Comments Sort:
Debbie Malone
Londeree's Real Estate & Property Management - Lynchburg, VA
From Lynchburg To The Lake (434) 546-0369
Hey Calvin, a lot of us have been receiving these types of messages. How do you block the IP address, do we do that on Active Rain???
Mar 24, 2007 03:00 AM
Steven Turetsky
Comprehensive Building Inspections & Consultants - Staten Island, NY
Building Moisture Analyst
I get this type of scam letter quite often. Do people really fall for the bs? For some reason it seems that most of them originate from African countrys. I wonder why?
Mar 24, 2007 03:25 AM
Bob Elliott
Elliott Home Inspection - Chicago, IL
Chicago Property Inspection
What every one said,over at inspectors journal the members were receiving that same email back in october.
Mar 24, 2007 04:20 AM
Heather Armstrong
Skogman Realty - Cedar Rapids, IA

I got one of these through AR as well.  Is there something specifically that we should do?  Should it be reported or documented somewhere?

thanks.

Mar 24, 2007 02:48 PM
Matthew Meli
M and T property management LLC - Detroit, MI
 this was a great post and very informative.  Thanks!
Mar 26, 2007 07:33 PM
Neal Bloom
Brokered by eXp Realty LLC - Weston, FL
Realtor CRS-Weston FL Real Estate
Been there...done that 2 weeks ago, by the way...what is AV, I gather you mean A/R?
Mar 27, 2007 10:10 AM
Lizette Fitzpatrick
Lizette Realty - Richmond KY - Lexington, KY
Lizette Realty, Lexington KY MLS - Kentucky Homes
If I would only respond to them I would never have to work another day as a Realtor. I bet they have their own scam conventions to brush up on their typing & lying skills!
Mar 27, 2007 10:52 AM
Randy L. Prothero
eXp Realty - Hollister, MO
Missouri REALTOR, (808) 384-5645
Too funny, I have the same scam coming to me.  I have been posting the messages just for sport.
Mar 27, 2007 11:54 AM
Rick McCullough
Alert Home Services - Denver, CO
I have been sent many scams on the net. I find them funny and love to go along with them for a while and write nonsense to them. I never use my business email addy. I have one just for scams. Enjoy them, have some fun and above all WASTE some of their time. Maybe they won't scam someone else while your having some laughs at their expense.
Apr 07, 2007 07:40 PM
Jim Watzlawick
Watz Home Inspections - Algonquin, IL
Watz Home Inspections
This letter has goining around for years
May 11, 2007 05:21 AM
Kathleen "Kathy" Holbrook
Waterfront Realty Group Inc & SW Florida Realty Staging - Naples, FL

Calvin and anyone who gets the spam on A/R

I got one on my very first week on Rain. I forwarded it to the whoe thing to customer service. They are trying to block the sender from using Rain.  These scammers have been floating on regular email for years and like the ones that need your bank account to process sales and deposits, they are bogus.

I think we are all smart enough and have far better things to do with our time than respond to trash mail.

Having fun with them is fine but don't get too far into it.. These people are a bit of a loose screw...

 

Kathy Holbrook

May 11, 2007 10:21 AM
Stephen Gladstone
Stonehollow Fine Home Inspections & Testing - Stamford, CT

This scam really works and people who think they can outthink the scammers typically lose. DO NOT give out your account numberss, do not send money to strangers, simply ignore them.

Steve Gladstone

May 11, 2007 01:03 PM
Paula Henry
Home to Indy Team @ HomeSmart Realty Group - Avon, IN
Realtor - Indianapolis Real Estate - 317-605-4174
I agree, delete and ignore!
May 11, 2007 02:31 PM
Carl Winters
Canyon Lake, TX

Hello Calvin- she and others are still sending those e-mails to this day in the community.


Carl and Ceil

Aug 24, 2011 08:10 AM
Carl Winters
Canyon Lake, TX

Hello Calvin- she and others are still sending those e-mails to this day in the community.


Carl and Ceil

Aug 24, 2011 08:12 AM
Carl Winters
Canyon Lake, TX

Hello Calvin- she and others are still sending those e-mails to this day in the community.


Carl and Ceil

Aug 24, 2011 08:13 AM
Carl Winters
Canyon Lake, TX

Hello Calvin- she and others are still sending those e-mails to this day in the community.


Carl and Ceil

Aug 24, 2011 08:15 AM
Carl Winters
Canyon Lake, TX

Hello Calvin- she and others are still sending those e-mails to this day in the community.


Carl and Ceil

Aug 24, 2011 08:17 AM
Baker Home Inspection and Commercial Properties Inspections
Baker Residential and Commercial Properties Inspections - Springfield, VT
Home and Commercial Properties Inspections Vermont

Calvin, I was checking to see it you have started being active on your blog here or not.

Jul 14, 2013 10:18 PM
Baker Home Inspection and Commercial Properties Inspections
Baker Residential and Commercial Properties Inspections - Springfield, VT
Home and Commercial Properties Inspections Vermont

Calvin, I was checking to see if you have started being active on your blog here agin or not. But it looks like your not.

Jul 19, 2013 11:23 PM