Nigerian scam appears on e-mail
- — 22 November, 1999 21:49
The Nigerian scam that offers to deposit around $7 million into a company's bank account in return for that company's details has appeared on e-mail.
The scam, which was previously circulated via regular post, has been doing the rounds by e-mail with the subject "URGENT BUSINESS PROPOSAL". It is signed by a Dr Simeon Eze Udenze.
"My colleagues and I have agreed that if your company can act as the beneficiary of this fund ($36.5 million) you and your company will retain 20 per cent of the total amount, while 70 per cent will be for us and the remaining 10 per cent will be used to offset any expenses incurred by both sides during the course of the transfer," Udenze says in the e-mail.
To qualify for the money, the recipient must supply Udenze with information, including bank account details.
"With the above information, we will use your company name to re-award the contract, put up the letters of claims and apply for payment," the e-mail says.
A spokesperson for consumer watchdog, the Australian Consumer and Competition Commission (ACCC) said the best action to take against the message was to "use the delete key".
"If it seems too good to be true, then generally it is," the spokesperson said.
However, a "surprising" number of Australians still fell for the scam, she said.
The ACCC has approached the Nigerian government about the letters, but it has so far been unsuccessful, the spokesperson said.
