Scam On The Broad Internet Street

The internet can be likened to a very broad street or highway through which millions of people pass daily. That internet and internet-related frauds are commonplace is not in contention but when it gets into the domain of social networks it would be worthwhile drawing attention to practical cases to save very gullible and get-rich-quick social networkers and other internet users from getting the bite. Let me use my personal experience to illustrate what I am trying to get across.

I had barely signed up with Perfspot when one ‘Mrs. Santos Rebecca Seyes’ from ‘Cebu in Philipines’ requested to be my friend. Once I accepted ‘her’ request ‘she’ indicated I should get to ‘her’ through ‘her’ private email address as ‘she’ was impressed with my profile.

I replied ‘her’ mail thanking ‘her’ for your interest in my profile and that I am looking forward to more communication.

Next, she came out with what I consider to be her reason for seeking my friendship as in the mail below. She wrote unedited;

Hello,

Of course I know this message will come to you as a surprise, but I want you to consider yourself lucky and see it as favour from Father Almighty to be the chosen one to manage this project, with no doubt this will be for our mutual benefit as soon as possible. I would like to take this great opportunity to introduce myself properly. I am Ma. Santos Rebecca Reyes from the Philippines, widow of the late former AFP Chief of Staff who died on 29 June 2007, before the present Chief of Staff Gen. Alexander B.Yano of the Philippines.

I inherited a total of $18.4 million U.S. dollars from my late husband, the money was concealed in a metal druk box and was deposited with a security and finance company in Abidjan, Cote d'Ivory, that was because I needed a maximum security/safety of my consignment and no body or government organization can trace the where about of the money until I am ready and prepare to claim it. but the security company does not know the actual content of the box, because it was filled under a secret arrangement of family valuables.

My main purpose of sending you this e-mail is because of the way i found you and perhaps trustworthy to give you this priority of shipping the box of money to any address that you think is very secure and save in your country for onward deposit into your account for the purpose of future investment. Your percentage of which we shall chat on soon. As soon as i hear from you, in my next email i will send you my photo, guide lines and also the Authorization document to contact the company which is the deposit document that was issued from the company on the very day the box was deposited with a secret code for safety. I give thanks immensely for your co-operation as I look forward to hear from you soon.

All the best,
Santos Rebecca.

I sent her the following mail:

Ain't I lucky! Look Ma Santos, in case you don't know, I'm a security officer who's done a lot of studies on scams. The one you are operating is called LOCAL even by scammers. Do you have to join Perfspot for scams? Too bad! Well, try your luck somewhere, you may be lucky with some stupid, greedy guys. Bye love.

The next time I visited Perspot ‘she’ had been bared from the network. One musician in Nigeria sang, “Mugu, (fool) don pay (has paid), shout halleluyah, oo oo oo oo ooh!” Don’t be a “mugu”, be wise.