14 DAY TRIAL // I’ve recently come across a new 419 scam in my email inbox. It appears to be a classic scheme, but I thought it’s worth mentioning since it’s clear that there are still a lot of people who don’t know how these scams work.
The email purports to come from one Wems Yambeya, who claims to work at a major bank in Ghana. He’s offering 50% of $67 million (€50 million) to anyone willing to help him out with a “straight forward bank deal.”
The scammer uses an interesting trick to make recipients think that the deal is not a scam. He tells them that if they believe the email is part of a scam or a hoax to simply delete it and forget about, case in which he’ll contact someone else who might be interested.
I’ve tried to reach out to him via email to see where this is heading. However, he hasn’t replied to my email. It’s likely that he’s waiting for victims who are willing to hand over their phone number for a “smooth discussion.”
The most likely scenario is that the scammers start asking for money that’s allegedly needed to cover transaction fees. The fraudsters usually push for more money until victims realize they’ve been duped.
At that point, it’s already too late to do anything about it, except to file a report with the police and hope that one day the scammers will be caught.
Here is what part of the email looks like:
“Good day,
Really it is my profound pleasure to contact you regardless of the fact that we do not know each other in person. My decision to contact you is based on mutual benefit. Please bear in mind that this mail and the classified information contained therein that I am about to share with you can either destroy me, ruin my professional career or make me depending on how you receive and take it.
Please, I need you to read this mail attentively to know the reason and purpose why you receive the same. Kindly allow me to briefly introduce my person before I explain in details.
I am Mr. Wems Yambeya, a Fund Manager with one of the leading bank located in West Africa (Accra Ghana) and I handle all our Investors capital Project Funds which enabled me to divert 1.2 Percent Investors Excess Return Capital Funds to our Magellan Trust Funds Account whereby anyone can be presented to claim the funds.
On this note, a total sum of US$67 Million Dollars (Sixty Seven Million United State dollars) has been diverted representing the 1.2 Percent Excess Return Capital Funds from the Investor Capital Project Funds for 2011/2012. I need a reliable and trustworthy person that can work this deal out with me so that we can claim the funds as mentioned above.”