Today my latest article appeared in The Age/SMH: From Nigeria With Love.
I did a fair bit of research for this, but one of the most fun things I’ve done is mess with the scammers who contact me wanting to buy a parachute I have for sale. Not quite the legendary efforts carried out by 419eater (please, if you have a couple of hours, check that link out!) but here’s one of the exchanges for your amusement:
— On Sat, 16/7/11, heskey brown <heskeybrown007@gmail.com wrote:
From: heskey brown <heskeybrown007@gmail.com
Subject: I WOULD LIKE TO PURCHASE THIS ITEM OF YOUR’S Jav Odessey NJ, DOM July 02, fully articulated, Black/Green/Grey S120/120R – Chicagoland SC staff rig
To: [Eiley]
Received: Saturday, 16 July, 2011, 11:26 PM
To Whom It May Concern,
My name is Heskey Brown, it is my pleasure to let you know I am interested in purchasing your this item of yours. Hope it still available? If yes, kindly scan the picture to me and let me know the last price involved. I will be expecting your response soonest bye.
Hello,
***
From: Eiley
Yes it is still available and it is AUD 2500. However, do you have the experience to jump this parachute? It can only be sold to an expert skydiver as it would be very dangerous for a novice skydiver to try to jump it.
Please let me know how much experience you have and we can arrange the sale.
Kind regards
***
— On Sat, 16/7/11, heskey brown <heskeybrown007@gmail.com wrote:
From: heskey brown <heskeybrown007@gmail.com
Subject: About the Parachute
To: [Eiley]
Received: Saturday, 16 July, 2011, 11:37 PM
Hello Eiley,
It is my pleasure to read from you and interesting to let you know I am pleased with and absolute awareness is known by me about the parachute. Why not bit down the price to 2400? I will be expecting
your feedback soonest bye
***
From: Eiley
Thank you for your prompt response.
I must be very sure that you are an expert skydiver. I could not have it on my conscience if you were to use this parachute and were not an expert. You could DIE. Please confirm how many jumps you have so that I know you have enough experience to jump this parachute.
I look forward to hearing from you.
Kind regards,
— On Sat, 16/7/11, heskey brown <heskeybrown007@gmail.com wrote:
From: heskey brown <heskeybrown007@gmail.com
Subject: Re: About the Parachute
To: [Eiley]
Received: Saturday, 16 July, 2011, 11:43 PM
Hello,
Honestly I really admire and appreciate your sense of inquisition and compassion, well I have 12 jumps. I guess that is enough to convince of how experience I am. So tell me have you agreed to my price?
***
From: Eiley
12 jumps??? You are only a student! You need a MUCH bigger parachute! You need at least 1000 jumps to jump this parachute.
I am sorry, I cannot sell it to you. You would die if you tried to jump an expert parachute with only 12 jumps.
Shame on you! Shame!
Regards,
***
— On Sun, 17/7/11, heskey brown <heskeybrown007@gmail.com> wrote:
From: heskey brown <heskeybrown007@gmail.com>
Subject: Re: About the Parachute
To: [Eiley]
Received: Sunday, 17 July, 2011, 12:19 AM
You are misconception it, I am not the one to use it. I am only buying it for my cousin who will come over to your place with the to picking it up then you can test her ability. So let’s get down to business, how much is the last price?
***
From: Eiley
I think you mean to use the parachute yourself. I very much want to sell it because I need the money, but I am a good Christian and I could never live with myself if I sold it to you and you used it and then you DIED.
Too often I hear of people trying to use parachutes they are not experienced enough to use and then they DIE.
If your cousin is an expert do you have any pictures of her skydiving to prove it?
Regards,
From:
“heskey brown” <heskeybrown007@gmail.com>
To: [Eiley]
Message contains attachments
1 File (2KB)
Hello,
I have attached her picture to this email, check it out
On 7/16/11, Eiley wrote:
I don’t understand? The experienced skydiver in that picture is a man! I thought you said your cousin is a girl?
Are you trying to trick me into selling you this parachute so that you can use it?
Maybe I should sell it to you and it would serve you right if you die when you use it!
I will not go under $2500 for you.
Regards,
— On Sun, 17/7/11, heskey brown <heskeybrown007@gmail.com wrote:
From: heskey brown <heskeybrown007@gmail.com
Subject: Re: About the Parachute
To: “Eiley” <
Received: Sunday, 17 July, 2011, 12:54 AM
You seem to be upset at me, please forgive me if I have wronged you.
But you seem to be misconcepting me. All the same, kindly bit down the price Eiley?
On 7/16/11, Eiley < wrote:
I will not put down the price because I think you want to buy the parachute for yourself. Why else would you send me a picture of a man when you said your cousin is a girl?
$2500. Not one cent less.
Regards,
— On Sun, 17/7/11, heskey brown <heskeybrown007@gmail.com wrote:
From: heskey brown <heskeybrown007@gmail.com
Subject: Re: About the Parachute
To: “Eiley” <
Received: Sunday, 17 July, 2011, 1:01 AM
Yes she is because the picture I showed you belongs to her. You seem to be mixing up some where I am sorry? Why not come online let’s chat?
On 7/16/11, Eiley < wrote:
The picture you sent me is of a man! The only girl in the picture is the tandem passenger. She is not even a skydiver!
What do you mean by come online? I am online obviously!
Regards,
— On Sun, 17/7/11, heskey brown <heskeybrown007@gmail.com wrote:
From: heskey brown <heskeybrown007@gmail.com
Subject: Re: About the Parachute
To: “Eiley” <
Received: Sunday, 17 July, 2011, 1:06 AM
If you have to understand me, it is not possible for you to value my cousin’s life the way I value it. I told you she is perfect is sky driving, but you seem to be calling me a lire which is an insult to me
Eiley
On 7/16/11, Eiley < wrote:
That is because you sent me a picture of a MAN and said it is your GIRL cousin!!
— On Sun, 17/7/11, heskey brown <heskeybrown007@gmail.com wrote:
From: heskey brown <heskeybrown007@gmail.com
Subject: Re: About the Parachute
To: “Eiley” <
Received: Sunday, 17 July, 2011, 1:12 AM
do you know what i have sent you a request into your yahoo messenger so logon let’s chat there now
On 7/16/11, Eiley < wrote:
What do you mean?
I am logged on! Otherwise I would not be able to email you!
— On Sun, 17/7/11, heskey brown <heskeybrown007@gmail.com wrote:
From: heskey brown <heskeybrown007@gmail.com
Subject: Re: About the Parachute
To: “Eiley” <
Received: Sunday, 17 July, 2011, 1:15 AM
I am there now, so that you and I will exchange immediate response
On 7/16/11, Eiley < wrote:
I am logged on but I cannot see you. Are you just playing with me? Do you want to buy the parachute or not? I will not go under $2500.
Regards,
From: Heskey Brown
Hello,
It is my pleasure to read from you and interesting to let you know I am pleased with the price. I have made all arrangement for both your payment and the pickup of the item at your place because I not at home at the moment. Glad to let you know I will be paying you with a certified draft and I shall wait until the draft clears into your account before I proceed for the pickup of the item, so I need your full date such as the following
Full Name:
Full Address:
City:
Post Code:
Home & Office Phone Number:
With all this, I will be able to get your means of payment to you without any stress. I will be expecting your response soonest bye
From: Eiley
I do not know what a certified draft is I’m sorry. I would prefer your cousin brings cash with her when she comes to pick up the parachute. She must also bring her parachuting licence so that I know she is an expert.
Kind regards,
— On Sun, 17/7/11, heskey brown <heskeybrown007@gmail.com> wrote:
From: heskey brown <heskeybrown007@gmail.com>
Subject: Re: About the Parachute
To: “Eiley”
Received: Sunday, 17 July, 2011, 1:38 AM
Well, definitely she will come with all that to your place. I am the one buying it for her and I am not around at the moment that is why I want to send you a certified draft I mean valid and authentic cheque and I will wait until it clears into your account. Then she can come over to your place for inspection of her ability and the pickup of the item. So may I have your full data as I requested so that I can prepare your means of payment now.
From: Eiley
How about you send your cousin the certified draft and she brings me cash?
I do not trust banks and so I only like to deal in cash. The banks in our country are very corrupt.
I look forward to your cousin bringing me the cash and her parachuting licence. Maybe she would even like to go for a jump with me!
Kind regards,
— On Sun, 17/7/11, heskey brown <heskeybrown007@gmail.com> wrote:
From: heskey brown <heskeybrown007@gmail.com>
Subject: Re: About the Parachute
To: “Eiley”
Received: Sunday, 17 July, 2011, 1:45 AM
Eiley, I quite understand your point of view, but I have already putting things is scheduled mannar. The cheque in question is a certified one besides your I shall wait until it clears into your account because it will take less than 2days for it clear into your account. So put your mind at rest and let me have your full data as I requested?
***
From: Eiley
Like I said, I don’t trust banks so I don’t have an account! I prefer to keep my money in my house so our government can’t get their hands on it!
So I am sure your cousin will not mind you putting the money in her account if she has one and then she can bring me the cash.
I am very excited to be getting $2500 and going for a jump with your cousin!
I look forward to hearing from you soon!
Regards,
— On Sun, 17/7/11, heskey brown <heskeybrown007@gmail.com> wrote:
From: heskey brown <heskeybrown007@gmail.com>
Subject: Re: About the Parachute
To: “Eiley”
Received: Sunday, 17 July, 2011, 1:48 AM
Stop wasting my time
13 Responses
Golden……LOL
Great article Eiley. I had no idea how sophisticated the scammers could get. And love your parachute exchange!
Thanks Monica. Do think of me if you come across anything in your research that makes you think “interesting story”, won’t you?
Hi Eiley, Have you seen cupidscreen.com?
Thanks Vikram. I didn’t know of them – they would have been good to interview for the article.
I’m all for Nigerian scamming; re-distribution of wealth to developing nations is surely a good thing.
Great article, but oh, so depressing to hear of people still being snared. Our education department needs to add critical thinking skills to the curriculum, and start teaching kids from a very early age. Also, Seniors’ organisations ought to make educating older folks a priority. Everyone, young and old, needs to understand that if it looks too good to be true, then it probably is too good to be true. Before falling for one of these cons, talk to friends and family and get some opinions. Even mention it to your doctor/teacher — they’re likely to be a wake-up to the scams and can help you avoid embarrassment, or worse.
I think everybody should check out the Scam Detector app. I believe they’re online as well.
Hi Eiley, just love the article…really gave me a good chuckle and if I still had my licence, then I would come and jump with you, after you sell my your parachute and I pay for it with a genuine certified draft of course!! xxx Edie
Imagine the scammer’s position, sat penniless in some backwoods African country being systematically robbed by their government and foreign investors, with starving friends and family working for $2 a day doing 12 hours hard labour. Wouldn’t you be tempted to steal from some self entitled first-worlder who earns more money in a month than you see in 5 years? I think it’s a bit unsavoury to make fun of these people, leaves a bad taste in my mouth
I’m not sure your argument holds up. If they’re starving and doing 12 hours a day ‘hard labour’ in the backwoods where do they get the computer and internet connection?
i don’t understand what he was planning to do ?ask you for money ?
What can they do with a full name, address, and phone number ?
419-ers are getting more and more sophisticated. My company, on an average’ gets 30-40 emails/month from scamsters. The level of research they are putting in now, simply draws my admiration. Some of them look and feel real authentic.
A great Article , I must say and hilarious one too…