ALKHOBAR, 30 August 2005 — It is known as “Advance Fee Fraud” or 419 Fraud after a section of the Criminal Code of Nigeria and thousands of naive individuals have lost billions of dollars since this criminal activity took off in the 1980s. It used to be that people could spot these “419” letters in their e-mail just by noting that an individual in some African nation wanted assistance in transferring the funds of their deceased relative.
But the crooks are getting smarter and despite 419 Fraud being around for decades, people are still getting ripped off - in part due to their own greed. Recently, 419 e-mails began to branch out and include individuals outside Africa. Last week mailboxes in Saudi Arabia were the target of a very detailed but still fraudulent e-mail from mrchenqingxua1960@yahoo.com.hk. Mr. Chen Qingxuan claimed to represent Lloyds TSB Pacific Limited, Hong Kong Branch.
His e-mail stated that he had access to $8,370,000.00 deposited to an account of a deceased customer.
“My proposal; you share similar details to the late fellow; I am prepared to place you in a position to instruct the finance firm to release the deposit to you as the closest surviving relation. Upon receipt of the deposit, I am prepared to share the money with you in half and no more. That is: I will simply nominate you as the next of kin and have them release the deposit to you. We share the proceeds 50/50,” wrote Qingxuan.
“I would have gone ahead to ask the funds be released to me, but that would have drawn a straight line to me and my involvement in claiming the deposit. But on the other hand, you with a similar name as the original depositor would easily pass as the beneficiary with the rights to claim.”
In the e-mail Qingxuan readily admitted that what he was suggesting was criminal, but he advised that banks all over the world are engaged in illegal, under the table activity. Qingxuan begged that if the receiver did not want to participate in his scheme that he should simply ignore the mail rather than turning Qingxuan in to the authorities.
If the recipient did want to participate, he should immediately write to mrchenqingxua1960@yahoo.com.hk or chenqin@levele.hu.
There was no African connection in that e-mail, but it was definitely a fraudulent undertaking in the making. Saudis were the target of further unamusing e-mails when the following missive began popping up last week — poor spelling, grammar and all.
“By way of introduction, my name is Bobby Grumel, and I am a resident of london, the United Kingdom. I am a personal consultant to a Saudi Billionaire investor, and also several multi-million dollar clubs located in Netherlands, Nigeria, and Ghana. I got your company information through the middle east Chamber of commerce where your credibility was highly rated, and therfore my interest and to contact you.
“As regards my interest in your business, i need advise and patnership from your organization for a business venture in the United Arab Emirates within any lucrative field of investment.
This step is neccessary as a result of my limited expirience concerning business investment in the United Arab Emirates. This business quest is currently being financed by one of my consultancy firms, a multi-million dollar investor group in Nigeria, West Africa.”
The e-mail then demanded that for the relationship to begin, comprehensive personal and business details must be sent to Mr. Grumel.
These details were definitely enough to start an individual or company down the long and horrifying road to identity theft — or something worse. Grumel provided the following contact information in his e-mail: Phone: +447031848483, +447031908793 Fax: +447005968553 e-mail: bobby_grumel@yahoo.co.uk or bobby_grumel@hotmail.com
Shockingly, when Arab News phoned the number given in the e-mail, a man claiming to be Bobby Grumel answered the line. He reiterated many of the points in the e-mail but would not reveal the name of the Saudi billionaire investor nor the Nigerian investor group nor would he give any specifics of the proposed investment.
He spoke halting English, although he claimed to be a British citizen. He kept asking again and again that Arab News send him all contact and identifying information by e-mail and only then would he consider revealing his investment scheme.
As of yet there is not enough evidence to have the supposed Mr. Grumel investigated by the British authorities.
If you were one of those who received an e-mail from Grumel last week, it would be very helpful if you would forward the e-mail and detail any contact had with Grumel to: baisa@maktoob.com.
Comments to baisa@maktoob.com
