Another Scam with a Genealogy Twist

The Nigerian scams have been around for years. These are the e-mail messages you may receive from Nigeria or some other third-world country, claiming that someone seeks your assistance in moving a large amount of money out of the country. The claim is that you will be given a large percentage of the money, typically several million dollars, for helping move the money. There are several variations of this theme, one of which includes a genealogy twist.

Terry Coder and his wife Pamela of West Virginia bought their first computer and found it helped him to study his family history. Coder looked at genealogical Web sites. He talked in chat rooms. And he started instant messages to a new friend, Desmond Abuku, using his AOL account.

Then, one day in early March, Abuku told Coder he had discovered that one of Coder's distant relatives had died, leaving behind millions of dollars. That's when the trouble began.

You can probably guess the rest. Abuku sent Coder documents about the estate, supposedly from the Central Bank of Nigeria and the Federal Ministry of Foreign Affairs. "He told me he needed filing fees to file papers with the court," Coder said. "I said I didn't have any money." Then Abuku came up with a creative means to "lend" the money to Coder so that the fees could be paid. And then there were more fees… and more…

There is a long and detailed description of the scam on the Charleston Gazette's web site at http://www.wvgazette.com/section/ConsumerInsight/2005051217. Staff writer Paul J. Nyden describes the ever-expanding net by which the scammer was able to trap genealogists. I would suggest that the article should be required reading for all computer-owning genealogists.

Of course, many of us have heard these stories before. The fact that you are reading this newsletter right now shows that you have been using a computer for a while and have learned how to navigate around the web and probably have already learned about the various scams and con artists that prey on genealogists. Publishing an alert in this newsletter probably isn't going to reach the computer newcomers who most need this warning. The question arises, "How do we warn the newcomers who have not yet heard about these scams?"

I might suggest that anyone you know at a local genealogy society or that you meet at the library, the courthouse, or any archive where genealogists congregate is a potential victim of such an operation. If you discover anyone, especially a genealogist, who mentions a new computer in the household, you might warn them about these scams. Even better, ask them to read the article on the Charleston Gazette's web site at http://www.wvgazette.com/section/ConsumerInsight/2005051217.

You could be doing that person a very big favor.

Comments

[Gordon Banks]

Have a look at this site:

http://www.scambuster419.co.uk/

[Karl Johnson]

Does this sound like a scam to you? I don't think this is legitimate and will not respond to it.

Here is the content of the E-mail I received:

I am exploring possibility of tracing family tree of a late client of
mine.His name is Edwin Johnson.

He passed on on April 21,2002.I have been making enquiries on how to
possibly locate any of his family members if only to inform them of his
passage and notify them of his estate.However,in the last few months
my search has become more desperate and imperative after I received
notifications relating to his financial benefits.Payment of the benefit
is subject to a limited time frame.

I decided to write to you because your surname(last name)appears to
derive from the same source and I thought I should use this
opportunity to find out if you know him or someone who does.Of central
importance in this enquiry is the need to avoid loss of
his financial benefits and generally his estate.

I want you to consider if you will accept to be presented as his
next-of-kin for the purpose of receiving the financial benefit.I have
considered this professionally and legally and I know,from past records
that it is possible.

I will be honoured to receive your response at your easliest but
timeous convenience.Here are my primary email address which you may
freely use:allelliot@justice.com or allen-elliot_solicitors@lawyer.com.You
may also call me on:234-803-0508661.When calling first dial your
country code for out-going calls followed by the number as above.

[anonymous]

Johnson is the second-most common surname in the U.S. and this guy thinks that makes you a possible relative of the deceased???

It sounds like this scammer needs to study up a bit on the popularity of surnames.

[Terri ONeill]

It seems like this scam artist has had the good sense to clean up his grammar & syntax in comparison with the Nigerian scam letters I have seen, but he neglected to use proper spacing after punctuation or use a spellchecker. Easliest and timeous?! Wow. I wonder how many of these are sent out & what percentage of response they get.
Terri

[Marcin]

I have also received it! Marcin Kamola from Poland.

[Anonymous]

I have also received it! They apparently use the same first name, Edwin, and replace it with the recipient's last name.

[jerett biggs]

I also received an email from the same guy,Allen Elliot.My wife emailed back and forth a few times and he's sending out papers,here's the email:
Dear Jerett R. Biggs,
I am exploring possibility of tracing any relative(s) of a late client of mine who passed on recently.His name is Edwin Biggs.

I have been making enquiries to possibly locate any of his family members if only to inform them of his passage and also to notify them of his estate.In the last few months my search has become more desperate and imperative after I received notifications relating to his financial benefits.Payment of the benefit is subject to a limited time frame.

I decided to write to you because your surname(last name)appears to derive from the same source and I thought I should contact you to find out if you knew him or someone who did.Of central importance in this enquiry is the need to avoid loss of his financial benefits and his estate generally.

May I advise you to consider being presented as his next-of-kin for the purpose of receiving the financial benefit.I have considered this professionally and legally and I know,from past records that it is possible.

I will be honoured to receive your response at your easliest buttimeous convenience.

Here are my primary email addresses which you may freely use
:allelliot@justice.com,allelliot@msn.com

Thank you and God bless you.

I am Allen Elliot
My wife thought it might be a scam but was excited.We will no longer be corresponding with him to say the least.

[julie walczesky]

He is at it again. All I can say is thank goodness for Google. all anyone has to do is take the time...luckily, I have such a rare name that I knew instantly it was not a relative of mine or my family.

and what is with the Edwin? what an odd name to use repeatedly..

anyway, good luck to those of you out there who have come in contact with this creep.

and he always signs the letters,

I am Allen Elliot

only now he is using a justice.com

email address

[Vince]

He emailed me just a few days ago with the same scheme. Luckily I found out quickly it was a scam. Yes, he is still using his @justice.com email address.

[Allen Elliot]

Allen Elliot was never a scammer ok.You guys were and are wrong.ok