Greetings from Iraq - the Old 419 Scam Takes on a New, More Personal Twist - 11,475 Views, 35 Comments
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“Greetings from Iraq,” the subject line says. What patriotic American, or really any curious person from anywhere, wouldn’t at least give that a glance the first time they see that in their inbox? That’s exactly what these scammer are counting on. Because a scam it is. Instead of a deposed Nigerian dictator or his mourning widow asking you to help them get money out of Nigeria, it’s “Merrill Melvin Hansley”, a supposed security manager of STE,CCPLUS STORAGE SARL storage company in Iraq. And he has $25million U.S. dollars for you, just waiting in storage in a safe deposit box. To make it even all the more compelling, the scammer includes a link to the BBC news site which talks about a “stash of money found in Baghdad” (four years ago), and they include a picture - a real picture - of U.S. Major King holding up the money when it was found. Of course none of this means that the scam is any less of a scam - it just means that the scammer is a bit more clever than some. Here’s the full scam email - don’t fall for it! STE,CCPLUS STORAGE SARL ATTN:PLEASE. I am Merrill Melvin Hansley, a security manager of (STE,CCPLUS STORAGE SARL) I have urgent and very confidential business proposition for you as rightly unveiled below. I work with the above mentioned company and need a partner who will come forward to make claim to this deposited box. It was deposited by two US soldiers from the 3rd Infantry Division,Since this deposits was not made on their name, and the real depositor was no where to be found and suspected dead.I wish to solicit your partnership to come forward for this claim. This consignment contains a ($25 millions of dollars. Twenty five millions United State Dollars.) l need honest trust reliable person that can assist me to move this business together. I will give you all necessary information to come forward for the claiming of this consignment I will like to know your interest in order to know what step to take and to give you the details of the transaction, I am ready to go 50/50 with you. You can see the photograph below: Also news headline: http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/middle_east/2988455.stm There are bank bonds worth several millions of USD deposited by soldiers and since then they never came back for it,and you will see them as soon as we meet. Give me your full contact and mobile phone number to enable us proceed. Thanks, Yours sincerely,
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THE IMMIGRATION AND CUSTOMS
ENFORCEMENT AGENTS (ICEA)
Please Reply to:molah229@1net.gr
Merrill Melvin Hansley
Please Reply to:molah229@1net.gr
Greetings from Iraq - the Old 419 Scam Takes on a New, More Personal Twist
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The soldier pictured is an 82nd Airborne Divsion Officer not anyone from 3rd I.D.
Comment by rob — 3/3/2007 @ 6:59 pm
yes its look like real but its scam 100% yes nigerian scam
Comment by kamani — 3/7/2007 @ 11:13 am
Further, he is a major, not a lieutenant.
Comment by Walter — 3/7/2007 @ 2:13 pm
You’re absolutely right, and the error has been fixed. It’s doubly bad as we *should* have caught it, my being a veteran of the U.S. Army myself, and all. Thank you for catching that.
Comment by The Internet Patrol — 3/7/2007 @ 2:38 pm
Okay, I clued in to finding the tucked away featured links. And the Iraq variation is good to know about. But where’s the “funny reading of scam letter” link? That’s what I most wanted to see. Maybe I’ll check YouTube.
Comment by IMBruce — 6/13/2007 @ 11:03 am
you can slice them, you can dice them, but a 419 scam is still the lamest way to con people out of money. P brains that follow for these scams pretty much deserve to be scammed, if anything for being stupid and greedy. Sorry, i call them as i see them.
Comment by nightmareassassin — 10/10/2007 @ 7:36 am
This scam is now being sent by SGT William Curtis with the same link.
Comment by Kathi — 5/17/2008 @ 6:08 am
i got that same email but it was sent by Capt. Scott J. Wright of the
Engineering Unit of US Military
how could i stop from getting these?
Comment by Est — 6/27/2008 @ 9:32 pm
“the Engineering Unit of US Military”
—————–
its pretty obvious the the scammer knows sweet bugger all about the structure of the u.s. army to begin with. its also a safe bet that the major from the 62nd airborne has nothing to do with the scam, the pic is from a news report at the time the money and paper was found and turned in per standard procedure in the u.s. forces.
“gunner”
Comment by "gunner" — 6/30/2008 @ 11:18 am
typo, sorry ’bout that, its the “82nd airborne” a well renowned unit that deserves better than my fat fingers mistyping its name.
“gunner”
Comment by "gunner" — 6/30/2008 @ 11:27 am
i contact capt scott j wright he is scamer thief from nigeria so beware of him or any one eles and he took from some one about 60,000.00 usd he is from uae and capt scott i take his phone after i send to him and his phone is+8821644447729 it’s thuryra mobile
thanks
Comment by casanovatear — 7/23/2008 @ 5:49 pm
this idiotic mail is circling all over india now. . .
Que. India
Comment by quentin Devotta — 8/6/2008 @ 9:41 am
i just receive the e mail i cant believe that this is still appening in the world, please say a prayer for this kind of people.
from chihuahua mexico.
Comment by roberto — 8/28/2008 @ 1:06 pm
this is the email to answer get it banned (if you can)
thanks…
rtaylor@mail2me.com
Comment by roberto — 8/28/2008 @ 1:09 pm
I received the same scam on 9/8/08 from PVT Richard Taylor with email address rtaylor@mcom.com
Comment by Victoria — 9/8/2008 @ 2:57 pm
my email gets bombarded with these stupid scams everyday is there any way to stop them from getting to my email address??? my scams for the day are from martinsscott100@yahoo.in and millspeople@paradise.net.nz
Comment by jodi — 9/12/2008 @ 9:49 am
12-10-08
From: Sgt John Queen
Subject: My Life in your hands
Comment by john — 12/11/2008 @ 10:02 am
I got the same letter from a Sgt John Collin so I answered him……
Dear Sgt. Collin,
First of all I don’t believe you are a soldier, if you were you would not discredit your fellow soldiers or your Country with such a plan. I have served in both Iraq and Vietnam and I’ll tell you right now this makes me sick to see people like you posing as an American Soldier.
If by some chance you really are a Soldier turn in the money and saver what little dignity you have left……..As an American Soldier we are not thiefs nor do we ever want other countries to think such a thing…….it is not your money it belongs to the people of Iraq, as for your comment about living in a Hellhole, you volunteered to do this job, so do it right……if you were to take this money you will never be able to look at yourself in a mirror again and call yourself an AMERICAN. Make the right decision
Yours Truley
An American
Comment by Don — 12/31/2008 @ 9:12 am
WTF I am SGT William Curtis!!! I wish I knew about the money haha I was in Baghdad last year darn my luck
Comment by SGT William Curtis — 3/1/2009 @ 1:54 am
These people are pathetic scum. I got a similar email from Sgt. Henry Rolex :
Greetings from Sgt. Henry Rolex,
I know you would be surprised to read from someone relatively
unknown to you before.My name is Sgt. Henry Rolex, a member of the U.S. ARMY USARPAC Medical Team, which was deployed to Iraq in the beginning of
the war in Iraq.
I would like to share some highly personal classified
information about my personal experience and role which I played in the pursuit of my career servingunder the U.S 1st Armored which was at the fore-front of the war in Iraq.
Though, I would like to hold back certain information for
security reasons for now until you have find the time to visit
the BBC website stated below to enable you have insight as to
what I’m intending to share with you, believing that it would
be of your desired interest one-way or the other.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/middle_east/2988455.stm Also,
could you get back to me having visiting the above website to
enable us discuss in a more clarifying manner to the best of
your understanding. I must say that I’m very uncomfortable
sending this message to you without knowing truly if you would
misconstrue the importance and decides to go public.
In this regards, I will not hold back to say that the essence
of this message is strictly for mutual benefit of you and I
and nothing more.
I will be vivid and coherent in my next message in this
regards. Meanwhile, could you send me a mail confirming you
have visited the site and we can partner in the project i
have. Please email me on this email: (sgt.henryrolex@sify.com)
NOTE: Be dully informed that i sent a copy of this email to
myself for record purpose and you must not forget that this
must surely be of a mutual benefit to both of us, i assure
you.
Thanks and Best Regards,
In God We Trust
Sgt. Henry Rolex.
Comment by aspen — 3/2/2009 @ 12:20 am
I just received a email from Sgt. Collin John,
American soldier with Swiss background, army’s 3rd infantry division it also mentions a staff Sgt Kenneth Buff. They are persistant and inventive liars aren’t they.
Comment by Pagan — 4/11/2009 @ 7:18 pm
I paid £4000 to Diplomat in Iraq to release an American surgeon, Dr Robert Anderson’s container from security compound. I wonder is he a real surgeon or someone posing as him.
Comment by Lila — 4/24/2009 @ 10:23 pm
I met a so-called American serviceman serving in Iraq who corresponded and then asked if I would do a favour and I did, I paid £4000 cash for his container to be addressed to me from a security compound. Dr Robert Anderson was, he claimed, a surgeon.
How can I find out if this is true. The diplomat was a Dr Ricky Dywar, Baghdad.
Comment by Lila — 4/24/2009 @ 10:27 pm
I had a love letter from US Marine Soldier who is posted in Multi-National Corps in Camp Victory Iraq. At first I believed him, buth then I started to think that this might be a scam letter. He also told me about this treasure. He will send this money through Diplomatic Corps and I had to pay some money to release the package. This marine guy’s name is Chris Jones. I’m not sure about his rank.
Comment by rai — 5/19/2009 @ 5:26 pm
This was sent to me and they responded to me daily.
> Dear Friend,
>
> My name is Sgt. Smith Anderson; I am an American soldier with Swiss
> background, serving in the military with the army’s 3rd infantry division. With a
> very desperate need for assistance, I have summed up courage to contact you. I
> found your contact particulars in an address journal. I am seeking your kind
> assistance to move the sum of (US$12, million dollars) to you, as far as I
> can be assured that my share will be safe in your care until I complete my
> service here, this is no stolen money, and there is no danger involved.
>
> Source of money: Some money in various currencies was discovered in barrels
> at a farmhouse near one of Saddam’s old palaces in Tikrit-Iraq during a
> rescue operation, and it was agreed by staff Sgt. Bill Ashton and I that some
> part of this money be shared among both of us before informing anybody about it
> since both of us saw the money first. This was quite an illegal thing to do,
> but I tell you what? No compensation can make up for the risk we have taken
> with our lives in this hellhole. Of which a roadside bomb killed my brother
> in-law last week. You will find the story of this money on the web address
> below;
>
> http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/middle_east/2988455.stm
>
> The above figure was given to me as my share, and to conceal this kind of
> money became a problem for me, so with the help of a British contact working
> here and his office enjoy some immunity, I was able to get the package out to
> a safe location entirely out of trouble spot. He does not know the real
> contents of the package, and believes that it belongs to a British / American
> medical doctor who died in a raid here in Iraq, and before giving up, trusted me
> to hand over the package to his family.
>
>
> I have now found a much-secured way of getting the package out of Iraq to
> your country for you to pick up, and I will discuss this with you when I am
> sure that you are willing to assist me. I want you to tell me how much you will
> take from this money for the assistance you will give to me. One passionate
> appeal I will make to you is not to discuss this matter with anybody, should
> you have reasons to reject this offer, please and please destroy this message
> as any leakage of this information will be too bad for us soldier’s here in
> Iraq. I do not know how long we will remain here, and I have been shot,
> wounded and survived two suicide bomb attacks by the special grace of God, this
> and other reasons I will mention later has prompted me to reach out for help, I
> honestly want this matter to be resolved immediately, please contact me as
> soon as possible my only
>
> source of communication is email for now.
>
> God Bless.
>
> Sgt. Smith Anderson
Comment by Johnathon — 6/3/2009 @ 6:28 pm
I got talking to a Captain Robertson Gibbs online (on a dating site) who claimed to be in Afghanistan with the RAF - after a while he asked me to be his ‘beneficiary’ for ‘military benefit funds’ without which he could not leave the camp. I received an e mail with a form to complete from ‘raffinances’. I would be required to hold on to these funds until he came back to the Uk. Naturally I told him to get lost but he included the link mentioned and I have no doubt that this is another scam. Anyone else had something similar??
Comment by Robi — 6/14/2009 @ 12:39 pm
(This is what the sent me)Hello,
I know you would be surprised to read from someone relatively unknown to you before now. My name is Sgt. Michael Gibbs, a master Sgt. of the U.S. Marine, deployed to Iraq in the beginning of the war in 2003.I would like to share some highly personal classified information about my personal experience and role which I played in the pursuit of my career serving under the U.S ARMY which was at the fore-front of the war in Iraq. Though, I would like to hold back certain information for security reasons for now until you have found time to visit the BBC website stated below to enable you have insight regarding what I intend to share with you, believing that it would be of your desired interest in one way or the other. Here is a BBC news listing that confirms what I share with you.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/middle_east/2988455.stm
Also, could you get back to me having visited the above website to enable us discuss in a more vivid manner to the best of your understanding? I must say that I am very uncomfortable sending this message to you without knowing truly if you would misconstrue the importance and decide to go public. In this regards, I will not hold back to say that the essence of this letter is strictly for mutual benefit of you and I and nothing more. I will be more vivid and coherent in my next email in this regards. Meanwhile, could you send me a mail confirming you have visited the site and understood my intentions? Please acknowledge the receipt.
Warm regards,
Sgt. Michael Gibbs
Comment by akn — 6/21/2009 @ 9:13 am
I just cant beleve i actually read the e-mail i could have caught a virus or something. Scincerely Amber
Comment by akn — 6/21/2009 @ 9:16 am
I just recieved one of these scam emails. mine was different, but the same story line. Who do these people think they are!!
Comment by Casey — 6/30/2009 @ 11:11 am
I just recive an e-mail from Nick, 5050ad@emailclick.com, and is the same history, just different names.
Beware from people like him!
They told you that the want to buy something, and they ask you to keep them some money, that you could keep the 20%.
Comment by claudia — 7/27/2009 @ 9:39 pm
And they just keep trying:
I am Sgt .James Clayton jr. an Engineering military unit here in Baghdad in Iraq,My late 2 colleagues who died last week in a bomb blast and I found a huge sum of amount USD in Baghdad neighbourhood (http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/middle_east/2988455.stm).Get Back to me via email jamesclayton1941@aim.com
Regards SGT James Clayton
Very sad that they try try try… everyday I get a different scam… and everyday I mark it as phishing.
Comment by FairyNiamh — 7/30/2009 @ 6:10 am
i was the victim recently by this group for almost 6 months . God will punish him and all his associate very soon. Pls contact me if you need any evidences. It was very sad to knowing too late.
But at least we know and try to beat them in any way.
Comment by uma — 8/5/2009 @ 5:21 am
To Lila , i am the one who was in the situation like you and i need to contact you. I am in USA and i think we should do something to those people who scamed us pls contact me at umaporntira at msn.com Thanks!
Comment by umaporn tiramai — 9/21/2009 @ 7:56 pm
its back, this time its Kenneth O Preston. Never heard of this one till tolday when I went looking. They keep trying dont they!
Comment by Beth — 10/9/2009 @ 4:20 am
OMG! I JUST RECEIVED A LETTER FROM SOME SGT. John T. England. IT SAID THE FOLLOWING, Greetings,
I know you would be surprised to read from someone relatively unknown to you before. My name is Sgt. John T. England, a member of the U.S. ARMY USARPAC Medical Team, which was deployed to Iraq in the beginning of the war in Iraq. I would like to share some highly personal classified information about my personal experience and role which I played in the pursuit of my career serving under the U.S 1st Armored which was at the fore-front of the war in Iraq.
Though, I would like to hold back certain information for security reasons for now until you have find the time to visit the BBC website stated below to enable you have insight as to what I’m intending to share with you, believing that it would be of your desired interest one-way or the other.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/middle_east/2988455.stm
Also, could you get back to me having visited the above website to enable us discuss in a more clarifying manner to the best of your understanding.
I must say that I’m very uncomfortable sending this message to you without knowing truly if you would misconstrue the importance and decides to go public. In this regards, I will not hold back to say that the essence of this message is strictly for mutual benefit of you and I and nothing more.
I will be vivid and coherent in my next message in this regards, meanwhile, could you send me a mail confirming you have visited the site and that you have understood my intentions? I will await your thoughts.
Thanks,
Best Regards
Sgt. John T. England.
THEY ARE SO WRONG FOR THIS, THERE IS PEOPLE OUT THERE WHO NEED MONEY AND MIGHT FALL FOR THIS SCAM!
Comment by adilene — 11/18/2009 @ 6:21 am