A Bro’s Code Experiment
So I received this in my email inbox today:
DEAR FRIEND,
I AM THE MANAGER OF BILL AND EXCHANGE AT THE FOREIGN REMITTANCE DEPARTMENT OF THE BANK OF AFRICA. I SAW YOUR CONTACTS IN INTERNET SEARCH,AFTER MUCH CONSIDERATION I DECIDED TO WRITE YOU SINCE I CANNOT BE ABLE TO SEE YOU FACE TO FACE AT FIRST.
I WILL LIKE YOU TO TAKE YOUR TIME TO READ THIS MAIL CAREFULLY. I DID NOT MEAN TO EMBARRASS YOU WITH MY BUSINESS PROPOSAL BUT I SERIOUSLY NEED YOUR ASSISTANCE. PLEASE THIS IS A CONFIDENTIAL MATTER AND IT REQUIRES URGENCY.
IN MY DEPARTMENT WE DISCOVERED AN ABANDONED SUM OF U.S$12.5M DOLLARS (TWELVE MILLION FIVE HUNDRED THOUSAND USD) IN AN ACCOUNT THAT BELONGS TO ONE OF OUR FOREIGN CUSTOMER WHO DIED ALONG WITH HIS ENTIRE FAMILY ON MONDAY,31 JULY,2000, IN A PLANE CRASH , SINCE WE GOT INFORMATION ABOUT HIS DEATH, WE HAVE BEEN EXPECTING HIS OR HER NEXT OF KIN TO COME OVER AND CLAIM HIS MONEY BECAUSE WE CAN NOT RELEASE IT UNLESS SOME BODY APPLIES FOR IT AS NEXT OF KIN OR RELATION TO THE DECEASED AS INDICATED IN OUR BANKING GUIDELINES AND LAWS, BUT UNFORTUNATELY WE LEARNT THAT HIS SUPPOSED NEXT OF KIN DIED ALONG SIDE WITH HIM AT THE PLANE CRASH LEAVING NOBODY BEHIND FOR THE CLAIM.IT IS THEREFORE UPON THIS DISCOVERY, I NOW DECIDED TO MAKE THIS BUSINESS PROPOSAL TO YOU AND RELEASE THE MONEY TO YOU AS THE NEXT OF KIN OR RELATION TO THE DECEASED FOR SAFETY AND SUBSEQUENT DISBURSEMENT SINCE NOBODY IS COMING FOR IT AND I DON’T WANT THIS MONEY TO GO INTO THE BANK TREASURY AS UNCLAIMED BILL. THE BANKING LAW AND GUIDINE HERE STIPULATES THAT IF SUCH MONEY REMAINED UNCLAIMED AFTER EIGHT YEARS AND SIX MONTHS, THE MONEY WILL BE TRANSFERRED INTO THE BANK AS UNCLAIMED BILL I THEREFORE AGREE THAT 40% OF THIS MONEY WILL BE FOR YOU AS FOREIGNER PARTNER, IN RESPECT TO THE PROVISION OF A FOREIGN ACCOUNT, 10% WILL BE SET ASIDE FOR EXPENSES INCURRED DURING THE BUSINESS AND 50% WOULD BE FOR ME. THERE AFTER I WILL VISIT YOUR COUNTRY FOR DISBURSEMENT ACCORDING TO THE PERCENTAGES INDICATED.
THEREFORE, TO ENABLE THE IMMEDIATE TRANSFER OF THIS FUND TO YOU AS ARRANGED, YOU MUST APPLY FIRST TO THE BANK AS RELATION OR NEXT OF KIN TO THE DECEASED INDICATING YOUR BANK NAME, YOUR BANK ACCOUNT NUMBER, YOUR PRIVATE TELEPHONE AND FAX NUMBER FOR EASY AND EFFECTIVE COMMUNICATION AND LOCATION WHERE IN THE MONEY WILL BE REMITTED. I WILL NOT FAIL TO BRING TO YOUR NOTICE THAT THIS TRANSACTION IS HITCH-FREE AND THAT YOU SHOULD NOT ENTERTAIN ANY ATOM OF FEAR AS ALL REQUIRED ARRANGEMENTS HAVE BEEN MADE FOR THE TRANSFER.
YOU SHOULD CONTACT ME IMMEDIATELY AS SOON AS YOU RECEIVE THIS LETTER. TRUSTING TO HEAR FROM YOU IMMEDIATELY.
YOURS FAITHFULLYMRS ROSEG ZONGO
Now of course I’m not dumb enough to fall for this (well not again anyway) but I’ve always wondered what would happen if one were to respond to this kind of email. And so…
DEAR MRS. ROSEG ZONGO,
I HAVE TO SAY THAT YOUR OFFER IS INTRIGUING. I AM NOT FAMILIAR WITH THE LAW WITH REGARD TO BANKING IN YOUR COUNTRY, BUT IF IT IS AS YOU SAY, THEN THIS MIGHT BE SOMETHING I AM INTERESTED IN.
AS I DO HAVE A FEW ATOMS OF FEAR ABOUT THIS, I WONDER IF MAYBE YOU COULD GIVE ME SOME BACKGROUND INFO SO THAT I CAN AT LEAST VERIFY SOME OF YOUR CLAIMS. FOR INSTANCE, WHICH FLIGHT WAS IT THAT CRASHED CAUSING THE DEATH OF YOUR FOREIGN CUSTOMER AND HIS ENTIRE FAMILY? IF YOU COULD GIVE ME AN AIRLINE AND FLIGHT NUMBER THAT WOULD BE APPRECIATED. ALSO, IN WHAT COUNTRY IS THE BANK WHICH YOU WORK FOR? IS IT AFRICA?
I AM SORRY TO SAY I AM NOT FULLY COMFORTABLE WITH THE PERCENTAGES INDICATED FOR DIVIDING THE SUM OF MONEY. IN ORDER FOR ME TO GO THROUGH WITH THIS I NEED TO KNOW THAT I WILL BE RECEIVING AT LEAST 63.7259 PERCENT. I HAVE CAREFULLY CALCULATED THIS AMOUNT BASED ON THE RISK I AM ASSUMING BY HELPING YOU TO OBTAIN THIS UNCLAIMED MONEY.
PLEASE RESPOND WITH YOUR ANSWERS AND AN ACCEPTANCE OF THE TERMS I HAVE PROVIDED. THANK YOU.
YOURS SINCERELY,
THE BRO
So what do you guys think? Will I get a response back? Anyone care to guess as to what it will say if I do?
