Scammer was spamming through an open South African relay, undoubtedly sending to thousands of addresses. Note that although he supposedly got my name and my company's address from Dr. Kim,he failed to ask Dr. Kim for my phone, fax number, or business name.

From : alhaji ahmed alhajiahmed2000@yahoo.com 
To : potential victim @ anywhere. com 
Subject : URGENT REPLY 
Date : Thu, 27 Dec 2001 00:58:43 -0800 (PST) 
From The Desk of Chief Accountant CHristian CHukwu 
E-mail: ALHAJIAHMED2000@yahoo.com 
Attn;PRESIDENT/CEO 
CONFIDENTIAL / URGENT BUSINESS PROPOSAL 
It is with trust and confidence that I write to reveal this 
urgent business proposal to you. I was assigned by two of my 
colleagues to seek for a foreign partner, who will assist us 
in providing a convenient A/C in a designated bank overseas 
for the transfer of USD30,000,000:00 (Thirty Million United 
States Dollars Only), pending on our arrival in your country 
for utilization and disbursement of the fund with owner of 
the A/C. I was directed by a friend DR. K.H KIM Former 
Foreign Affairs Minister to write you, in fact I got your 
name and company's address from him, he assured me of your 
immediate co-operation. 

I am the chief Accountant of the Nigerian National Petroleum 
Corporation (NNPC) on the 23rd of January 1999 my Corporation, 
awarded a contract of USD150,000,000:00 (One Hundred and Fifty 
MillionUnited State Dollars Only) on the actual Contract sum 
worth US$120,000,000:00 only We only inflated the sum worth 
with the intention of sharing the remaining balance of US$30m (
Thirty Million United State Dollars) among ourselves. Now the 
actual contract has been successfully executed and the actual 
contractors have been paid their US$120,000,000:00 only in full 
leaving a balance of US$30,000,000:00. Unknown to the government 
of Nigeria, which we now want to transfer out of the country 
through a foreign partner in our favor to make it as if payment 
for the contract has been completed. Since we as government 
officials are not permitted by law to operate foreign bank Accounts 
and secondly we cannot collect the money from the company's bank 
Account because the Contract was undertaken by a foreign firm and 
ere paid through remittance to their foreign Account. My colleagues 
and I have therefore agreed that if you/your company can act as the 
beneficiary of this fund (US$30,000,000:00) we will transfer the 
money to your account and you will retain 30% of the total fund, 
for the assistance rendered, while we set 10% aside for off setting 
of all the expenses that may be incurred in advance by both parties
 during the fund transfer process. 

We are requesting you to co-operate with us and provide a convenient 
account number in a designated bank where the fund can be safely 
transferred into, since this is our only chance of claiming the fund. 
Please note that we have been careful and have worked out all the 
modalities for a smooth transfer of the fund to your chosen or 
designated account before contacting you. We would therefore not 
want you to expose this proposal to anybody for the purpose of 
security and it's confidential nature. We also believe that you 
would not sit on our money when it is eventually transferred into 
your account as you receive your 30% share. Furthermore, be rest 
assure that this transaction is 100% risk free and the nature of 
your business has nothing to do with it. 

If the proposal is acceptable to you please indicate your interest 
by contacting us through the above stated e-mail address send us 
your account number in a designated bank, address of the bank, 
your full name, fax and telephone number. On confirmation of your 
acceptance more details about this transaction will be given to you. 

Yours faithfully, 
Chief Accountant 
ALHAJIAHMED

MY FIRST REPLY: Taking inspiration from a spam-fighter's post on news.admin.net-abuse.email I replied in the persona of an opportunistic money-laundering Miami resident. I ask him to pay ME for the privilege of doing business with me, and make a vague threat about what happens to dishonest persons.

MR AHMED'S REPLY: This and the rest of the emails came from the same Nigerian IP address ... probably his main dialup account, or his workplace account. Might even be an internet cafe. Note how the language slips a bit, and that he doesn't mention my demand for money.
He has a game plan, and he's sticking to it.

This is probably the standard "don't tell anyone" boilerplate to anyonewho bites on the first one. He exhorts me to not tell anyone about the purpose of the account (as if having $30,000,000 land in it will not trigger alarms in the accounting software) and makes an attempt to pull me into the secrecy of the plot. There is also a sense of urgency in this email, for if they don't get the money out soon, the government will roll it into the general operating fund and the poor civil servants will lose their chance to get rich.

From : alhaji ahmed alhajiahmed2000@yahoo.com
To : Inagada DaVida Subject :
Re: URGENT REPLY YOU FIREND
Date : Thu, 27 Dec 2001 10:49:44 -0800 (PST)
-my dear friend,
Regardind your question to me to day please take not of the following points carefully;

1.This fund is our lifetime opportunities. We can't afford to loose it. Because of that, we had long time ago in the past taken care of every risky, hitch and failure side of it to make sure nothing stops us from getting to the successful end of it.

2.You will see every thing yourself. You don't need to bother about the large sum of money involved because we have all the genuine/legal authentic documents backing the fund. The original (hard) copies of those documents will be handed over to you to enable you make withdrawal from your bank easily, (without any hitch or question from any body) we had perfected this project here that it looks like A.B.C.D

3.You don't need to worry about anything again. I repeat relax your mind.

4.The idea of discussing with your bank manager is 100% very, very wrong: They may not have the same strong heart like you and I have. They are greedy like some other human beings. They may bias your mind. Moreover, I expected you to vividly remember what I told you earlier concerning our position in the Government (we are top Government officials) we wouldn't like anything to jeopardize our many years in service thereby making us to loose our entitlement/gratuity. I told you initially, I wouldn't like any other fellow (ear) to know or hear the source of the fund/origin. You never can say who is who in this case. It is a security risk. I told you whatever you don't fully understand very well feel free to ask me either by mail or phone than consulting any other person, we want a free and fair transaction with you. They may be against your financial upliftment/break through, but you don't know. Let us adhere to simple instructions and advice for the progress of this project only.

5. I wear the shoe and I know where it pinches me. Or very simple, you open another fresh account with at lease US$10. So that we can Channel the money into that account. But make sure you don't explain the purpose of opening new account to anybody in the bank. I have all it will take, even to bring the whole of the funds into Malaysia, Canada, London, Holland or South Africa by cash (Liquidity Fiduciary) means of payment through a Diplomatic Courier baggage [apparently I am to believe a Nigerian bank would be able to handle a CASH withdrawal of $30,000,000 and that such would not attract any attention] means whereby you will travel and receive it, open a non-residential account their lodge the whole funds into it installmentally and from there make onward transfer to your bank in your country. Please as a matter of urgency, I plead with you to put the above points into consideration immediately. Let us work/behave like a mature and serious good businessman. We will not fail. You will see at the end that success is ours.

Our appointed Attorney will traveled to Abuja, the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) of Nigeria with the particulars you will send to me to incorporate your company name as the bonafide owner of the funds. As soon as he comes back from the Journey later in the evening tomorrow, I shall send to you, through email attachment file or fax the copy of the Certificate of Incorporation for your due documentation. Just like what I earlier told you , every documents achieved must be send to you for your due confirmation and proper documentation. please as a matter of urgency send to me your telephone and fax numbers and feell free to contact me immediately on this no. 234-8033043129 for more informative discussion. But the most important thing is that we would like to conclude this transaction with you before the end of this year so that the government will not use this fund for the early next year budget. Act fast please and be guided accordingly.please giveme your phone and fax nos.

Your lifetime opportunity is what I do at least once a month, although usually the sums are not so large. There are many persons like you who have managed to spot the opportunity in a corrupt or collapsing government to reap a large reward for themselves. I have no shortage of persons asking me for help getting money out of foreign lands into the relative safety of the USA. They might criticize the American government, and blow up American buildings, but they trust the American banking system. The recent turmoil in the Mid-East and Argentina should have a increased number of persons needing my help. There are also going to be opportunities to help individuals or organizations who are left with unexplainable large sums of soon-to-be replaced European currencies transfer them to places where they may be exchanged.

What large sum of money? All I asked for was that you provide a tiny payment of $5,000 to compensate me for the time it will take to have my operatives check you out and find out if the contracts and companies really existed.

I am not worried. Either you transfer the $5,000 verification fee and get my company's professional help to get the money out of Nigeria, or you don't.

I never mentioned a bank manager. Why do you mention one? Have you made this offer to others and become confused about who said what, and someone else mentioned a bank manger? I thought you were offering me an exclusive opportunity, but you appear to be double-dealing from the start.

You are offering to share THIRTY MILLION DOLLARS with me, you say all I have to do is give you an account to transfer it to, and you are worried about losing your pensions! It appears that your heart is not strong after all.

What project? I have not agreed to anything, because I have not yet seen any sign you are serious about employing me.

Where I do my banking, no one asks questions. When I have your advance fee of $5,000 I will check out your contracts and identities and let you know if I can help you. Be assured that my operatives are skilled enough that they will not put you in risk of exposure.

Don't worry about that part. I have contacts in many embassies and customs agencies who owe me favors, and even with the tightened security measures being used recently, it is still quite easy to transfer large amounts of currency around the globe.

There is a misunderstanding here. You are government employees who have the problem of a large amount of currency and have no way to remove it from Nigeria. I am a professional at moving currency around the planet. Obviously, none of my clients write testimonials about my expertise because - like you - they must conceal their activity.

Your appointed Attorney will have nothing to do until you pay me the advance qualification fee, a mere $5,000 transferred by PayPal, so that I can pay my operatives to verify the validity of this opportunity.

With this much money at stake, it is indeed unfortunate that you waited until December 27th to contact me. I would need a week or two, after you have paid the verification fee, to get everything in order at this end. It's not easy to conceal the arrival of $30,000,000 in currency in any account and sending it on its way to the final destination requires a series of banking transactions that have to be timed to avoid suspicion.

While I understand your anxiety at seeing this large sum of money slip from your grasp into the Nigerian national budget, I have found that proceeding with caution is the best course of action in all cases. Yes, it is possible that I might not take part in your interesting project, but I am confident there will be others. Should you wish to take the risk of waiting, please let me know by email.

From : alhaji ahmed alhajiahmed2000@yahoo.com 
To : Inagada DaVida 
Subject : GIVE ME YOUR BANK ADDRESS AND YOUR PHONE NOW 
Date : Fri, 28 Dec 2001 04:38:54 -0800 (PST) 
DEAR FIREND 

I WANT TO TELL YOU THAT YOU DID NOT UNDERSTAND MY FRIST LETTER.
BEACUSE THIS DEAL THAT WHY I NEED YOUR COMPANY NAME AND YOUR 
PHONE NUBMER AND FAX . I WANT TO CEARL YOUR VERY WILL NOW IF 
DON'T WANT TO HELP ME. TELL ME NOW. THE FUNDS STIL IN THE BANK NOW 
I NEVER CLEIM THE MONEY THAT WHY I TOLD YOU TO SEND YOUR COMPLETE 
BANK ADDRESS AND YOU PHONE. AFTER THE CBN APPROVEL THE FUNDS INTO 
YOUR ACCOUNT YOUR GIVE TO ME. NOW WE CAN TOLK ABOUT TRANSFRE MY 
ONW INTO MY ACCOUNT I WILL GIVE TO YOUR. FRIST I WANT MEKA SURE 
THAT WE CILEM THE FUNDS FRIST.BEFORE WE TOLK ANY ANDOER THING 

ALHAJI AHMED

My turn ... one more try at getting him to understand that I insist on a cash advance.

It is very obvious that you do not truly understand my business. I am in the business of moving large sums of money around the world for persons who do not want to attract the attention of governments and law enforcement agencies. People in my business are very cautious, and very discreet. We are also hard to order about as if we were greedy fools, because greedy fools do not survive long in this business.

--DEAR FIREND
--I WANT TO TELL YOU THAT YOU DID NOT UNDERSTAND MY FRIST LETTER.BEACUSE THIS DEAL THAT WHY I NEED YOUR COMPANY NAME AND YOUR PHONE NUBMER AND FAX.

Because of the ILLEGALITY of the business I am in, I do not reveal this until I have been shown good faith by the person seeking my help, in the nature of the small sum of $5,000, and then only AFTER my contacts in your country have had a chance to validate the information you give me about yourselves.

As I explained in my first reply, there are steps you must take BEFORE you get my help in getting the cash out of Nigeria.

1. You pay me a small advance of $5,000 by opening an account with PayPal and putting money in it.

2. I use the money in this PayPal account to fund an investigation of your proposal by persons in Nigeria who are known to me personally ... they will verify that the contract did exist and that the funds also exist.

3. Only then do we talk about moving this currency to safe places out of Nigeria for you, and only then do I provide you with the business identity you need to fool the banks with. I am sympathetic to your plight, and the thought of the $30,000,000 dollars slipping from your grasp must indeed be most distressing to you. Please inform me when you have the $5,000 waiting in a PayPal account and then I shall proceed to help you remove it from Nigeria.

From : alhaji ahmed alhajiahmed2000@yahoo.com 
To : Inagada DaVida Subject : 
Re: GIVE ME YOUR BANK ADDRESS AND YOUR PHONE NOW 
Date : Fri, 28 Dec 2001 09:53:03 -0800 (PST) 
dear me friend 
infact you a pool man i can not due business with you. 
if want to due business with just send what i told you to do. 
i have clear you very will now. Thank you for your mail today.
infact this questions show me that your very a good businessman.
infact come let us work together with one mind . the question 
show me that your going to handly this transaction very will. 

1. question.all the documantation will being send to you 
as the beneficiary of the contract to show this transaction 
is not legal. 

2 particulars and the address of the company used as the 
beneficiary of the contract.the work you dons is construction,
lnstallation and supply of pipelin equipment for kaduna/portharcout 
refinery. 

3. The remeanig balance of the money is US$30,000,000,00 dollar 

Thank you very much i waiting four urgent reply 
your friend Christian chukwu

My reply ... to Mr. Chukwu, startled because this is the first time he has written to me. I try to shift the blame onto Mr. Ahmed for not giving me what I need.

I believed I was dealing with a man called Alhaji Ahmed, and suddenly someone calling himself Christian Chukwu sends me an email. Who are you, and what have you done with Mr. Ahmed? I thought he and I were arriving at some understanding and now I must start over with you.

As I explained to Mr. Ahmed, I do indeed want to do business with you. Helping people move large quantities of currency is how I earn a living. It is very ILLEGAL and therefore I have to be very discreet and cautious to avoid the governments and law enforcement agencies. Therefore before I can help you get the $30,000,000 out of Nigeria, I insist on having my business associates in Nigeria check out the authenticity of the contract.

As I explained to Mr. Ahmed, there are steps you MUST take BEFORE you get my help in getting the cash out of Nigeria.

1. You pay me a small advance of $5,000 by opening an account with PayPal and putting money in it.

2. I use the money in this PayPal account to fund an investigation of your proposal by persons in Nigeria who are known to me personally ... they will verify that the contract did exist and that the funds also exist. These are very good investigators, but they have to bribe a few people sometimes, and travel about the country. Surely $5,000 is a small expense compared to the $30,000,000 you will secure with my help.

3. Only then do we talk about moving this currency to safe places out of Nigeria for you, and only then do I provide you with the business identity you need to fool the banks with.

Mr. Ahmed was fearful that the money would be rolled over into the national budget if I did not promptly send him everything he wished. That is undoubtedly true, but then he himself prevented me from coming to his assistance by refusing to prove his sincerity and sending me the investigation fee I need.

I am beginning to ask myself if it is worth the trouble dealing with you, but have decided to be generous. You appear to have a great opportunity, and apparently some great problems in taking advantage of that opportunity. I have consulted with my associates in Nigeria, and they have agreed to work for much less salary than usual, and will allow me to repay their expenses after we conclude transfer.

Instead of a $5,000 advance investigation fee, I will only require $1,000. Certainly this is within your means, as you are soon to become rich beyond dreaming.

From : alhaji ahmed alhajiahmed2000@yahoo.com 
To : Inagada DaVida 
Subject : GIVE ME YOUR BANK ADDRESS AND YOUR PHONE NOW 
Date : Sat, 29 Dec 2001 02:25:46 -0800 (PST) 
dear friend 

how are you today, i want to tell you that mr christian chukwu 
know about the business.now i want to tell you if can connenet me 
with you pelope here in nigeri is better but if can come nigeria 
i will like it.therefore your will go to bank to clieam the funds 
as the benefecar the contracter. without that just for got the 
business becasue now look for money i will pay lowyer who help me 
to get the document.he charged me $250.000.00 doller you sitll 
ask me to send you$5000. 

now if i tell send me some money therefore i will pay lowy you 
send that why i need you help now.that why i said you can not 
handly this trasnfer very will ,you don't have money, you know 
that this transfer is a deal, if can not help me to send some 
money i will used to pay lowy just forget the business. 

thank you alhaji ahmed

My reply: He's still on the hook, but definitely losing patience with me. I continue to repeat the "my people in Nigeria" line, and mention again that I am aware of the possibility of fradulent offers.

What you and Mr. Chukwu still do not understand it that you are civil servants in a corrupt government, and this is probably your only chance to acquire such a treasure. My organization, on the other hand, works on several such projects every year. Wherever there are corrupt or collapsing political regimes there are opportunities to help people such as you move large sums of money to safer locations.

--how are you today, i want to tell you that mr christian chukwu know about the business.now i want to tell you if can connenet me with you pelope here in nigeri is better but if can come nigeria i will like it.

My people in Nigeria do not make contact with anyone but me. They merely make enquiries, very discreetly, and report results to me. Then I decide if the project is worth accepting. Lately we have discovered that not all these offers are genuine and have had to take severe measures against those that tried to defraud us so they would not be tempted to do it to others. When there is no honor among thieves, it is indeed a sad world.

--therefore your will go to bank to clieam the funds as the benefecar the contracter. without that just for got the business becasue now look for money i will pay lowyer who help me to get the document.he charged me $250.000.00 doller you sitll ask me to send you $5000.

It appears that your lawyer is greedier than I am. That is usually the case. At least I wait until the money has been retrieved before taking my share. In my my last email I lowered the fee to $1,000 which is a very small sum indeed for the chance to gain $30,000,000. I can also help you locate a lawyer who is less greedy than the one you are thinking of using.

--now if i tell send me some money therefore i will pay lowy you send that why i need you help now.

You fail to understand. I do NOTHING until I am paid enough to have my people in Nigeria investigate the project.

--that why i said you can not handly this trasnfer very will ,you don't have money,

I have a great deal of money. My business of helping dishonest civil servants loot their governments is very profitable. However, to ensure that the persons who ask for my help are sincere I charge a small fee for investigating the validity of their claims.

From : alhaji ahmed alhajiahmed2000@yahoo.com 
To : Inagada DaVida 
Subject : send me you phone nubmer now therefore we tolk better 
Date : Sat, 29 Dec 2001 08:41:58 -0800 (PST) 
friend send me your phone therefore we will tolk better 
now i want to send me some money therefore i will pay 
for the lowyer who help me to get the document approval 
if can not send any money therefore can not go ahand 
with you again. 

thank you very much alhaji ahmed

He's gone: So I give him something to think about in my parting email.

Mr. Ahmed -
While we were trading emails, my associates in Nigeria had enough time to check out the phone number you gave me and verify the identities of the persons who claimed to have $30,000,000 under their control. You are a lying thief! And I do not like being the intended victim of thieves.

Be very careful who you make appointments with in the future ... it could be the police or the American FBI gathering evidence to place you and your accomplices in jail. It might be my associates, in which case jail will not be your fate.