How To Keep Your Computer Safe

Sample fraud email:

From: PITTSON ANDERSON [pittson@netscape.net]
To: ...
Reply-To: pittsonanderson@netscape.net
Subject: PLEASE GET BACK TO ME ASAP
Date: Thu, 08 Jan 2004 20:26:56 -0800


SAVE  A   SOUL
Dear Sir ,

You may be surprise to receive this Email from me since you do not know
me personally.

However, I would like to introduce myself. I am MR PITTSON ANDERSON Jr,
the son of DR WILLIAMS ANDERSON who was murdered few months ago in
Zimbabwe as a result of land dispute. Before the death of my father, he
had taken me to AMSTERDAM to deposit the sum of Twenty Million United
States dollars (US$20,000,000) in a security company, as he foresaw the
looming danger in Zimbabwe. The money in question was deposited in a box
as Gemstones to avoid much demurrage from the security company.

The proposed amount was meant for  the purchase of new machines and
chemicals for the farms and establishment of  new farms on Swaziland. As
you may be aware this land problem came into force when Zimbabwe president
Mr. Robert Mugabe Introduced the Land Reformed Act of which my father rich
farmers and some black farmers where affected. This resulted to the
killing and Mob action by Zimbabwe war veterans and some lunatics in the
society,infact, a lot of people were killed because of this Land Reformed act of
which my dad was one of the victims. It is against this  background that
my family and I who are currently staying in Amsterdam, I decided to
transfer my father money to a foreign account. Since the Dutch  law prohibit a
refugee (asylum seeker) to open any account or be involved in any
financial transaction. As the eldest son of my father, I am saddled with  the
responsibility of seeking a genuine foreign account where the money
could be transferred . I am faced with the dilemma of investing this amount of
money in Holland for the fear of going through the same experience in
future since both countries have similar history. Moreover, The Netherlands
foreign exchange policy does not allow such investment from asylum seekers. As a
businessman, whom I have entrusted my future and my family in his hands

I must let you know that this transaction is risk free. If you accept to
assist me and my family, all I need you to do for me is to make
arrangement and come to AMSTERDAM ,THE NETHERLANDS, so that we can open
the non-resident account which will aid us in transferring the money
into any account you will nominate overseas. This money I intend using
for investment. I have options to offer you, first you can choose to
have certain percentage of the money for nominating your account for the
transaction, or you can go into partnership for a proper profitable
investment of the money in your country. Which ever option you choose,
feel free to notify me. I have mapped out 5% of this money for all
expenses incurred in processing the transaction.

If for some reasons you do not prefer a partnership, I am willing to
give you 25% of the money while the remaining 70% that is meant for me,
will be for the investment in your country. Please, contact me on the
Email so we can discuss further and a chance for you to ask me any
question you may have in mind, while you maintain the absolute secrecy
required in the transaction.

I wait to hear from you as soon as possible.

God Bless,

MR PITTSON ANDERSON

This is an example of a common fraudulent email. There are many variations, but they consist of the same thing: the offer of millions of dollars if you will help this person in need transfer their money. The goal is to get you to come up with money for the "expenses" to transfer the promised funds to you, or to get your banking account information (for the transfer), so they can drain your account or steal your identity.

Last Updated: 6 January 2005