This was in my email today:

Seed of Love From Mrs Maria Elena Fernandez,

I am the above named person from Philippine. I am married to Mr. Rodolfo FERNANDEZ who worked with Philippine embassy in Kuwait for nine years before we left to Philippine where he was re-appointed as a navy officer before his untimely death in the year 2005.

We were married for eleven years without a child. He died in his home country Philippine after a brief illness that lasted for only four days Before his death we were both born again Christian. Since his death I decided not to remarry or get a child outside my matrimonial home which the Bible is against. When my late husband was alive he deposited the sum of $7.3Million (Seven Million Three Hundred Thousand U.S. Dollars) in cash concealed in a trunk box and deposits it with a Security Company in Abidjan Cote d'ivoire (West Africa) which he declare and register it as family valuables.

Recently, my Doctor told me that i have serious sickness which is cancer problem. The one that disturbs me most is the high blood preasure sickness. Having known my condition I decided to donate this fund to a church or individual that will utilize this money the way I am going to instruct herein. I want a church or individual that will use this fund for orphanages, widows,propagating the word of God and to endeavor that the house of God is maintained. The Bible made us to understand that "Blessed is the hand that giveth" I took this decision because I don't have any child that will inherit this money and my husband relatives are not Christians and I don't want my husband's efforts to be used by unbelievers. This is why I am taking this decision to contact you.

I am not afraid of death hence I know where I am going. I know that I am going to be in the bosom of the Lord. Exodus 14 VS 14 says that "the lord will fight my case and I shall hold my peace". I don't need any telephone communication for security purpose until this mission is accomplished.

With God all things are possible. As soon as I receive your reply with full assurance of your assistance, I shall give you the legal proof of this matter and contact of the security company here in Abidjan where he deposited the trunk box. I will also issue you an authority letter that will prove you the present and legal beneficiary of this trunk bofund). I want you and the church to always pray for me because the lord is my shephard. My happiness is that I lived a life of a worthy Christian. Whoever that Wants to serve the Lord must serve him in Spirit and Truth.

Hoping to receive your reply.

Remain blessed in the Lord.

Yours in Christ,

Mrs Maria Elena Fernandez

So I'm supposed to fly to the Ivory Coast in West Africa on a treasure hunt? Wonder how much she'll charge me for the treasure map. Love the biblical "quote" about the Lord fighting her case. Who knew he was a lawyer?

Has anyone in the history of the internet actually fallen for this?

• RE: How Does this Scam Work?,Ahtumbreez, 02:57 PM, 09-14-09
• RE: How Does this Scam Work?,Snidget, 03:00 PM, 09-14-09
  • RE: How Does this Scam Work?,kidflash212, 03:39 PM, 09-14-09
    • RE: How Does this Scam Work?,jbug, 03:52 PM, 09-14-09
    • RE: How Does this Scam Work?,Snidget, 05:09 PM, 09-14-09

How do you think Indiana Jones got his start, huh?

Maybe too many people are afraid to give out their bank account.

Usually with these scams most of the scam is oh I need $100 to bribe this official or that official so I can send you the whatever documents by whatever means. Usually they don't even try real identity theft they just scam a bit of money at a time until you finally get tired of the whole thing, but there have been instances of people going to Africa to facilitate the transfer of funds.

http://www.419eater.com/ has some info (this looks like a variant of the usual scam) and some people that will write back to see if they can out scam the scammers (fun to read but do not try it at home).

... but there
have been instances of people
going to Africa to facilitate
the transfer of funds.

That amazes me. It amazes me that anyone stupid enough to take it that far could actually make it to adulthood. You'd think they'd off themselves by accident long before they reached the age of 18.

You're not watching BB, are you?

Sometimes I think it is people are just lonely and the scammers (especially if you read some of the scambaiting stories) are eager to create a relationship. They will swap photos and do pretty much anything to befriend you.

I think that is why a lot of them do the whole "I was born again" kind of thing. It is part of attracting people in a way that creates a false intimacy.

I mean a large part of how Madoff scammed so many otherwise intelligent people is from the relationship with him. So many people believed he was their friend or a friend of a friend and so lowered the BS meter down low enough they couldn't see the warning signs.