This is a warning: In tough economic times, scam artists come out from under the rocks and prey on folks who truly need help. If you get one of these emails, delete and move on. These scams are on the increase and everyone should be careful. If it sounds too good to be true, it probably is.

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Dear Sir,

I am highly compelled upon strict recommendation, to write you this very urgent and confidential letter.

Urgent?  What possibly could this mean???

I am BARRISTER M. USMAN the Lawyer to MRS. MARIAM ABACHA the wife of the late Nigerian Head of State General Sani Abacha who died of heart – attack on Monday, the 8th of June, 1998.

Clearly, the fact it was a Monday is significant. I just don’t know why…

Upon the sudden and tragic death of her husband, General Abacha, there has been an intensive but secret exercise by the present civilian government to close/freeze all his bank accounts both home and abroad as he was confirmed to have directed a certain percentage of oil proceeds totalling over US$ 500M (FIVE HUNDRED MILLION U. S. DOLLARS) into private bank accounts scattered in several countries of the world; accumulated during his 41/2 years of military rule. An issue that was already on press before his sudden death.

Wait – a secret exercise which was in the press? Then is it still a secret? I don’t know about you, but this is exciting!

Since this exercise started few month ago, my client who is still in confinement has been in a very serious agony and mental stress as the entire family have virtually lost every including landed properties and major investments both home and aborad.

This sounds so sad!.. Good news, there is a silver lining to this dark cloud in the next paragraph!

Luckily, there happens to be a special security account which my client deposited a sum of US$ 51, 357, 000. 00 (FIFTY ONE MILLION, THREE HUNDRED AND SEVENTY FIVE THOUSAND U. S DOLLARS). This fund in my company_s name and is lodged in a Company Security Account Deposits (CSAD) with a West African Sub- Regional Bank. The fear there is that my client is one of the directors and invariably a major shareholder in the company, there exists a possible trace of this fund when once they finish with the accounts/assets principally owned by her husband, the Late Head of State himself.

Uh huh.  Got any bridges to sell?  Blah blah blah…

While it is a joyous moment to make fun of these emails, many still fall prey to them. These scams are easy to spot, but as the economy is weak, con artists are thinking of ways to extract your precious cash from you. Take care of your finances and get appropriate guidance from professionals before engaging in a transaction.