How advance-fee-fraud works: You think you’ll make money by helping Suzanne Mubarak – all you want is a small cut of the $2 Billion she wants to get out. After making contact though, you will have to pay some fees for “unexpected” items such as customs clearance, registration, banking charges, bribes etc. Each payment supposedly brings you closer and closer to seeing your money (which will never happen of course). And of course at some point you may be contacted by “authorities” investigating the fraud and wanting to help you (for a small fee) – see this post
Why the above email is a 419*:
- 419 emails often come from someone famous or important – this gives the whole scam credibility.
- Why would Suzanne Mubarak contact you? With that sort of money she could definitely make a better plan that trusting a complete stranger. You aren’t mentioned by name.
- It’s safe to assume that the Mubaraks have been saving “some … wealth overseas” for some time now (they weren’t waiting for the “crisis”).
- There is always implied urgency in a 419 email – “the crisis lingers”.
- The phone contact (once you respond) will be of “my attorney” – actually the scammer.
Remember the golden rule: If it sounds too good to be true – then Suzanne Mubarak has already managed to get her money out of Egypt and she doesn’t need your help.
*Why it’s called 419: The number “419″ refers to the article of the Nigerian Criminal Code (part of Chapter 38: “Obtaining Property by false pretences; Cheating”) dealing with fraud. (thanks Wikipedia)