Nigerian e-mail scam strikes again. When will people learn?

Manawatu mum, son lose $200k to Nigerian scam
07 December 2006
By CAITLIN McKAY

A Palmerston North mother and son have lost more than $200,000 to a Nigerian email scam.


The 71-year-old woman has lost about $70,000 in retirement savings and her son, 46, owes more than $100,000 for his contribution to "a very believable" scam, which has played out during the past 18 months.

A reverse mortgage has also been taken out on their home.

Both declined to be named.

The son, who lives with his mum, told the Manawatu Standard yesterday he also has other debts to meet.

He declined to say how much debt, except to say, "too damn much".

"I can meet the repayments. That's all I can worry about."

AdvertisementAdvertisementTo add to their woes, the police cannot do anything. The pair not only voluntarily gave the money away, they continue to do so.

The pair are trusting who they believe to be the Central Bank of Nigeria to "investigate" the fraudulent email scam and have paid a further $10,000 for the privilege.

The woman fervently believes the "Nigerian bank" won't let her down "I trust them," she said and maintains some of the emails were legitimate.

Meanwhile, they incurred "late fees" for not getting an application to the bank in time.

Yesterday, sitting in her living room filled with hundreds of collectible porcelain dolls, the woman spoke of her rapport with the scammers, how they often exchanged information about family members and "day-to-day banter".

When the son was on the phone, he and the scammer would "have a good crack (joke) with one another. It was like brotherly banter," she said.

Hard-luck stories were sent to the pair and the woman would reply to their pleas to send money.

"The man said his daughter had had a fall."

On this occasion, a payment was made of $400. However, some individual payments reached $10,000.

The elderly woman rejects she is lonely, saying she keeps busy in her job as a caregiver and other voluntary community groups.

"I do have a life."

She fervently trusts the Nigerian bank's spokesman to retrieve some, if not all, of their money by a December 20 deadline the bank has set. The woman said a Nigerian court case is also pending.

"I know they won't let me down."

Her son, who works in the security industry, said he hasn't mentioned his debts and the email scam to anyone until now. His mother said when she has mentioned it to family members, "no one wants to know".

The stress has been immense, not only financially, but physically.

The scammers, once they'd extracted enough personal information, would phone all hours of the night, encouraging the pair to check their emails.

The scam began innocently enough. There was supposedly money bequeathed to the pair from a dead (unnamed) family member.

Details of the woman's husband, dead for 14 years, also featured in an email four months ago.

If a payment to cover administration fees was sent anonymously through Western Union, they, in time, would receive their share of $27 million.

Then, as is typical in such scams, myriad other related payments were requested before progress could be made.

"Then funny things began to happen, and money was needed for this, that and the other," the son said.

So far, no money has been paid to them.

"I knew it was a scam, but decided to play along with it." the mother said. "I was curious, but it went too far."

The pair continue to wait, hoping the Nigerian bank is kosher and will return some money.

Both said they're surprised there is no one in New Zealand to help them get their money back.

The pair want to warn others not to open emails, attachments, or send money to people you have never met.

"We've learnt the hard way. At this stage I can afford it, but it's a real kick in the teeth," the son said.

A quiet "yes" is spoken when asked if they feel stupid for having trusted complete strangers.

"We hope no one else gets stung."

The police have sent Victim Support workers to talk the woman.

When the December 20 deadline passes and nothing happens, both are prepared to lose it all.

And along with that, their dreams.