The Art of the Nigerian Scam, Part 1: Good Ol' Charlie Brown

Ever wonder what Charlie Brown is doing now that his comic strip gig is over?

Well, it seems that he's become a Canadian lawyer living in England representing a dead Frenchman while using an Italian e-mail address to run a Nigerian scam. And as Nigerian scams go, it's some pretty high quality stuff. No doubt a result of his fifty year literary career. Here's the e-mail he sent me at work:

From: Barr.Charles Brown
Reply To: chambers01files@universal.pt
To: undisclosed-recipients:
Subject: Greetings
Sent: Thursday, January 26, 2006 5:16 PM


Greetings

I am Mr. Charles Brown, a Canadian Attorney based in Manchester, United Kingdom and the personal attorney to Late Mr. Mark Michelle a citizen of France. Late Mr. Mark Michelle was a private oil consultant/ contractor with the Shell Petroleum Development Company in Saudi Arabia before his death, hereinafter shall be referred to as my client.

On the 21st day of April 2000, my client and his wife along with their three children were involved in a ghastly motor accident. All occupants in the vehicle unfortunately lost their lives. Since then, I have made several enquiries from the French embassies to locate his next of kin or any of his extended relatives, but all to no avail.

My client made a deposit in a Security and Finance institution valued presently at $12,000,000.00 (Twelve Million United States Dollars) and the company has issued me an official notification to provide his next of kin or beneficiary by will, therwise the account will be confiscated within the next sixty (60) working days.

Since I have been unsuccessful in locating any of my late client's relatives for three (3) years now, I now seek your consent to permit me present you as the next of kin/ beneficiary of my late client so that the proceeds of this account can be paid to you. I am willing to offer you 35% of the total sum as a reward for your efforts in assisting me, while I take 50% of the total sum. The 5% of the fund will serve as reimbursement of expenses both local and international any of us will make in the course of this transaction. While we shall collectively donate the remaining balance of 10% to Tsunami Relief Organisations.

Consider this proposal and get back to me as soon as possible so that I furnish you with more details on how we shall proceed.

I look forward to hearing from you shortly.

Best regards,
Mr. Charles Brown

I could really use 35% of $12,000,000.00, and I'd sure like to help out "Tsunami Relief Organisations." Maybe I'll write back.


For the next installement in "The Art of the Nigerian Scam," click here.