Dead Bait

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Posted: Sat May 15, 2010 5:18 am

A freind of mine received this in her mailbox. Her parents live in Hong Kong so she was rather shocked. The mail was to her real name and had her fathers real name in the e-mail. However she knew her dad was still alive and had not died in 2007. I suggested to her that somehow they had gleaned her real info, possibly from hacking a mailbox or phishing e-mail. Do you guys have any ideas, is it worth baiting this bastard?

Quote:

Dear O**** ****,

With due maximum respect, I crave your indulgence knowing that this my proposal will be a surprise to you. I am Barrister Kew Woon Lian, an Attorney at law. A deceased client of mine by name Late Mr. Bernard ****, who here in after shall be referred to as my client, died as the result of a heart-related condition on the 6th June, 2007.

I have contacted you to assist in distributing the money left behind by my Late client before it is confiscated or declared un-serviceable by the Bank where this deposit valued at fourteen million and Forty Two thousand United State dollars is lodged, [$US14.042m]. This Bank has issued me a notice to contact the next of kin, or the account will be confiscated.

My proposition to you is to seek your consent to present you as the next-of-kin and beneficiary of my named client, since you have the same last name with my late client, so that the proceeds of this account can be paid to you. Then we can share the amount on a mutually agreed-upon percentage. All legal documents to back up your claim as my client's next-of-kin will be provided. All I require is your honest cooperation to enable us see this transaction through.

This will be executed under a legitimate arrangement that will protect you from many breach of the law. If this business proposition offends your moral values, do accept my apology. I must use this opportunity to implore you to exercise the utmost indulgence to keep this matter extraordinary confidential, whatever your decision, while I await your prompt response. Please contact me at once to indicate your interest. I will like you to acknowledge the receipt of this e-mail as soon as possible via email this transaction will be treated private with absolute confidentiality and sincerity. I look forward for your quick reply at <>service(AT)wnlian.com

Best Regards,
Barr. Kew Woon Lian,
[Principal Attorney.]

Posted: Sat May 15, 2010 6:55 am

When you say "mailbox" do you mean postal mail or e-mail? Not that it would really matter, that's just a standard NOK (next of kin) scam. The lad could have gottent her real name and address from any number of sources, but he likely just guessed her father's name by accident. It can happen, particularly if her father has even a remotely common name. Unless there is something else involved that you/she left out, I would tell her not to worry.

A few years ago I had been harassing a lad on the phone (using Skype) at all hours of the night. I had also been separately baiting the lad as a female character, I don't really remember the name I was using so let's just say "Janice". Out of the blue one afternoon, shortly after calling the lad, my land-line rang. I was in a corporate apartment and didn't use or give out the telephone number for any reason, since I primarily used my cell phone, so I expected it was a telemarketer calling to sell me some siding. When I answered the phone, a man with a West African accent asked to speak to "Janice". In a split second, I nearly ruined a perfectly good pair of jeans, but simply said "I'm sorry, I think you have the wrong number." The man kindly apologized and never called back. Shocked

There was no way on earth the lad that I had been harassing could have ever tracked me down to a telephone number (not in my name) in a corporate apartment (also not in my name) even if he had gotten a court order and obtained skype records, billing info etc., which would be next to impossible for a lad. It still gave me quite a scare for a few minutes. Laughing

ETA> I see the name is "Bernard ***". Not that uncommon, and since he already knows her last name, I would say that it is a 99.9% case of odd coincidence.

Posted: Sat May 15, 2010 9:37 am

To second what jose says: I've been baiting a next-of-kin Lad for eight months with various characters of mine. He keeps popping up again in my catcher accounts and other spam folders. He's got a fixed IP address, so I know it is him.

Mostly, he collects email addresses from around the internet which have names included - guestbook entries, mainly. His dead client is called George. And so he adds the recipient's surname to the name George.

Quote:

Dear Jo Bloggs ... a deceased client of mine called George Bloggs.

Dear Harry Balls ... a deceased client of mine called George Balls.

When he doesn't know someone's name, he calls George 'George Stearns'.

Quote:

Dear Sir or Madam ... a deceased client of mine called George Stearns.

It would just be coincidence if Jo Bloggs or Harry Balls had a relative called George. So I think it's just coincidence, too, about your friend's dad being called Bernard.

The Lad will have sent out dozens, hundreds maybe, of these 'personally adjusted' emails. He'll be glad to get any reply. So yes, bait him. But don't use your friend's dad's surname in your response. Just refer to 'Bernard' and then put your character's full name on the bottom of your email. Let's say it's Sam Bates. I expect Bernard Whatever will soon metamorphosize into Bernard Bates. And if not, just accept whatever name the Lad gives him. He might have a 'stock' one, like Mr Stearns above.

Posted: Sat May 15, 2010 4:22 pm

Yes this was to her main e-mail account. The fact is, her fathers name isn't common altough her surname is. It also seems to have originated from the part of the world where her father is, it's not his e-mail address though. I think I will try to folow this up.
cheers guys

Hello I'm New here! Joined: 17 May 2010 Posts: 1

Nope. I recieved the EXACT same e-mail. It's obviously a fake. The name was exactly the same being 'Bernard *****' With MY real last name.

Let your friend know its just a coincidence that its the same first name as their dad and the last name is just matched to whomever the email is sent to.

Glad you made this post. It made me realise that i wasnt the only one to recieve this e-mail!