Ivorian Safari

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Posted: Thu Sep 20, 2007 12:16 pm

Ok guys and girls, here's the scenario. I'll try to give you a quick run down and then post up some of the more recent emails. I won't go through all the old emails as they are largely boring and don't really contain anything worth posting.

The story so far:

D0ugl4s is a barrister and is desperate to offload a consignment to a foreign beneficiary.

M1ke is a man having a mid-life crisis. While he leads a comfortable existence in England he has always wondered if there was more to this thing called life. He agreed to help D0ug in his quest to find a beneficiary. M1ke sees this as his chance to finally embark on an adventure and leave his slightly dreary world behind him.

D0ug suggested early on (nearly 4 months ago) that M1ke come down to his home country of Benin Republic. M1ke was surprisingly favourable to the idea as he saw this as his big chance to shake up his life and start something new.

Along the way, however, the burgeoning partners encountered a few problems and things got pretty rocky when M1ke�s travel agent, S4r4h, demanded that D0ug produce 3 important documents before M1ke could get a visa to Benin. The discussions got quite heated and eventually D0ug gave up and disappeared. He was not, however, out for the count and decided about 3 weeks later to get back in the game. He emailed M1ke to garner whether the deal was still on. M1ke had had a change of heart and decided, against his better instincts, to ignore the advice of his travel agent and pursue the visa anyway.

All that was required for the visa was a letter of invitation from a notary in Benin. This would guarantee M1ke safe passage to the fair country in West Africa. D0ug seized the opportunity and sent M1ke this:

http://forum.419eater.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=118374

Unfortunately not only was the letter in the wrong language but M1ke�s name was also spelt wrong. Tsk tsk.

After a few more arguments the D0ug agreed to send M1ke a translation of the letter (received via email) and replace the original invitation letter with the correct one.

While on the surface everything seemed to be in place there were quite a few issues that stemmed out of D0ug�s inability to prepare the appropriate documents and send them via mail (stamps and all!). When M1ke presented himself before the Benin embassy they simply laughed at the pathetic attempt at an invitation letter and told him to get the original as they could not accept a signature that had been printed out.

D0ug, seeing the futility in the situation, was struck with an idea. He realised that West Africa is actually a big place after all and decided it would be a better idea if M1ke were to get a visa to Ghana instead, two countries west of Benin:

D0ug wrote:

Hello my dear

I have been very busy concerning this matter of letter of invitation since over the weekend,
Well i have related this matter to our coresspondence finnancial office in our nearby country GHANNA which is an english speaking country since the issue of the invitation letter to my country BENIN which is an french country has becoming a problem to both of us,

So i suggest to shift your consignment to GAHANNA with a special arrengements as soon as i hear from you,as they promised to send you a torrist visa all the way from GHANNA, so that you can only buy your ticket and board a flight to GHANNA as soon as you recieved the visa,
Thanks as you respond to this and make sure that you reconfirm your postal information again to avoid mistake in any form,

May God be with us,

M1ke agreed that this was indeed a good idea and set about sending D0ug his passport. Unfortunately, try as he might, D0ug simply could not open the picture file containing the scan of the passport. He tried and tried but to no avail. Despite his best efforts the Ghanaians, to their credit, refused to issue a visa to a 3rd party without a copy of the passport (although Lord only knows how they were going to even do it with the scan, one can only guess corruption would have been involved). Seeing the problems arising and getting frustrated himself, M1ke decided to take matters into his own hands. M1ke decided to take the initiative and attempt to get the visa for Ghana himself, as D0ug�s efforts proved futile. Unfortunately when M1ke attended the Ghanaian embassy they informed him that because he was rejected a visa to Benin and thus subject to an exclusionary period (who would have thought?!).

M1ke, unbeknownst to D0ug, again spoke to his travel agent, S4r4h, who informed him that getting a visa for Ivory Coast was actually a lot easier than getting on for Ghana. Thus, M1ke against seized the initiative and promptly applied for and was granted a visa to the Ivory Coast:

M1ke wrote:

Hi Douglas

Ok, look, this is ridiculous. We are friends and we should handle business like men. You can call me on my British phone 207 8xx xxxx.

I have good news, I finally managed to organise a visa. Thank God for that. Unfortunately two days ago the Ghanaian embassy would not give me a visa despite my protests. They said that this is because I was rejected a visa to Benin and they have an exclusionary period zone for anyone who is rejected a visa in the ECOWAS. I don't know if this is true or not so I challenged it but I got no where, to contest it will cost far too much. I spoke more with my travel agent and she explained that Ivory Coast is much more lenient on such things so I went there today and managed to secure a visa very easily. All I had to do is pay the money and that was it. So I will need you to meet me in Ivory Coast, I will let you know more details when I book my flight, but I am very excited about this! Also, because they were a colony it seems it is easier for Europeans to get visas there, so as I mentioned I am looking forward to it.

Anyway, I look forward to your call and discussing my arrival date with you. My travel agent is currently organising my ticket as we speak. I expect that you will arrange for my accommodation. I am very much looking forward to meeting you. I will also be bringing the money I wish to invest so if you could please find a way for me to keep it safe that would be good too. Oh and I also need a list of the gifts you and your associates would like me to bring.

Speak soon. Your friend,

Well surprisingly D0ug took to this idea like a mugu to a lottery scam and jumped in head first. I think that the combination of Ivory Coast being a French speaking country and the fact that M1ke had been so frustratingly incapable of getting any visa together brought the lad to the conclusion that any step in the right direction was worth savouring. The lad wrote this back:

D0ug wrote:

Ok Mike,

Now i want you to keep this matter within yourself and i believe you have not revealed this secret to your agent,
I want you to be telling them that you are coming down to west africa for torrist not for business and you make this confidential,

Well since you can be able to secure ivory coast visa, then i have to start making an arrangment to move your consignment / funds from Ghana to Abidjan for your payment via the finance house
sister compnay since you are no more coming to Ghana.

Again and i will be duelly communicated with the full contact of the company at Abidjan later today after the fund successful movement and arrival to Abidjan had been confirm to me by the securities finance house and upon providing you with the contact i will instruct you on what to do regarding communication with them.

You should kindly waits for my new instruction and email or phone call as case maybe.
And you should endaviour to provide latest information about your travelling shedules to Ivory Coast once you recieves the visa from your agent.

Thanks,

That sounded like a good plan to M1ke and he began making the arrangements immediately.

However, the Department of Homeland Security intercepted the message and found that �torrist� was new code for �terrorist�. They requested that the mugu fill out a DHS security form. Currently he is refusing and is claiming it was merely a typographical error that his secretary made. He is not being pressed on it right now but keep it in mind for later as it will come into play later in the bait.

Meanwhile M1ke continued with his arrangements and organised a flight. His travel agent organised it all and sent him the itinerary in an email:

S4r4h wrote:

Dear Mr. Xxxxx

Please find attached a scanned copy of your flight itinerary and boarding pass.

Your flight, as discussed, leaves Monday 24th September @ 0655 from Heathrow.

You will then fly to Brussels and will board a flight at 12 noon from Brussels to Abidjan. You are due to arrive in Abidjan @ 1950.

As you have requested I have scheduled the return date for approximately a month after arrival. This should give you ample time to conclude your business and see some of the sights as you mentioned.

I have also taken the liberty, upon your request, of sending a carbon copy of this email including the itinerary attached to Mr. Xxxxxx your associate. If he should have any questions please let me know that he should feel free to contact me any time he wishes.

As we discussed on the phone, all your visa details have been confirmed and paid for. The only thing remaining is the final instalment of payment for your ticket. The deposit you paid last week has cleared so please pay the balance as soon as possible as once the boarding pass has been issued the ticket is non-refundable.

I look forward to speaking with you further on the phone later in the week.

Have a fantastic trip M1ke, if you need anything, please call me anytime.

Kind regards

D0ug disappeared for a few days and while I knew he was squarely on the hook I wanted to make sure he wasn�t getting cold feet at the prospect of travelling to a foreign country so I sent him a little reminder email complete with a photo of one of the gifts I am bringing him (thanks to Reaper for the photo of the Dell Laptop). Today I received this:

Quote:

Hello M1ke,
You don't want to send the visa page of your passport to me and you go ahead to send all others including the laptop,pls what is contained in the other because i saw the laptop but could not understand what was the other pakages. Nothing can distract him from the prospect of gifts Laughing

However M1ke,i still feel that it is not proper for me to fill those form from the homeland security because i do not have anything to do with terrorist act and cannot fix them as you had directed me to do i am sorry pls becuase i have told you it was wrongly mentioned at my email and it was not even the correct spelling she used in that mail to warrant homeland security to intercept your mail,therefore i needs not to do anything with those forms try and help me out,defend me.

If you want any of my personal information feel free to ask it from me and i will provide same to you on trust as partners instead of sending my details to the government which has serious security implication on both of us.
I want to leave and enjoy my fortune after our transaction without any embarassment from anyone or government security because one thing is to make money and another task is to be free and enjoy the wealth.
For your trip to Ivoary Coast,it may still not materialise if the consignment has not successfully arrives there unless you want us to assist you further and arrange a tourist visa for you at the Ghana High Commission in USA since the consignment is still very much intact at Acrra-Ghana.
Yes we can do that for you instead of you seeking the assistant of a travelling agent for your visa.
Because that is the purpose of your coming and therefore we should work to make sure it is there in Abidjan before your arrival.

Once again,i humbly request you to scan or fax the passport copy of visa page and your picture page for me to present same to the securities finance house for thier official filling and proccessing your claim and final movement from Acrra-Ghana to Abidjan.

If i get it today i will start arramging for my trip to Ghana where this proccess will be effetcted and from there leaves to Ivoary Coast to meet you on monday evening during your arrival and also arrange or make your hotel reservation there before your arrival.

Pls note,that i am not wasting stupid time for anything but i am relating the necessary issues we needs to put set before your visit to you and we cannot ignore them for anything.

You have given me good reasons for not picking your phone and i quite agree with you on those reasons and suggest we leave the phone discussion for now and communicate via email since we shall meeting face to face very soon.

Regards and waits to recieve the required items from you later today and have a good day and God Bless you and also try and defend me more regarding the homeland security form because i am not part of such terrorist activities and will never be part of it because it is a big crime against humanity and needs to be toatlly eradicated from the globe. Laughing

Yours Friend,

Here is Reaper�s lovely Dell:

He likes the reasons I gave him for not answering my phone! Very Happy

How nice. Btw SlowFreddie, looks like he did call, so that was probably the missed call you saw.

Well, naturally I ignored the majority of his email. For now I�m not going to push for the DHS forms. They�ll come in handy later. Right now I want him to move. As you can see he looks like he will travel to Ivory Coast but this has caught him by surprised because I only gave him 6 days notice that I had booked a flight so he�s in a bit of a flurry trying to catch up. He�s trying to delay but M1ke wasn�t having any of it:

Quote:

Dear D0ugl4s

I couldn't agree with you more about terrorism. It is terrible. I think that the Department of Homeland security must keep a monitor certain words and if a terrorist spelt the word wrong they would still trace it because that can happen.

I have called them today to defend you and told them everything you said. They say I still need to submit the form so that their paper work is in order because while they believe me they still don't know who you are. I am concerned because they said they have the power to freeze my bank accounts. The form is so simple, I don't really understand the problem you have.

As to my trip. My friend are you feeling alright? I have already bought a ticket to Ivory Coast. It is non-refundable as S4rah mentioned in the email. There is no way around it. Even if I did want to change now it is far too late and moreover I was rejected a visa to Ghana because of the problems I previously mentioned if you remember correctly.

As I see it, there is no issue. I will be coming with the money and the gifts on Monday and I expect to see you at the airport to pick me up. Can you please send me a photo of yourself so that I may identify you when I get to the airport as I don't want to make any mistakes. I understand that while Africa is a nice place there are some not so nice people and they may prey upon me as I am a European and we are not well versed in the ways of your countries.

I really can't wait to meet you. Have you organised the hotel that I will be staying at yet? Please send me the reservation details as soon as possible as I would like to make arrangements for my bags to be sent there when I arrive. First night we shall go out and have a drink and celebrate our new business venture I think. Also a nice meal, my shout. You can tell me a little bit about yourself and maybe we can even go and see some things the next day?

Anyway, I must get back to work, there is plenty to be done before I leave. Hope to hear from you soon.

Your friend

So basically the ball is now in his court. I feel that he�ll choose to follow the money and come to Ivory Coast. He�s just scrambling to figure out how. He clearly had a contact in Ghana (and probably wouldn�t have travelled there personally) but I think he is struggling to find someone in Ivory Coast to help him out and is working out the modalities for himself right now.

To be perfectly honest I don�t even know what this scam is all about. I have absolutely no idea how much money M1ke is supposed to bringing him (as we never got to the WU, MG or Bank transfer stage) and I don�t have a clue how much he is expecting. Moreover he wouldn�t tell me which gifts he wanted (despite many times asking him) so I�m just stocking up with stuff. On top of that, in order to ensure enough money was involved I told him that I raided my superannuation pension and am bringing $375,000 in a secure briefcase to invest in West Africa, my nest egg Very Happy

.

Ok the word count on this post is now 3,176 words, it�s longer than some essays, that�s enough information, thanks for reading it!

Unbelievably the lad�s latest email contained this IP: 196.1.176.194 which resolves to Nigeria. I can�t work out whether it�s a satellite/proxy or not though.

His previous emails come from here: 81.91.239.233 which is Benin.

Stay tuned. Hopefully after the weekend we�ll have another lad on the move!

Posted: Thu Sep 20, 2007 2:11 pm

Excellent work Red, this looks like another winner..... clapping

Posted: Thu Sep 20, 2007 3:32 pm

Looks like you are making this lad work a lot of overtime. I hope this doesn't distract him from his other work Twisted Evil

.

Posted: Fri Sep 21, 2007 1:58 am

Sorry about the really long first post guys, I wanted to compress 4 months of correspondence into one post.

Anyway, here's the latest from the lad, I must admit, I laughed quite loudly as I read it:

D0ug wrote:

Dear M1ke,

I got your letter and was shocked to leant that you did not mention anything about the requirement from the securities finance house regarding your travelling passport picture page/Ivoary Coast Visa. Laughing

Alright if the fund for our business is not there at Abidjan why then are you insisting on coming on monday,we have to get that right first before your enventual arraival to Abidjan.

Even if it will make you to change your flight schedules,you should go ahead and do that first because we must make sure the fund is moved to Ivoary Coast before you start up your journey.

If you insist on me filling those form from homelad security i will do that but i do not see the possibilties of your visit against this coming monday unless by tomorrow morning i recieve those required items and head to Acrra-Ghana to concludes things by myself and reach you with the next step.
Your complain for being rejected by the Ghanaian High commission for the visa is not right because the Securities House officials at Acrra wanted to help you by providing you the desired means for you to obtain a vaild tourist visa but you did not want to make any contact with them and you opted for Ivoarian Visa by yourself and your travelling agent without my knowledge.

I want you to abide by my instruction to enable us achieve this transaction/your visit successfully.

With kind regards wait patiently to recieve these requested items to enable us proceed further.

Yours Friend,

Well that simply won't do. Looks like he realised his mistake and is trying to back out.

Not so quickly mate:

M1ke wrote:

Dear

What on earth are you talking about?

YOU couldn't open my passport picture because YOUR computer system was corrupt or something.

I told you that I would try to get the visa for Ghana myself and YOU told me that was a good idea.

I told you that they rejected it because of the exclusionary period and that I could get one to Ivory Coast and YOU told me it was a good idea.

So I then booked my ticket because YOU said I should.

Have you lost your memory? Are you suffering from a head wound? Do you need to see a doctor? Have you contracted amnesia?

My ticket is paid for. It is non-refundable. I am bringing over $375,000 in cash and YOU'RE telling me to rearrange?!

Douglas, I certainly hope you are of sound mind because right now you sound like a mad-man. Fill out the forms like I told you and email them back like YOU said. I hope to hear from you soon. I can only imagine what will happen if the Department of Homeland Security doesn't get the forms. I have never done anything wrong in my life.

I will be in Abidjan on Monday. I will see you then. Please send your photo immediately so that I will be able to recognise you like we discussed.

Your friend,

that was fun. I love how every time I made a suggestion he said it was a good idea... so I've turned it all around and made it seem like it was all his idea. Too late to stop the wheels in motion now.

Posted: Fri Sep 21, 2007 7:39 am

Here's another update from this lad. Nothing too exciting, same of bollocks, different bucket. Can't work out why he is so keen to see my passport, he's been rabbiting on about it for ages. I've sent him countless .dll files:

Doug wrote:

M1ke,
Listen,i am saying the fund is still there at Acrra-Ghana and unless we do what is necessary to complete the proccess of sending it to Abidjan then what trip to Abidjan are you talking about.

I have told you what is required for the fund movement to be done and you don't want to comply with that.
Today is friday and if you scan it now and send as soon as you get this email then i will get it out printed and despatch same to Acrra by myself with either afternoon or evening flight and i am sure by tomorrow your fund will be deposited there at Abidjan.

Then from there i will start my journey to meet you on monday at Abidjan,i can even fill the form from anywhere between this night and tomorrow morning and send to you before you depart to West African but firstly let me have the requirement from you because without it there would not be any movement of your consignment/fund to the current destination where we are to go and complete the transaction.
I am appealing to you freiend/brother to pls obey my advices and send the needed passport copy of your visa and picture page.
For my identification that will not pose a problem because i will let you know the proper way to identify me as soon as possible and before your arrival but this is what is most important for all of us and we must do it for us to proceed now and today only unless you want to shift change your date of coming.
My computer is alright now and can print what i am asking you to send,you know i got the ones you scan and sent to me yesterday the laptop and the rest you refused to explain what it is and this is a confirmation that my computer is fine now.
Thank you and looks forwards to recieving the required items immediately today and God Bless you.

This time I took a different tack and decided to play up to it. The file I sent him this time was a "Error" message telling him that he needs to upgrade to Windows Vista to view the file. Let's hope this does the trick for him:

Quote:

Dear D0ug

I have been informed that I must receive your photograph as it appears there are a lot of shady characters in that part of the world and they may try to hoodwink me especially seeing as I will be carrying so much money.

You have yet to provide me with a good reason to send you my passport yet again (what is this? the 10th time?!) as I can see no correlation between the consignment and my passport. My passport is my own private possession and has absolutely nothing to do with the consignment. As you know my passport will only be stamped with the tourist visa once I arrive in Abidjan like I told you before. There is nothing to send. However, because you are such a good friend and I trust you so much I have attached it one more time. If it is still not working then I do not know what to say except that perhaps your company needs to look into getting some new computers as this whole thing is ridiculous and you should not treat customers like this.

Meanwhile I have secured the money to bring down and have today purchased some more gifts. I am bringing some watches, Tag Heuer, have you heard of these in your country? Anyway, there is one for you and 2 more for your associates as gifts, as is the custom in my country. I am also bringing some mobile phones because you mentioned you would like one so I have 3 Nokia N70 phones. I hope these are ok, the shop assistant assured me they were the latest and greatest.

I really can't wait to see you next week, it is very exciting. Have you organised the accommodation for me? Will we be able to perhaps go on a bit of a tour too?

Oh, before I forget, I need those forms sent immediately.

Kind regards, your friend

If he doesn't end up sending a photo of himself he will end up regretting it. Oh, who am I kidding, he's going to end up regretting the whole anyway... but no photo is just as good leverage as I can meet with the wrong person quite easily.

10 points to the first person who figures out the anomaly in the modality... Wink

(cryptic I know...).

Posted: Sat Sep 22, 2007 3:31 am

Alright here's the latest from the lad.

2 emails last night.

Email 1:

D0ug wrote:

Dear M1ke,
I have recieved all your letter and there is no difference yet from all you had been saying and even the scan attcahement you snet did not show again but you can come along with your passport.
Note i will send a protocal officer from the finance and securities house to come to the Abidjan International Airport to recieve you on your arrival on monday.Based on this you are expected to send your passport photo for the protocal officer to identify you during your arrival.

Your hotel reservation will be at Gulf Int3r-continental Hotel Abidjan,it is a very safe place and six continental club.
Regarding the consignment,it will leave tonight to Abidjan with a diplomat for a safety purpose of the consignment.
The gift is ok but the most important things is for you to bring the money for the clearing which you had assured me that you are coming along with etc.
As soon as the diplomat arrives at Abidjan,i will confirm the hotel he is staying with for you.

I hope to meet with you at Abidjan and pls lets keep working for the best of this project and have a good day and God Bless.
Lastly,i have attached a completed form of the first page while the others pages are in-valid because i have nothing to do with terrorist.
Pls do send your picture immediately as you recieve this meesage.

Picture attached of "D0ug" Rolling Eyes

:

Email 2:

D0ug wrote:

Hello M1ke,
I thought by now you should have sacn and attached the requested passport photo of yours and send accordinlgy to me.
I am waiting for it and pls do scan it and immediately to me.
I am really waiting and hoping to meet soonest and wishing you a very safe and successful journey.
With kind regards,waiting to recieve the item from you later tonight and have anice time.
Yours Friend,

Grrr... patience mate!

I have no idea what is going on in this scan below but this is what he also sent me. It looks like a Visa but I cannot work out for where and whether or not it is fake. Any ideas? Knowledge?

Meanwhile, new IP confirms he has arrived in Lagos, Nigeria: 193.219.221.80

He's on safari... but he's going on the wrong way Laughing

.

UPDATE: Email from me to him.

M1ke wrote:

Hi D0ug

Sorry about the delay I have been flat chat organising everything. I have attached my passport photo as you requested.

Can you please send me the photo of the person who will be picking me up from the airport as I am very confused. I understand you're sending an associate, that is fine, but I will need a photo so I can identify them. I will be carrying a lot of money and I don't want to be at all mistaken.

I also didn't receive any of the forms you said you would send. God only knows what Department of Homeland Security are going to do. They told me they could detain me if I don't get them. You need to fill them out to PROVE you're not a terrorist. I know you're not a terrorist, but how would they know?! They think you are so please just fill it out and send it back so I don't have all this trouble with the authorities.

One thing I almost forgot. Can you please send me the booking confirmation for the hotel as I need to organise to have my bags sent there from the airport.

Kind regards

I also sent him a photo of "me".

Master Baiter Joined: 04 Aug 2007 Posts: 103

Very nice job, and, well presented...I enjoyed what I read so far.

Wannabe Baiter Joined: 30 Jun 2007 Posts: 82

I think thats a Visa for Shengen area of western europe. looks authentic, so this lad might be able to criss-cross continents with ease.

His IQ might be a tad above that of a door knob , so i think u should up your antics compared to how you are handling the lovestruck one shirted guy.

Posted: Sat Sep 22, 2007 5:28 am

Nice work! Am following this.... Thanks for sharing...

Posted: Sat Sep 22, 2007 11:50 am

Red, Always enjoy your work. clapping

Posted: Sun Sep 23, 2007 6:16 am

onyenekwu wrote:

His IQ might be a tad above that of a door knob , so i think u should up your antics compared to how you are handling the lovestruck one shirted guy.

I always love your input... so blunt and to the point... are you sure you're not an aussie?! Razz

Alright, 3 new emails from the lad today.

Email 1 (weird but funny):

D0ug wrote:

Dear M1ke,

I am very sorry for sending a different things to you,infact i don't know what to do with this useless secretary of mine whom i gave the form to go and scan it at the commercial cyber cafe because my scanner is bad and send it to you by attachement and she came back and said she has done it and i believe her and was surprised now after reading your mail to hear that you did not get the form i filled and despatch to you yesterday and became confused and decided to see it myself from the sent folder.I am very angery and will surely do away with this stupid secretary immediately after my trip from Abidjan Shocked

,i will pay her and settle her properly for her to go on her own but it is secret for now ok because this is two times she is causiing problem to me first was spelling tourist as terrorrist while i wrote it very clear for her.

Pls have little patient so that i can find a way to do it again and send to you later today.

Meanwhile i will make contact this morning to Abidjan concerning your hotel booking but i don't know in person the securities and finance house protocals officials who will be at the airport to recieve you because it is only the directors who are in position to direct them to move to the airport and recieve you which they have confirmed fully to me that thier protocals officers will be there to assist and recieve you but that is not a problem because the most important things are that they have your picture already which i will forwarding to them to identify you once you arrive with your flight and assist you with airport protocals and as well put you into the waiting car for your onwards movement to your hotel where a reservation had been already made for you.

You should feel free and also feel at home because proper security arrangement and protection are fully place for you and you will not have any problem during and after your visit to Abidjan i can assure you this 100%,so just relax because you are at your home also.
You will recieve the best of West African hospitality culturally and socially etc whcih we are well known for all over the world.
So go ahead and start your nice journey immediately i am planing to leave with evening flight from cotonou tomorrow because we have a very important programme for our church same tomorrow and i am one of the planing committee for the event and will be there to put things inorder and if i can't make it on sunday i will board morning or afternoon flight on monday and will immediately on my arrival checks into my hotel and then meets you later in the evening after speaking with you on your arrival into your hotel room from the airport.

Finally My Brother-Friend Very Happy

,let me happily inform you this morning that your consignment has successfully arrives Abidjan and the finanace house are waiting for your immediate arrival and claim of your consignment from them.

With kind regards and will reach you soon afteri have scan and attached the form for sending to you.
Yours

Woohoo! My consignment has finally arrived in Abidjan! Rolling Eyes

Looks from that like he's almost on his way... however the next email was a little cryptic, seems he wants to introduce a new person into the mix.

Email 2:

Quote:

Dear M1ke,
I have attached the form and that i know this copy being the first page of the forms covers all because i am not invloves in it and cannot answer what i didn't know.

Here is the information of the diplomat who accompained your consignment to Abidjan-Cote D'ivoire telephone,225-04511-xxx and His name is Asare Azuma/email; [email protected] and always relates all your discussion with me.

I have informed this afternoon that you will call him,so pls try to call to him today.
He has also confirmed that your hotel booking has been made and all necessary arrangement for your trip is concluded including the security agents attached to the securities and finance house will be available to provide any assistance you will requires during your stay in Abidjan and will meet with you inside the arrival hall on your arrival in Abidjan.

I will meet you later on monday evening but we will remain steady on the internet until we meet on monday.

Yours Friend,

Hmm... an Ivory Coast number... not great news. Means he has a contact there of sorts. I'll have to cut this new guy out.

Oh, he also sent a page of the form he was supposed to send... tsk tsk, really not good enough.

This is the 3rd email he sent last night (my time):

D0ug wrote:

Dear M1ke,
I hope you recieve my second email of today and the form i filled and sent to you.
Have you been able to get acrose to the diplomat who is already there at Abidjan waiting for our both arrival,i gave you his contact phone and email address to enable you reach him immediately.
Pls do that today as get back to me after your talk with him,i will want you to discuss with him before your arrival on monday regarding your hotel booking/reservation etc.

With kind regards wait to hear from you later/wishing you a successful journey to West Africa.Thanks! Very Happy

.
Yours Friend/Brother,

Here is what I have sent him in response:

M1k3 wrote:

Hi D0ugl4s

I am making my final preparations now. I am so excited. This is going to be such a great adventure.

In regards to the form, I only received the first page. I told them what you said and they said that is exactly what a terrorist would say. They said if you have nothing to hide then you will fill it out because only a terrorist would be worried about his answers. I tend to agree with them. It is so simple, just fill it out and send it back to me in full so we can get this matter finished with. I would hate to think they might seize my funds or something because of something so silly as you not having filled out a form. Please do so immediately.

Also I still don't have a picture of who will be picking me up. Please send that straight away too before I leave because I would hate to make a mistake upon arrival. Why are you bringing other people into this deal? You told me to keep it very confidential and not have anyone else involved and now you are telling random people in other countries about it? I am very concerned about this. I will deal with you and only you. This is a lot of money and I will not risk dealing with someone I do not know. Like you said, we are brothers, so I will only trust you.

Finally, you have not sent me the booking confirmation of the hotel, I need that so I can make arrangements with the airline for my bags to be delivered there.

I can't wait to see you at the airport, I am so excited, it is going to be great. That night make sure you take us to a very nice restaurant, I will pay, to celebrate our business venture! We are both going to be extremely wealthy men it would seem!

Speak soon

Hopefully that will illicit some positive response.

Posted: Sun Sep 23, 2007 8:36 pm

Red

The Visa copy he sent you was issued at the French Counsels office, if you google the words at the top "Etats Schengen", you will find out all about this type of visa.

Posted: Mon Sep 24, 2007 7:04 am

Thanks Fo'andles!

The lad just got back to me. Looks like he will be travelling hopefully. IP still says Nigeria. I've got no idea what he's doing in Nigeria... but hey, why not:

D0ug wrote:

Hello M1ke,
Thanks for your email of sunday,i am glad and understand you are on the way to London by now enroute Abidjan.
My God will guide your journey and make it a successful flying and my arrival too to meet you there.

For the booking/hotel reservation,i have told you every necessary arrangement to that effect had been done and the protocals officers from the securities finance house will be at the airport to pick you and they will be coming with a car for that purpose of sending your baggs to the hotel and your maximum security is fully gauranted throughout your stay in Abidjan because the director has instructed the security agents attached to the finance house to give you adequate protection and assistance during your visit,this is upon my request.

As you had said regarding exposing or telling people about our business,i find this very surprising because i have not told anyone anything and i will not do that because i am not a mad man.

The diplomat you mighty be refering to was the person who accompanied your consignment from Acrra to Abidjan and it was through his efforts/connection that your consignment was successfully moved to Abidjan and he did the deposit to the finance house where you are expeceted to make the claim and he is to be there until your arrival and ensure you recieve your consignment.
He is only doing his job and he is there already waiting for your coming hence i asked you to make contact to him about your hotel booking because he is there already and had informed the protocals officers of the securities finance house to put up all these necessary things in place for your coming and any information you want urgent before your arrival you get in touch with him and he will provide to you until i am there later today.

Pls don't entertain any fear our business is still very secret and confidential and i am very exicted that this project has come to be and will become a reality within this week.

I can't wait to meet you later tonight at Abidjan,i will be leaving very soon to the airport to board my flight to Abidjan and will see you in the evening time for dinner.

Lastly,i will request you not to be affraid express worries because you do not have picture of the protocal officers who will be coming to recieve you this evening at the airport because what matters most is your own picture which they have already in there possession and they will use it identify you straight at the airport tarmac/arriavl hall upon your arrival.
With kind regards and looks forwards to seeing you later tongiht and have a safe flying and God Bless.
Yours Brother/Friend,

The fun is about to begin...

Posted: Mon Sep 24, 2007 9:25 am

Nice work.

Glad to see my pics are being put to good use Very Happy

Posted: Tue Sep 25, 2007 12:53 am

It's currently around 12:45 am in Abidjan...

I expect by now that if anyone is waiting for M1ke they'll be more than a little pissed as his flight landed @ 7:50 pm last night.

No word yet though. Although I have no doubt that Slow Freddie's phone is ringing off the hook!

Those 10 points are still up for grabs... Laughing

Posted: Tue Sep 25, 2007 7:09 am

I sent him a quick message earlier just saying I tried to call him and that he should email me asap.

This is what I got.

Email 1:

D0ug wrote:

Dear M1ke,
What is going on and where are you now.
You said you was coming to Abidjan yesterday and nobody heard anything from you.

The diplomat spoke to me last night to inform me that the protocal officers who where at the airport to recieve you did not see you and your name was not found either.

I don't understand this and i don't know why you should be behaving like this to me.

I am supposed to travel down also to Abidjan yesterday afternoon but could not get sit and was confirm for today and now you are not there and if i leave this afternoon then i will be going there for what when you are not there.
Pls let me know where you are now,i am waiting to hear from you now on the internet,just give me a mail as i am waiting for your response.
Yours

He's not impressed... but then he thinks about it and emails me again another 30 mins later:

D0ug wrote:

Hi M1ke,
I forget,if you are there already in Abidjan because i think so judging from your mail this morning to me then forwards the name of the hotel where you are the room no./telphone to reach you and i will get back to you accordingly.
Seriously waiting for your immediate update.
Yours

Time to give him the bad news. Unfortunately I was hoping that he'd already be in Abidjan waiting for me. Alas he is telling the truth, he is still in Nigeria (no idea why he's even there in the first place) according to his IP. So I sent him an explanation, hopefully he'll do as I say:

M1ke wrote:

Hi D0ugl4s

Thank God you got back to me!

The airline or my travel agent made a terrible mistake. While the itinerary states that I am to be flying on Monday the actual boarding pass issued to me, as you can see, states that I am on Tuesday's flight out! (no one found the anomaly Sad

10 points can go to D0ug Laughing

)

I am not sure whose fault it is currently, whether it is the airline or Sarah, but rest assured I shall find out and take appropriate action and claim compensation for the expense caused. In the meantime I am stuck here in Brussels waiting for the next flight out this evening. I shall be arriving same time but today, not yesterday. I am very upset right now but there is not much I can do. I have been arguing with the airline all night but I don't speak French so I don't think they really listened.

I need to board soon. I cannot believe you are not in Abidjan like you told me you would be. You promised you would pick me up personally. If you are not there I don't know what I will do, it will be an entirely wasted trip. I told you that I would deal with you and no one else. I will be looking out for you at the airport and will not meet with anyone else like I told you because it is too dangerous.

Also you STILL haven't sent the forms. I hope to God that the Department of Homeland Security don't know where I am right now. If they knew they would arrest me for sure. Send them immediately please in case they call.

I will see you in Abidjan, please get there soon, this is ridiculous, I cannot believe you would dare not to be there to pick me up like you said you would. Let me say this again, I trust only you Douglas, I will meet with only you. Be there. See you this evening.

Your friend

Hmmmm so we shall have to wait another day and see if he gets off his arse. The safari is in the balance now... but at least my backup plan was ready to go.

*UPDATE*

More fun with the lad, he just sent me this:

D0ug wrote:

Dear M1ke,
Thanks very much for getting back to me immediately,i am sorry for the whole mis-up between you and agent/airline.
However,i am wishing you a safe arrival today and since it is still the sametime as it is yesterday that you are arriving today then there is no problem because i have communicated accordingly to Abidjan and Mr.As3re the diplomat informed me that he will make sure the protocal officer who was there yesterday will be at the airport again today at the sametime to assist and recieve you on your arrival.
Pls do not entertain any fear or whatsoever due to my non-presence at the airport because i may noT meet up to be at the airport immeditely upon my arrival today but i will surely see you at your hotel after your arrival and both of us will go out to eat our dinner together.

A full hotel booking / reservation has been made for you at T1ame hotel instead of the former because the former was fully booked for today as against yesterday but the protocal officer will explain better to you and takes you straight to the hotel where the reservation was made for you.

The phone no.of the protocal officer who will be at the airport to pick you up is 05111xxx and if you want to call him outside Abidjan then add 225 which is country code before the nos.and his name is Jon4s pls call him either before your departure or on your arrival so that both of you will not mis each other and for him to be too sure of your arrival time.I suggest so.

Pls be rest assured that your visit and our business is highly secured and 100% security guarranted and you do not needs to be affraid or think otherwise i am promiing you this totally in good faith and pls believe me as your brother/friend.

We have the best hospitality as people because our culture and tradition values visitors a lot and particularly of your origin so you will be treated as a very special guest and this informed my reasons for requsting from Mr.As3re to make necessary security arrangement for your person/transaction and your visit and i am happy he has done all this perfectly and you must make sure you are there in Abidjan today.
With kind regards looks forwards to seeing you later tonight and have a good flying.
Yours Brother/Friend,

He's become very laddish in the last few days. Talking about "100% guaranteed" etc. I haven't heard that since we came off script a few months back.

But the lazy git doesn't seem to be getting the message, I sent him one more reminder/warning. If he doesn't heed it who knows what might happen to M1ke when he lands!

M1ke wrote:

D0ugl4s

I am getting on a flight in an hour and a half and you're telling me you might not be there when I arrive?!

You promised you would be there. Thank you for kind words, I am also sorry about the confusion as it has caused me a lot of stress. But I told you I would trust no one else. I don't even know what these proctoral guys look like. I will only meet you, otherwise it could be dangerous, I was warned by my travel agent to meet you and only you.

Please email me back immediately to confirm you will be there.

This is the closest I can find to the hotel he's talking about:

T1ama Hotel

Btw, for future reference it has an "online reservation" that could be handy for future safaris as it requires no payment details. As long as ITP rule can be adhered to.

*UPDATE 2*

Yet another email from the lad. He's really trying to hammer home his point. I like how is concerned about my problems though! Very Happy

D0ug wrote:

Hi M1ke,
Thanks for your prompt email and all your good efforts.I am soory for all the stress you are going through there now.
Pls be rest assured that i will be there today and feel free to meet with the protocal man,i am saying this in-case i am not able to be at the airport personal to recieve you.

I will prefer you call the Jon4s before you depart since your flying is about an hours and half from now for him to give you double assurance as i had already given you.
The travel agent is only an agent to you on tickets issues while i remain your HONEST AND SINCERE BROTHER/FRIEND,PARTNERS and i cannot make a bad arrangement for you so you must trust mine arrangement and always believe in me.

Have a nice journey and do what i ask you to do for our own good interest.

With kind regards looks forwards to meeting you this evening and Remain Blessed.
Yours

Hmmmm again we wait...

Posted: Wed Sep 26, 2007 11:19 am

Whoops!! I buggered up big time! Embarassed

I forgot to check the new flights and this is what I got when I didn't arrive there today:

D0ug wrote:

M1ke,
You have just given me a total disappointment,you knows too well that you are not coming to Abidjan yesterday and you went ahead to allow me waste money for ticket for nothing.

I came to the airport yesterday and was informed that there is no flight from Brussel to Abidjan last night as you had stated and that means you are lying to me.

I am begining to think you are not a serious businessman and mighty be playing game with me either.

Ok looks at what you have caused for me by leaving Cotonou to be in Abidjan without nothing,you are really different from what i took you to be and i am now having doubts of your reality and sincerity towards this transaction.

Yours

Damnit! Stupid mistake... very annoyed with myself... and annoyed that he didn't travel! His IP remains the same, still in Nigeria.

I had to change tack, originally I was going to run an arrest modality where the DHS arrests me because he hasn't completed the form. But because I screwed up with the flights this is what I had to send him. I think I might have blown it now... but we'll see what happens:

M1ke wrote:

D0ugl4s

I am here in Abidjan. There is no flight from Brussels, like you said, so I had to charter a plane to get here in time because I was so upset about all the problems and I felt so bad. The chartered flight landed a bit later because of weather delays and your men picked me up. I am with them now.

What is the problem? They said they spoke to you and everything is fine. They said you are coming tomorrow. I can't believe you're not here when you promised you would be. I am with them now just relaxing at their hotel. Two men by the names of Usm4n and Ahm3d.

I am waiting to hear from you.

Hopefully that will put the shoe on the other foot and he'll wonder who picked me up. I don't think he'll buy the chartered flight story though. Grrrr let this be a lesson to every newbie trying to score your first safari... it's all in the details! Confused

Posted: Sat Sep 29, 2007 2:23 am

In case anyone is following this bait and wondering what is going on.

The previous problems have caused quite a setback and the lad very nearly twigged. He doesn't want to travel now.

So, what has happened is that M1ke has realised he met with the wrong men and that they took him to Bouake NOT Abidjan. The lad is very reluctant to believe this... but at the same time there is a lot of money involved. So I'm trying to convince him to come and meet me/pick me up here. I'm having difficulty but the bait is still alive.

Standby for updates soon.