Split from Radio show thread: Ethics of the Chad Bait

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Posted: Thu Sep 25, 2008 2:56 pm

This is an excerpt from an email I sent to another listener. It has been changed a bit in order to make sense for those not privy to our emails.

I would like to tell you about a little story. There is a man named Chuck. Chuck is a victim of Adamu, ND and his buddy CZ. When ND thought he was emailing Adamu, this name and email came up. So, I emailed the man asking if he was a victim.

Chuck is an old man (I believe 85) who has lost over $100,000 (that he admits to) to these scammers. According to his children, who I have talked to on several occasions, he seems to suffer from dementia. He has gone through all of his retirement. His social security check is spent every week to this "payout". His bank accounts have been closed on NUMEROUS occasions because of this.

Chuck worked in Africa (specifically Ghana and Nigeria) in the 1960s as a soccer coach for poor children. These guys contacted Chuck with their scam. They happened to be (by coincidence) using a name that was either the same or very similar to someone he knew from Africa. Chuck is convinced that he knows these men. He thinks that they are good guys and trying to help him. They continually threaten him and scare him into sending money. He is threatened that he will be arrested if he does not.

Granted, many people in his life have tried to help him and explain to him that this is a scam. But he cannot comprehend the fact that these guys have the same name as his friend in Africa. In my mind, this guy has acted more foolishly than I could ever comprehend. However, as I said, he is old and suffers from mental decline. These guys have put this man through more mental anguish and torture than I could ever DREAM of putting Adamu through. This man is innocent. He has no ill intent. When I spoke with him on the phone, he explained that he thought he was helping out his friends as well as leaving a nice nest egg for his children and grandchildren. He was not motivated by greed. He wanted to simply help his family have a better life and help out an old friend. I say Adamu is really not THAT much better than someone like Bin Laden.

Here are several emails sent to me by Chuck and his daughter, as I tried to help them with the situation. These are excerpts from a long list of emails between Chuck (the Vic) and Steve (the scammer).

Quote:

DEAR STEVE, THIS IS THE SITUATION. AS I TOLD YOU THEY CLOSED MY BANK ACCOUNT AND I HAD TO OPEN A NEW ACCOUNT. IWAS UP ALL NIGHT AND ALL DAY TRYING TO RECOVER MY SOCIAL SECURITY FUNDS. THE PAYMENT OFFICE SENT THE FUNDS TO THE CLOSED ACCOUNT SO, NATURALLY THEY DIDN'T GO THROUGH. I SPENT A COUPLE OF HOURS AT THE LOCAL SOCIAL SECURITY OFFICE AND FINALLY GOT IT STRAIGHTENED OUT. THE FUNDS WILL BE TRANSFERED INTO MY ACCOUNT TOMORROW OR MONDAY AND THIS IS THE BEST I CAN DO. I WILL CONTACT YOU IF A MIRACLE OCCURS. CUCK XXXXX

Quote:

DEAR STEVE,

DON'T TELL ME ABOUT BEING DEVISTATED.

I SENT THE LAST $ 550.00 DOLLARS THAT WAS AVAILABLE TO ME ON THIS EARTH, TO YOU LAST SUTURDAY AND SUNDAY. I HAVE RACED AROUND EVER SINCE TRYING TO RECOVER THE MONEY. ALL THAT MONEY GRAM AND WESTERN UNION HAVE TOLD ME IS THAT THEY ARE INVESTIGATING THE PROBLEMS AND THEY WILL GET BACK TO ME AS SOON AS THEY FINISH THE INVESTIGATIONS.

SO, DON'T TELL TO BORROW ANY MORE MONEY KNOW ONE IN THEIR RIGHT MIND

WILL LEND ME A DIME.

CHUCK XXXXXX

Quote:

DEAR STEVE,

I HAVE BEEN WORKING ON A WAY WE CAN STILL SAVE THIS TRANSACTION. I HAVE RECEIVED CONFORMATION FROM THREE SOURCES THAT CONFIRM THAT THE F.B.I.HAS CONFIRMED THAT THE FUNDS ARE IN THE INVESTMENT TRUST BANK IN TEXAS.. YOU WILL HAVE TO SEND ME $220.00 DOLLARS TO SEND TO THE ATTORNEY WHO WILL GO TO TEXAS FROM LONDON TO COMPLETE THE TRANSACTION. THE MONEY FROM THE INVESTMENT TRUST BANK WOULD BE WIREDRAFTED INTO MY ACCOUNT IMMEDIATELY. AND I COULD SEND YOU THE MONEY TO COMPLETE THE TRANSACTION IN THE NEXT 24 HOURS. YOU CAN CALL PASTOR SUNDAY IFEANYI ORJI IN LAGOS AT 234-XXXXXXX TO CONFIRM WHAT I AM TELLING YOU. TELL HIM THAT YOU ARE A FRIEND OF MINE AND THAT I DON'T HAVE INTERNATIONAL CALLING RIGHTS ON MY PHONE. IT IS EVEN POSSIBLE THAT YOU COULD GIVE HIM THE MONEY AND HE WOULD SEND IT ON TO THE ATTORNEY. THIS HAS TAKEN A LOT OF TIME ON MY PART TO PUT IT THIS TOGETHER. AND I ASSURE YOU THAT THIS IS ALL THAT I CAN DO. THE F.B.I., BARCLAY'S BANK, THE INVESTMENT TRUST BANK, AND THE ATTORNEY ALL HAVE ASSURED ME THAT THIS WILL GO THROUGH WITHOUT A HITCH. MRS LINDA ADAMS OF THE INVESTMENT TRUST BANK IS ALLOWING ME TO PAY THE NECCESSARY FEES TO HER BANK WHEN I HAVE RECEIVED THE MONEY IN MY ACCOUNT.

GET BACK TO ME IMMEDIATELY IF YOU WANT THIS TO HAPPEN. OTHERWISE I WILL NOT HAVE ANY MONEY UNTIL THE 3RD OF JULY.

BEST REGARDS,
CHUCK XXXXX

The scammer's response:

Quote:

DEAR CHUCK XXXXX,

AT YOUR AGE AND POSITION I DON'T KNOW WHY YOU ARE STILL SO CHEAP REGARDING THIS TRANSACTION WHY WHY????

WE COULD HAVE FINALISED THIS TRANSACTION BY NOW BY DUE TO SOME CARELESS MISTAKE WE ARE STILL FACING SERIOUS TROUBLE REGARDING THE WHOLE ISSUE.

(He goes on to ask for more money, but I love how he passed the blame.)

Chuck writes back...

Quote:

YOU CONTINUE TO PISS ME OFF BIG TIME. YOU CALL ME CHEAP THAT IS THE BIGGEST LIE THAT I KNOW OF. I HAVE HERE ALL THE WESTERN UNION RECEIPTS AS WELL AS THE LAST TWO THAT WERE SENT BY WESERN UNION AND MONEY GRAM. IF YOU WOULD HAVE BEEN ON THE BALL THE MONEY WOULD NOT HAVE SAT IN THE OFFICES FOR 60 HOURS BEFORE AUDU MOHAMMED WENT TO PICK IIT UP. YOU ARE THE ONE WHO CHANGED THE NAME OF THE PICK UP PERSON AFTER IT WAS TO LATE. IT IS TIME YOUR LISTEN TO SOMEONE BESIDES THE PHONEY CROOKS THA YOU HAVE HAD ME SEND MONEY TO. TUNDE LEMO. AUDU MOHAMMED, Usm4n BELOW. DR. JOHN OBI, ALBRT ODIAH, KARING JOE, RICHARD KLAUS, JUST TO NAME A FEW OF THESE CROOKS.

I SUGGEST YOU CHECK WITH MRS. FARIDA MZAMBER WAZIN [email protected] ALL THE TIMES YOU FED ME THIS CRAP THAT THIS WOULD BE THE LAST MONEY I HAD TO SEND TURNED OUT TO BE A PERPETUAL SCAM. I DON'T CARE WHAT YOU THINK OF ME, I DID MY VERY BEST FOR YOU BUT IT TURNED OUT TO NEVER BE ENOUGH. TODAY IS MY YOUNGEST DAUGHTERS BIRTHDAY AND I DIDN'T HAVE ANY MONEY TO BUY HER A PRESENT OR EVEN A BIRTHDAY CARD. THIS MAKES ME THE WORLD'S WORST FATHER.

IF EVERYTHING WAS O.K. SO, WHO PICKED UP THE $ 550.00 DOLLARS THAT I SENT? AND NOW I GET AN E-MAIL FROM GRAHAM TELLING ME TO SEND THE MONEY TO AUDU MAHAMMED???? I KNOW I AM STUPID BUT NOT THAT STUPID.

CHUCK XXXXXX

Another email from the scammer:

Quote:

ATTENTION :CHARLES M.XXXXXX, I WILL PERSONALLY GET YOU ARRESTED IMMEDIATELY YOU SEND EVEN USD$10 TO THOSE CROOKS MRS LINDA ADAMS OF THE INVESTMENT TRUST BANK OR THEIR SO CALLED ATTORNEY THE USD$220. AT YOUR AGE NOW 84YEARS OLD ,YOU ARE STILL BEHAVING LIKE A BABY WHY WHY????? YOU RELEASE YOUR ACCOUNT INFORMATION TO THEM AND TODAY THEY HACKED INTO YOUR ACCOUNT AND TOOK AWAY YOUR USD$310 THAT YOU FRIEND SEND TO YOU ???WHAT HAPPENS TO YOUR ACCOUNT TODAY IS THE FIRST LESSON FOR YOU BUT YOU FAILS TO PICK UP THAT THEY ARE CROOKS. CAN YOU BELEIVE IT THAT THEY SAME PEOPLE HAVE BEEN STEALING ALL THE LOST MONEY FROM YOU . WE THE FEDERAL BUREAU OF INVESTIGATION (F.B.I) WILL MAKE THAT YOU GOES TO JAIL IF YOU SEND EVEN A SINGLE DIME TO THE ATTORNEY, WE ARE AT YOUR BACK WATCHING YOU BUT BEAR IT AT THE BACK OF YOUR MIND THAT YOU WILL REGRET THE DAY YOU WERE BORN IF YOU FAILS TO FOLLOW UP WITH THE INSTRUCTION OF THE F.B.I. MOVE RIGHT AWAY AND SEND THE BALANCE OF USD$150

I well understand that my position may seem harsh. However, if you deal with enough phone conversations with vics like this, you might think my way. Ideally, I would like the law to take care of this. Ideally, I would like to trust that justice and our Constitution provides protection for the Chucks of the world. But it does not and I am not naive to think that it does or ever could. But, in the case of Chuckis not a greedy vic. He is an unknowing vic. And, I will do everything I can to make the lives of these idiots miserable. If I can suggest that putting the idea that at the border of Sudan there is $200,000, I will. That certainly stopped Adamu from mailing Chuck while he was there. I am quite certain that if Adamu was in front of me I would not be able to pull the trigger. But, if his greed leads him to pull his own trigger, then so be it. I'll be glad to tell him where the gun is.

Posted: Thu Sep 25, 2008 2:58 pm

I can't see the poll. Is 'group hug' one of the options?

Posted: Thu Sep 25, 2008 3:08 pm

Don't have the poll up yet. I am going to wait until the finished product is done, so people can vote with confidence.

Posted: Thu Sep 25, 2008 3:16 pm

Something that was said up above reminded me of Stan Freberg and "The Ballad of Los Veroces" (or however it's spelled). I couldn't find a link to it in a quick google, but basically it's about the excesses of Las Vegas. Competing casinos get more ridiculous in the attractions they offer (one books the Gaza Strip), until one of them books the hydrogen bomb.

The last line of the song is, "She pushed her own button at the end."

Posted: Thu Sep 25, 2008 4:11 pm

Thank you for posting the story about Chuck. It saddens me every time I hear about a victim losing so much simply because they have big hearts which drive their wallets more than their minds do. But it is important to remember that there continues to be real victims out there.

I have absolutely no pity for scammers like Adamu.

Posted: Thu Sep 25, 2008 4:59 pm

So putting this into the context of the average salaries for the region (per DionBouton's excellent posts on West Africa 101 in the Eater University forum); if ND, Adamu and CZ collected 100 grand from Chuck, then they would have gotten 33 grand each. I somehow doubt they'll be paying taxes on this Wink

The average salary for a waiter is 30 bucks a month. 33,000/30/12 is a little more than 91. That's a year's salary for 91 years in a row. Average life expectancy is about half that. They didn't scam from the crib, so say their average age is 23 (and I know Adamu must be quite a bit older) this means they have 4x the wage of a waiter for the rest of their lives, at least. And this one scam is probably not the only one they've pulled off.

Now on to the question of humiliating Famous. I believe he is Adamu's son, right? With the tight-knit family culture any shame that befalls Famous might just taint Adamu's name as well. He still has enough money to pull up roots, move to a different town, maybe buy a chicken farm and do something constructive with his life.
I'm sorry, but I just can't seem to muster up one iota of empathy for these guys.

Posted: Thu Sep 25, 2008 5:17 pm

Quote:

I am quite certain that if Adamu was in front of me I would not be able to pull the trigger

Volunteers ?

.... and who mentioned chicken farms ? Laughing

- my speciality.

Posted: Thu Sep 25, 2008 5:29 pm

It's easy to say that if you were face to face with someone like Adamu that you could pull the trigger. The reality is unless you are really in that situation I am not sure you can really say that for sure.

That being said, I think I could do it. I think. I've never had to fire a weapon in anger, so I can't really know for sure. I think knowing that not pulling that trigger would result in further victimization would be a powerful reason for doing so.

Posted: Thu Sep 25, 2008 6:40 pm

There have been plenty of times I have felt like pulling the trigger on a lad.
The only thing that would stop me would be the fact that I would go to jail for it. So more a case of self-preservation than any consideration for a scammer.

Mind you. There have been plenty of times I've felt like that when talking to Jojo. Although that would probably be worth the jail time.

Posted: Thu Sep 25, 2008 6:43 pm

dutchbait wrote:

I can't see the poll. Is 'group hug' one of the options?

Poll is up here: http://forum.419eater.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=133890&postdays=0&postorder=asc&start=0

Sorry Slightly, I said poll, not pole.

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