Posted on 07/04/2009 4:52:19 AM PDT by LibertyForUs
I have received two different scam letters, supposedly from our troops in Iraq, one regarding so-called hidden buried loot from Sadam, and one regarding large sums of cash. I believe that I was targeted because I am a relative of an aviator killed during Operation Desert Strike. Has anyone else received similar letters? Is there a way to apprehend the perpetrators? The letter writers pretended to be U.S. troops, but the idiomatic expressions and general tenor of the letters were clearly written by those not steeped in American speech. I fear older recipients might be gullible enough to "help" the writers, due to the plea for their assistance.
I get all kinds of junk from the “FBI”,embassies,DOD and individuals,”Your Yahoo account” -immediate response,etc,but never open them. I simply delete them all.
I never thought about them being connected with having family in the military—who knows !
I just consider them scams and spam and hope that not too many get involved or give up passwords and cash.
With yahoo/AOL,they have their “report phising” and i have wasted time in the past but don’t bother anymore.
If all the cash/hidden loot that is supposed to have been hidden by Saddam is ever found, Rama-lama-ding-dong-obongo-bama can shut down the US Mint printing presses. It's BS.
I believe that I was targeted because I am a relative of an aviator killed during Operation Desert Strike.
Although that's possible, especially if you individually received any publicity in regards to the death, but most likely, you are just another statistical target.
Has anyone else received similar letters?
Again, it's a statistical thing, as well as a random email harvester program.
Is there a way to apprehend the perpetrators?
Very unlikely, unless you can string them along and actually get them into the US, into a jurisdiction that will prosecute. Although Interpol has worked a few of them, they exist because of the environment they work out of.
Nigeria has no real interest in whether or not an idiot in another country succumbs to this scam, therefore, no prosecution or even cooperation is forthcoming.
The letter writers pretended to be U.S. troops, but the idiomatic expressions and general tenor of the letters were clearly written by those not steeped in American speech.
A fact which is painfully obvious to most anyone that reads their attempts at colloquial English.
But even at that, there are some idiots out there that fall for it.
The fact that they keep on doing it is proof enough of that.
I fear older recipients might be gullible enough to "help" the writers, due to the plea for their assistance.
There are kind-hearted elderly folk out there that would fall for this, under different circumstances, however, most elderly (hard to define that...say, over 65?), do not have the Internet "savvy" that younger folks have and are not usually adept enough to follow the elaborate instructions in the scams, without seeking assistance from a family member or friend, to understand exactly what is going on with it, plus they have a tendency to "gossip" about these type things, further increasing the chance that a knowledgeable family member or friend would hear about it.
It does happen, though.
Back when I used to "bait" the scammers, we estimated that these things existed in the tens of thousands.
I feel now that that figure was too conservative.
It is probably in the tens of millions.
They have access to "harvest" programs and they actually buy email addresses from companies and others that you do business with every day.
I personally do not feel they are a significant threat, as the content is usually bordering on the ludicrous, but they do succeed occasionally.
No matter what we do, they will succeed on an occasional basis.
They will adapt to efforts to stifle them and keep on keeping on.
I truly don't think it is a huge concern.
More of a paint in the butt, than anything else.
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