Subject: Re: Query: On Abacha -- Strange email
Date: Fri, 18 Aug 2000 00:59:45 MDT


I work for a telecommunications company.  The following is published by our 
fraud department in order to help people and companies avoid unwanted 
charges on their phone bills.  Apparently there is "big money" in augmenting 
the amount of phone traffic to specific countries.  The person(s) 
responsible for sending you that e-mail probably get a kickback for every 
person that calls that number.

Michael Staten
University of Utah
Ph.D student



PHONE, E-MAIL & PAGER FRAUD TIPS

Beware of the "urgent" message you hear on your answering machine, the 
e-mail message about a "prize," or the long-distance message on your pager. 
Any of them could turn out to be an expensive telephone trap.

Be especially cautious about returning pages or answering machine messages 
to area codes you do not recognize. From coast to coast, American consumers 
are getting stung by "emergency" and cryptic telephone, e-mail and pager 
messages urging them to call an "809" number for information about injured 
or sick relatives, "prize opportunities" or "debt collectors." The messages 
tell recipients to call a long distance number for more information. In many 
cases, the return call number is an international pay-per-call line, with a 
three digit exchange that looks like an American or Canadian area code. 
Check the telephone directory or call the operator to verify the area code 
is domestic.

Many of the Local Exchange Carriers (LEC) have run out of numbers in the 976 
prefix, so they are using other prefixes that work the same as 900 or 976. 
That is, the calling party gets charged for the call at the rate set by the 
owner of the number. People who own these numbers call around inserting 
these numbers into pagers to get the users to return the call so they 
collect the fee.

Also since 809 (Dominican Republic) has split into several new NPA-NXX’s. 
Fraudsters will input a number in one of the new NPA-NXX into pagers in hope 
they will return a call that is more expensive then a normal domestic call.

Area Code  Location  Area Code  Location
242  Bahamas  664  Montserrat
245  Cayman Islands  758  St. Lucia
246  Barbados  767  Dominica
264  Anguilla  784  St. Vincent/Grenadines
268  Antigua & Barbuda  809  Dominican Republic
284  British Virgin Islands  868  Trinidad & Tobago
441  Bermuda  869  St. Kitts & Nevis
473  Grenada  876  Jamaica

Follow these precautions to protect yourself from phone, e-mail and pager 
scams:
Be suspicious of unidentified telephone, e-mail, or pager messages that 
claim to offer information about a sick or injured relative, a debt, bad 
credit, or prize offer.
Be wary of messages from unfamiliar sources with a return telephone number 
using 809, 758 or 664 area codes, or the 011 international access code.
Question television or print ads that offer products or investment 
opportunities through telephone numbers that start with one of the previous 
mentioned area codes or the 011 international code.
Be wary of ads for information or entertainment services, which make such 
claims as "not a 900 number," "no premiums apply," or "LD rates apply." The 
advertisers of these services would like consumers to believe that these 
pay-per-call services are not as costly as 900 number services when in fact, 
they may be even more expensive.
Tell family members they need your permission to call domestic or 
international long distance services.
Promptly check your phone bill for long distance charges you don’t 
recognize. If your bill contains an unauthorized call, contact your local 
telephone company as well as your long distance carrier. The telephone 
company may provide a credit or refund, but they are not required to do so. 
However, your notification will help the Telephone Company identify 
telephone numbers, which are the source of abuses.


>From: Lacey Torge <lt237-AT-is7.nyu.edu>
>Reply-To: postcolonial-AT-lists.village.virginia.edu
>To: postcolonial-AT-lists.village.virginia.edu
>Subject: Query: On Abacha -- Strange email
>Date: Thu, 17 Aug 2000 15:31:38 -0400 (EDT)
>
>
>
>I received this very strange email and horrible email today and didn't
>know what to make of it. It is an unbelievably cruel joke. I tried to
>research the number but didnt get anywhere. Has anyone else received
>anything like this before?
>
>Lacey Torge
>Department of Performance Studies, NYU
>
>---------- Forwarded message ----------
>Date: Thu, 17 Aug 2000 10:19:44 -0700
>From: abacha.mariam <abacha.mariam-AT-mailcity.com>
>To: lt237-AT-is7.nyu.edu
>
>
>                                                                            
>                                      LADYMARYAM ABACHA
>
>                                                                            
>                                      ABACHA COURT
>
>                                                                            
>                                      GIDADO ROAD
>
>
>KANO - NIGERIA
>DEAR LACEY TORGE,
>
>I AM LADY MARYAM ABACHA, WIFE OF LATE GENERAL SANI ABACHA, EX-MILITARY HEAD 
>OF STATE OF NIGERIA WHO DIED ON THE 8TH OF JUNE 1998 OF HEART PROBLEMS. I 
>CONTACTED YOU BECAUSE OF MY NEED TO DEAL WITH PERSONS WHOM MY FAMILY AND I 
>HAVE HAD NO PREVIOUS PERSONAL RELATIONSHIPS.
>
>SINCE THE DEATH OF MY HUSBAND, MY FAMILY HAS BEEN SUBJECTED TO ALL SORTS OF 
>HARASSMENT AND INTIMIDATION WITH LOTS OF NEGATIVE REPORTS EMANATING FROM 
>THE GOVERNMENT AND THE PRESS ABOUT MY HUSBAND. THE PRESENT GOVERNMENT HAS 
>ALSO ENSURED THAT OUR BANK ACCOUNTS ARE FROZEN AND ALL ASSETS SEIZED.
>
>IT IS IN VIEW OF THIS, THAT I SEEK YOUR CO-OPERATION AND ASSISTANCE IN THE 
>TRANSFER OF THE SUM OF US$50,000,000(FIFTY MILLION UNITED STATES DOLLARS 
>ONLY) BEING THE VERY LAST OF MY FAMILY FUND IN MY POSSESSION AND CONTROL.
>
>THE FEDERAL GOVERNEMENT SEIZED ALL OUR PROPERTIES AND FROZE ALL OUR 
>ACCOUNTS BOTH LOCAL AND INTERNATIONAL AFTER THE DEATH OF MY HUSBAND, BUT MY 
>ONLY HOPE NOW IS THIS AVAILABLE US$50,000,000 CASH WHICH I CAREFULLY 
>PACKAGED AND DEPOSITED AS PHOTOGRAPHIC MATERIALS WITH A SECURITY COMPANY IN 
>LAGOS WHERE MY BROTHER IN-LAW IS A GENERAL MANAGER.
>
>IF YOU ARE WILLING TO ASSIST US IN RECEIVING THIS MONEY ON OUR BEHALF, WE 
>SHALL GIVE YOU 10% OF THE TOTAL SUM. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION, PLEASE 
>CONTACT MY BROTHER IN-LAW MR. BELLO ABACHA IMMEDIATELY ON TELEPHONE NUMBER 
>234-1-7591526 OR FAX NUMBER 234-1-759O845 WHO WILL INFORM YOU PROPERLY ON 
>THE PROCEDURES FOR EXECUTION . PLEASE, BE INFORMED THAT THIS PROPOSAL IS 
>100% RISK FREE. HOWEVER, THE CONFIDENTIALITY OF THIS PROPOSAL IS VERY 
>IMPORTANT.
>
>MEANWHILE, OUR INTENTION IS TO INVEST THIS FUND IN YOUR COUNTRY BASED ON 
>YOUR ADVICE AND PLEASE ENSURE TO KEEP THIS PROPOSAL VERY SECRET AND 
>CONFIDENTIAL FOR OBVIOUS REASONS AND SEND TO US YOUR PRIVATE 
>TELEPHONE/FACSIMILE NUMBER FOR EASY AND CONFIDENTIAL COMMUNICATION.
>
>PLEASE TREAT THIS AS A FORM OF HUMANITARIAN SERVICE BECAUSE WE ARE IN DIRE 
>NEED OF YOUR HELP.
>
>WE AWAIT YOUR IMMEDIATE RESPONSE.
>
>SINCERELY,
>
>LADY MARYAM ABACHA.
>
>NB: PLS REPLYS TO MR. BELLO ABACHA ON THESE NUMBERS, TEL:234-1-7591526 FAX: 
>234-1-7590845 OR TO THIS E-MAIL ADDRESS: abacha_b-AT-mailcity.com.
>
>
>
>
>      --- from list postcolonial-AT-lists.village.virginia.edu ---

________________________________________________________________________
Get Your Private, Free E-mail from MSN Hotmail at http://www.hotmail.com



     --- from list postcolonial-AT-lists.village.virginia.edu ---