Dear Sir,
As a proud Catholic I write in response to a disturbing email I received this morning from BISHOP JOHN IDAHOSA.I believe that the church would find such activity not in the interest of the church and I hope that immediate steps would be taken to protect the churches reputation.
I attach below for your information and await your reply with concern
Thanking you
Lourens
bishopjohn@zipmail.com.br
FROM:THE DESK OF BISHOP JOHN IDAHOSA
HOLY CROSS CAHEDRAL
VICTORRIA ISLAND,
LAGOS,NIGERIA
Attn:
I am the catholiic Bishop of the above named Cathedral Victoria Island,Lagos
Nigeria.
I am seeking your hands in an urgent financial matter.
I have a member of my church,a prominent politician,who held a very important
office in the past.The present Government of the Federal republic of Nigeria
has sentenced him to a long term jail for political crimes,financial misappropiation
and corrupt enrichment.Following government probes and investigation, he
has put me to confidenece and revealed to me important information relating
to his assets and financies.He equally instructed me to help him redirect
a fund deposit overseas through a capable and trusted hand, who will act
as the beneficiary of this money thereby going to the place of deposit to
claim the money from the present company.He can then keep this money in
his costudy until he is out of jail.He has entrusted me with documents concerning
this deposit.He has the confidence and trust in me probably because of my
spiritual position in the society and again to completely distract government
attention.You should understand my position that I can not fully handle
this to avoid scandal and blackmail but I can not betray the confidence
he has on me.This is where you will be of great help to me to make this
transaction a success.You must also understand that this is a transaction
that requires utmost confidentiality and secrecy.
You will be handsomely rewarded for your assistance.We will discuss terms
as you favourably reply this mail.I will send you proofs and details later.
Send your personal information,private telephone and fax as you reply.Very
urgent and important.
Thanks in anticipation.
Yours in the Lord,
Bishop John Idahosa
-- Lourens Edward Londt (nenlorrie@onetel.com), February 15, 2005
Answers
It's obvious that this is a hoax. I've had the same exact type of
letter emailed to me.
[He equally instructed me to help him redirect a fund deposit
overseas through a capable and trusted hand, who will act as the
beneficiary of this money thereby going to the place of deposit to
claim the money from the present company...You will be handsomely
rewarded for your assistance]
this is almost word for word what i've seen in my spam folder.
-- Rina (emailmarina@yahoo.com), February 15, 2005.
I have had several email like this from various others from
Nigeria , except a bishop. They all have problems of taking care of
a some huge untold amount of finance and needs your help.
-- Leslie John (lesliemon@hotmail.com), February 15, 2005.
I have no doubt that this is a scam. My concern is that they seem to
be quite willing to run this scam under the pretence of the Catholic
church...I feel the church has an obligation to protect its
reputation and therefore needs to persue these criminals in terms of
the law.
I hope i get a genuine reply from the Vatican in this regard and no
a robotic reply.
Lourens
-- Lourens Londt (nenlorrie@onetel.com), February 15, 2005.
I am seeking your hands in an urgent financial matter.
Sorry , I did get a good laugh , an unknow person is asking for
$$$$ ?? If you fall for that , than you are a not smart person !!
This is a hoax , 101% !!
I don't open mails from unknow persons , I simply block them without
open the mail !!!!
Salute & Cheers from a NON BELIEVER:
-- Laurent LUG (.@...), February 15, 2005.
Yeah I also won 5 lottories and have been asked to jelp former
presidents relocate moeny. eiher peoell are super trustign of me
witht eir hundrend of milliosn fo dolalrs, or else its a con. I wodtn
trust this, and it snot distirbing except it he fac that peopel
beelif it...
-- ZAROVE (ZAROFF3@JUNO.COM), February 15, 2005.
Lourens,
This is just one of millions of scam letters just like this sent out
every day. The Nigerian government will not prosecute, so I doubt
any legal action could or would be taken. In fact, Nigeria has
training schools to teach their people how to run scams - I learned
that as a manager of a bank years ago. I understand your desire to
make them stop using the Catholic name as a credible reference, but I
suspect you'll be spitting into the wind.
David
-- non-Catholic Christian (no@spam.com), February 15, 2005.
HAAAA! You have got to laugh at the audacity of
these crooks! ''You must also understand that this is a
transaction that requires utmost confidentiality and secrecy. You
will be handsomely rewarded for your assistance. We will discuss
terms,'' ''We will give you a million
dollars! But, shhhh! Don't let anybody in on this.
Just you and me!''
-- eugene c. chavez (loschavez@pacbell.net), February 15, 2005.
A cyber version of the old fashioned "pigeon drop".
God bless,
-- john placette (jplacette@catholic.org), February 15, 2005.
Here's one I received recently, a bit different.
DEAR FRIEND,
I AM IBN MOHAMMED MOHAMMED,I AM 67YEARS OLD.I AM A CITIZEN OF SAUDI
ARABIA, BUT I AM RESIDENT IN CAYMAN ISLAND.
I WAS BORN AN ORPHAN AND ALMIGHTY ALLAH BLESSED ME ABUNDANTLY WITH
RICHES,BUT I AM NOT A HAPPY MAN.I HAVE NO WIFE AND I HAVE NO
CHILDREN. AS AT NOW I AM SERIOUSLY SICK.I AM PRESENTLY IN HOSPITAL
SUFFERING FROM LUNG CANCER AND I HAD PATIAL STROKE WHICH HAS AFFECTED
MY SPEECH. I CAN NO LONGER TALK AND I AM ALSO DEAF. HALF OF MY BODY
IS PARALYSED. THE DOCTORS SAY I HAVE ABOUT 2 MOUNTHS TO LIVE. I SEND
YOU THIS MAIL WITH THE HELP OF MY PRIVATE NURSE, ASSISTING ME.
I HAVE LITTLE TIME SO I HAVE COMMITTED IT TO SPREADING MY WEALTH
TOWARDS BETTER HEALTH CARE FOR MANKIND.IN THE HOSPITAL WHERE I AM ,I
HAVE GIVEN THE MANAGEMENT US$15MILLION TO UPGRADE AND BUILD A NEW
CANCER RESEACH FACILITY.
I DONT KNOW YOU, BUT DUE TO MY CONDITION I AM CONTACTING YOU WITH THE
HOPE THAT YOU WILL CARRYOUT MY WISH FOR THE SAKE OF HUMANITY.
I HAVE TWO BOXES OF GOLD DEPOSITED WITH A SECURITY DEPOSIT COMPANY .I
WANT YOU TO SELL THE GOLD AND USE IT TO BUILD AN ORPHANAGE IN YOUR
COUNTRY. YOU WILL NAME IT MOHAMMED ORPHANAGE HOME. YOU MUST FOLLOW MY
WISH FOR IT WILL GLADEN THE HEART OF ALMIGHTY ALLAH.
IF YOU ARE READY TO DO THIS AND CARRYOUT MY WISH, THEN SEND ME
[1]YOUR FULL NAMES
[2] YOUR PHONE/FAX NUMBER
[3] AND YOUR RESIDENTIAL ADDRESS.
WITH THE HELP OF MY NURSE I WILL BE IN CONTACT WITH YOU.
I AWAIT YOUR REPLY.
IBN MOHD MOHAMMED
-- Fr. Paul (pjdoucet@hotmail.com), February 15, 2005.
The examples go on and on (and the reason many people don't provide
their reale-mail addresses here).
No one would beleive this note came from a Bishop, not to worry.
Check out:
-- Pat Thompson (pat.thompson.45@gmail.com), February 16, 2005.
I DOUBT IF THIS IS A SCAM,U NEVER CAN TELL,TRY,A BISHOP SHOULDN'T BE
TELLING HOAX.
-- TONY SPENCER (PACEINTL001@POST.COM), February 18, 2005.
TONY It is a scam. If you used your real address here you will no
doubt have started receiving all kinds of these e-mails already.
I received a really bad one today, which started out:
I am writing this email in regards to the tsunami disaster, which has
claimed so many lives including the live of my Client Mr.
************* I am barrister Tony Asuba and my client is the chairman
of a company here in South Africa that deals with Gold Mining and
Exportation.
The last time I heard from him was on the 19th of December 2004, when
he confirmed to me that he has arrived Thailand with his family safely
and hope to return back to South Africa before 5th of January 2005.
From all verifications and records from the embassy it shows that my
client is among those that have been dead with his family.
...
baristertony@netscape.net
-- Pat Thompson (pat.thompson.45@gmail.com), February 19, 2005.
HERE IS ANOTHER LETTER-JUST LOOK AT THE ATROCIOUS SPELLING.A PRIEST IN
THE CATHOLIC CHURCH COULD AT LEAST SPELL THE NAME OF THE COUNTRY HE
CLAIMS TO BELONG TO.
Its a scam alright.I never open anything marked Nigeria.
FROM ST BATHS CATHOLIC CHURCH
23 SATELLITE STREET OF WESTERN AVENUE LAGOS
NIGERIA.
attention sir,
We are Non- governmental Organisation established here in Nigreia(
kenferguson foundations) with an aim of o helping people and making
them to belong to the society too.
Our Organisation has been taken care of people like the deaf and
dumb,less privilleged and the motherless babies we bring them together
,train them so that whenever the go out to the society the can be
able to take care of themselves.
Sir, Because of the large numbers of less privilleged and destitudes
we have our capacity can no longer accomodate.
We now appeal to you sir,for your support and assistance to enable us
carryout our prposals and views.
This Organisation has been into existence since 1996 and we have been
carrying it alone without the help of government,we only get support
from corporate bodies and peoples we reach out to.
Regards,
REV FATHER PAUL OKECHUKWU
EMAIL ADDRESS (paul_uz2000@yahoo.co.uk)
-- John Perkins (timefor truth@aol.com), March 04, 2005.
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