TITLE: The Tale of The Painted Breast
'Prince' Joe Eboh contacts me with a classic 419 opening letter. I decide to make him jump through a few hoops before I'm prepared to agree to his proposition, and the results are amusing AND profitable, to the tune of $80 + $49 DHL shipping, so our scammer is down a whopping total of $129
From: Prince Joe Eboh Prince Joe Eboh I am fine today and how are you? I hope this letter will find you in the best of health. I am Prince Joe Eboh, the Chairman of the “Contract Award Committee”, of the “Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC)”, a subsidiary of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC). The Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) was set up by the late Head of State, General Sani Abacha who died on 18th June 1998, to manage the excess revenue accruing from the sales of Petroleum and its allied products as a domestic increase in the petroleum products to develop the communities in the Niger Delta Oil producing areas. The estimated annual revenue for 1999 was $45 Billion US Dollars Ref. FMF A26 Unit 3B Paragraph “D” of the Auditor General of the Federal Republic of Nigeria Report of Nov. 1999 on estimated revenue. I am the Chairman of the Contract Award Committee, and my committee is solely responsible for awaiting and paying of contracts on behalf of the Federal Government of Nigeria. My Committee Awarded Contracts to foreign contractors for Drilling and Ecological Matters in the oil producing areas of Niger Delta. We overshot the contract sum by US$25,000,000.00. We have paid the contractors and withholding the balance of US$25,000, 000.00. But, because of the existence of some of the domestic laws forbidding civil servants in Nigeria from opening, operating and maintaining foreign accounts, we do not have the expertise to transfer this balance of fund to a foreign account. However, this balance of US$25,000, 000.00 has been secured in form of Credit/Payment to a foreign contractor, hence we wish to transfer into your bank account as the beneficiary of the fund. We have also arrived at a conclusion that you will be given 20% of the total sum transferred as our foreign partner, while 5% will be reserved for incidental expenses that both parties will incur in the course of actualizing this transaction, and the balance of 75% will be kept for the committee members. If you know that you will be capable of helping us actualize this transaction, you should send to me immediately the details of your bank particulars or open a new bank account where we can transfer the money US$25,000, 000.00, which you will be holding in trust for us until we come to your country for our share. Your nature of business does not matter in this transaction. The required details includes your company’s name, address, your private personal telephone/fax numbers, your full name and address, including your complete bank details where the transferred fund will be routed by the Apex Bank. Note that this transaction is expected to be actualized within 21 working days from the day the required details are forwarded to the Federal Ministry of Finance who will approve the needed foreign exchange control allocation for the release of this money to your account. Please, treat this as top secret. You should contact me urgently. Thanks for your cooperation. Yours faithfully, Prince Joe Eboh
From: Father Hector Barnett Father Hector Barnett
From: Prince Joe Eboh Dear Father Hector, [Excellent! Time to put my dastardly plan into action]
Dear brother Eboh, Bless you for your prompt reply and may the lord God almighty send you many blessings (Amen). My brother, it is wonderful that you are considering joining our church, you will be most welcome in our Holy order. My brother, of course you will have to prove your commitment to our ministry. This will require you to send us a photograph of yourself showing part of the commitment ceremony that we will require (this is very simple), and you will also have to sign our Order of The Red Breast induction agreement form. The agreement form is very simple and only requires your name and signature. If you are in agreement to our terms above, please signify it to us as soon as possible and I shall arrange to give you the complete instructions for the photograph and agreement form.
Father Hector Barnett
From: Prince Joe Eboh Dear Father Hector, Do not forget that this transaction is between us and I can assure you that the ministry is going to benefit from it especially now that I am a member. I hope to read your mail soon. Stay blessed.
From: Father Hector Barnett Dear brother Eboh, Bless you for your interest in our church, and below you will find the complete induction procedure. First of course you will need to know a little more about our ministry. Our ministry was founded in 1774 by a wonderful lady by the name of Betsy Carrington (I have attached a photograph of her for your records). She spent many of her first preaching years in Kenya, spreading the holy gospel amongst the local people there. She was the first person male or female to promote Christian texts and beliefs to the Masai warrior tribe. The most famous account is when as a test she had to remove the top part of her clothes and paint the top half of her body and breast with the red Masai warpaint as a gesture of faith and belief to them so that they would accept her and trust her. She was almost immediately accepted by them and was one of the most trusted westerners known at that time. In her later years she returned to England and started her own ministry Holy Church of The Order of The Red Breast and was very active until her sad death in 1861. As a qualification to enter the Holy Church of The Order of The Red Breast, all followers must go through the initiation procedure that Miss Carrington made so famous. Of course in these modern times, female members do not have to paint their breast. They only need to make the symbol on their stomachs. However, all males must still show commitment to the church by having the symbol of the church marked on their breasts. My brother, this is what you will need to do in order to complete the church induction ceremony: You must remove your shirt and then paint/draw in red, the symbols of our church. So that you know exactly how the symbol must look, I have attached a photograph of four of our young inductees going through the procedure. Please use this picture to enable you to make the same marking on yourself. I have also attached a small picture showing the design in more detail. Next you will need to have a HIGH QUALITY photograph taken and sent it to us my email attachment. Once your photograph has been received we will then forward you the induction certificate. All this requires is your name and signature. Once you have signed and dated it, please send it back to me by email attachment. After that you will then be a full member of our beloved ministry and as well as being able to do business with you we can also offer financial help to you in the future if you ever need it. Our church is committed to helping any members in whatever way is possible. If you ever need money for charitable purposes, then you just need to contact us and quote your member number and we can arrange payments to you within 24 hours.
From: Prince Joe Eboh Dear Father, I'm looking forward to receive the forms so that I can fill it and send back to you immediately. Remember father that this business is to be rounded up as soon as possible after which we will now talk on how to have a brach established here in Nigeria. I hope to hear from you soon. Thanks
[The 'Prince' attaches his induction photograph, and it's a doozy!]
From: Father Hector Barnett Dear brother Eboh, My thanks for your picture which has been received and confirmed this morning. Father Hector Barnett
[The day after, and I send Eboh his induction Agreement form] From: Father Hector Barnett Dear Brother Eboh, [AGREEMENT FORM ATTACHED]
From: Prince Joe Eboh Dear Brother Hector, I want to thank the almighty God himself for the opportunity I have to be a member of this great church The Holy Church Of The Painted Breast. I’m looking forward to establishing a branch of the Church here. But I’ll like us to finish everything about the business proposal, which I sent to you earlier. I’m a government functionary my status is very delicate that’s why I’m careful about any business I engage myself in. I will need a Bank Account where I will transfer the money as soon as we are through with the induction. Attached is the Agreement Form. Thanks for your cooperation. Brother Joe Eboh. Joe attaches my signed agreement form, which looks like a scan of a fax, but it'll do!
From: Father Hector Barnett Father Hector Barnett Dear brother Eboh, Father Hector Barnett
From: Prince Joe Eboh Dear Brother Hector, I must thank you for your swift response. Here is the mailing address: 297 IKORODU ROAD, About our deal, I’ll like you to send me a name that will serve as your company’s name or a letter headed paper that serves as your company’s name. I will register the name with the corporate affairs commission Federal Republic Of Nigeria after which the ministries of finance will approve the payment. Second, send me a bank account where the money will be transferred. I will also need your bank’s phone/ fax numbers, your personal phone/fax numbers. I’m processing the necessary documents that will facilitate this deal as urgently as possible. This money will be in your account in two weeks after which I will come to England so that we can sit-down and discuss some important issues. Thanks for your cooperation. Brother Eboh.
From: Father Hector Barnett Father Hector Barnett Dear brother Eboh, Father Hector Barnett [I attach my details]
From: Prince Joe Eboh Dear Father Hector, Thanks for your mail. I have forwarded your application for approval of this payment in your name to the Central Bank Of Nigeria and other ministries. The most important thing is that I am going to register your name with Corporate Affairs Commission Federal Republic Of Nigeria to enable me obtain your certificate which will be sent to you. The certificate will cost money and which will enable me to get some approvals from the ministry of finance and NNPC / NDDC. All these documents will be backdated to show that you executed this contract in the year, 1990. The contract number has been given to me and it is as follows: NNPC/NDDC/PED – 10 / 470 / 1990. I received the number days ago from Nigerian National Petroleum corporation (NNPC). As you can see, we have come to the heart of this business. I want you to cooperate with me so that we will have a platform where we are both beneficiaries of this transaction. I have received your Bank details and phone/fax numbers but I'll still need your personal fax number. Thanks for your cooperation. Brother Joe Eboh.
From: Father Hector Barnett Dear Brother Joe,
From: Prince Joe Eboh Dear Father Hector, I'm very happy to hear that you received my last e-mail to you. I'm also thankful to God for the official introduction of my ownself to our wonderful church. I have said the prayer this morning and immediately I finished, something like a fountain went down my system making me to feel strong & happy.[That would be complete bullshit, wouldn't it Joe?!] As a matter of fact, I can't wait to round up this deal so that I can come over to England to see you face to face. Can I have your photograph? The registration will cost $18,000.00. Which I need urgently because everything about this transaction and the draft is in your name. I’ve spent a lot of money already to process the relevant documents. I will need your assistance this time around as regards the registration. The commission will register your name and then, the ministry of finance will approve the payment and the cash will be in your account in less than two weeks. The contract number is NNPC/NDDC/PED – 10 / 470 / 1990. Every thing about this deal should be strictly confidential until we round up please. Thanks for your cooperation. Brother Joe Eboh
[Lets see if there's any chance I can get some cash out of my pet] From: Father Hector Barnett Dear brother Joe, Many thanks for your email and I do apologise for the late reply but we have been inducting many new members to our church. As you have requested, please find attached my photograph. The lady in the photograph with me is Sister Annette Kurtain. Because the money you require will not be spent on a church project, I am not allowed to pay the clearance fees. If you wish me to pay the entire $18,000.00 registration costs, then I am afraid that I will have to ask you to send me the clearance fee. Once I have the clearance fee, sending you the $18,000.00 registration fee will be a very simple matter, and can be done within 8 hours of receiving the clearance fee.
[I send Joe a quickly edited pic featuring David Hyde Pierce aka Niles Crane from the TV show 'Frasier']
From: Prince Joe Eboh Dear Father Hector, Thanks for your cooperation. Brother Joe Eboh.
[Joe sends me a picture which I have already seen before as it was first sent to a fellow scambaiter some days ago!]
[You're not getting your cash so easily Joe] From: Father Hector Barnett Dear brother Joe, As an example, if I needed to withdraw $12,000 I would have to pay the Clearance Fee. If I pay the clearance fee in anything other than cash, I have to fill out another certificate which is called a "Usage & Certification certificate". The Usage & Certification certificate states in great detail what the payment is to be used for. I have to get every stage of the payment stamped and authorised, and the money has to be proven to have been used for the original purpose. The person to whom the money is being provided MUST sign the Usage & Certification certificate IN PERSON at our church headquarters in London. This is an added security measure to ensure the payment is going to be used for its intended purpose. Now, if the Clearance Fee is paid in cash, then there is no need to complete the Usage & Certification certificate. Also, I do not need to explain to the church committee for what purpose the funds are for. This will give us both a much higher level of security as you have already advised me that it is vital that we keep this business deal totally secret. If I have to complete the Usage & Certification certificate then there will be at least 23 other people who will know about our plans. For amounts under $10,000 a Clearance Fee is still required, and the charge is dependent on the total amount required.
From: Prince Joe Eboh Dear Father Hector,
[I already guessed Joe would ask me to pay the fee myself, so I had a pre-prepared excuse at the ready] From: Father Hector Barnett Dear brother Joe, Thank you for your quick reply. I am sorry, but I cannot pay the Clearance Fee for you. As the rector of my church, I am not given wages or salary of any kind. My home is provided by the church, and all my other utility bills (electricity/telephone/food etc.) are provided for by the church, so I am sorry but I do not have the money to make the payment for you. [Let's scare Joe into the prospect of me giving up in this deal] I am sorry my brother, but it indeed seems that I will be unable to help you. I am unable to pay the $80 for you, so if you are unable to send the payment to me yourself then I do not think that we can go forward in this deal. It is a great shame, as I am sure that you would have done much wonderful and Godly work with the money. [If you count buying televisions, stereos, drugs, computers and whores as Godly work] Unless you can send the payment yourself in cash then I see now way that we can proceed. Considering that you are expecting me to send you $18,000.00 (eighteen thousand US dollars) I think that $80 is a very small amount to ask in return. Being that you are Chairman of the Contract Award Committee I am sure you will have no problem finding such a small amount as $80. Blessings, Father Hector Barnett.
[Joe falls for it, and it looks like I'm in the money!] From: Prince Joe Eboh Dear Father Hector,
From: Father Hector Barnett Dear brother Joe,
From: Prince Joe Eboh Dear father Hector,
From: Prince Joe Eboh Dear Father Hector, Remain blessed. [Joe attaches a crappy scan of the shipping receipt, but a quick check at the DHL website shows it's legit!]
From: Father Hector Barnett Dear brother Joe,
From: Prince Joe Eboh Dear Father Hector, I'm still expecting the brochure you said you will send. [OOPS! I Forgot about that!] God bless you Amen. Hope to hear from you soon.
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