I keep getting these kinds of letters, all of them with different names. do you guys get crap like this?

DEAR,

I AM THE HEAD OF ACCOUNTS AND AUDIT DEPARTMENT OF BANK OF AFRICA,
OUAGADOUGOU . I DECIDED TO CONTACT YOU AFTER A CAREFUL THOUGHT THAT YOU
MAY
BE CAPABLE OF HANDLING THIS BUSINESS TRANSACTION WHICH I EXPLAINED
BELOW;

IN MY DEPARTMENT WE DISCOVERED AN ABANDONED SUM OF $10.5M US DOLLARS
(TEN
MILLION, FIVE HUNDRED THOUSAND US DOLLARS). IN AN ACCOUNT THAT BELONGS
TO
ONE OF OUR FOREIGN CUSTOMER WHO DIED ALONG WITH HIS ENTIRE FAMILY IN
1998 IN
A PLANE CRASH. SINCE WE GOT INFORMATION ABOUT HIS DEATH, WE HAVE BEEN
EXPECTING HIS NEXT OF KIN TO COME OVER AND CLAIM HIS MONEY BECAUSE WE
CANNOT
RELEASE IT UNLESS SOMEBODY APPLIES FOR IT AS NEXT OF KIN OR RELATION TO
THE
DECEASED AS INDICATED IN OUR BANKING GUIDELINES.
BUT UNFORTUNATELY WE LEARNT THAT HIS SUPPOSED NEXT OF KIN(HIS SON AND
WIFE)
DIED ALONGSIDE WITH HIM AT THE PLANE CRASH LEAVING NOBODY BEHIND FOR
THE
CLAIM .

IT IS THEREFORE UPON THIS DISCOVERY THAT I AND OTHER OFFICIALS IN MY
DEPARTMENT NOW DECIDED TO MAKE THIS BUSINESS PROPOSAL TO YOU AND
RELEASE THE
MONEY TO YOU AS THE NEXT OF KIN (WE WANT TO PRESENT YOU AS HIS BUSINES
ASOCIATE )TO THE DECEASED FOR SAFETY AND SUBSEQUENT DISBURSEMENT SINCE
NOBODY IS COMING FOR IT AND WE DON'T WANT THIS MONEY TO GO INTO THE
BANK
TREASURY AS UNCLAIMED BILL.

THE BANKING LAW AND GUIDELINE HERE STIPULATES THAT IF SUCH MONEY
REMAINED
UNCLAIMED AFTER SEVEN YEARS, THE MONEY WILL BE TRANSFERRED INTO THE
BANK
TREASURY AS UNCLAIMED FUND. THE REQUEST OF FOREIGNER AS NEXT OF KIN IN
THIS
BUSINESS IS OCCASIONED BY THE FACT THAT THE CUSTOMER WAS A FOREIGNER
AND A
BURKINABE CANNOT STAND AS NEXT OF KIN TO A FOREIGNER .

WE AGREE THAT 30% OF THIS MONEY WILL BE FOR YOU AS FOREIGN PARTNER, IN
RESPECT TO THE PROVISION OF A FOREIGN ACCOUNT, 10 % WILL BE SET ASIDE
FOR
EXPENSES INCURRED DURING THE BUSINESS AND 60% WOULD BE FOR ME AND MY
COLLEAGUES.

THERE AFTER I AND MY COLLEAGUES WILL VISIT YOUR COUNTRY FOR
DISBURSEMENT
ACCORDING TO THE PERCENTAGES INDICATED.

THEREFORE TO ENABLE THE IMMEDIATE TRANSFER OF THIS FUND TO YOUR ACCOUNT
AS
ARRANGED,YOU MUST APPLY FIRST TO THE BANK AS NEXT OF KIN OF THE
DECEASED
CUSTOMER. UPON RECEIPT OF YOUR REPLY, I WILL SEND TO YOU BY FAX OR
EMAIL THE
TEXT OF THE APPLICATION.

I WILL NOT FAIL TO BRING TO YOUR NOTICE THAT THIS TRANSACTION IS HITCH
FREE
AND THAT YOU SHOULD NOT ENTERTAIN ANY ATOM OF FEAR AS ALL REQUIRED
ARRANGEMENTS HAVE BEEN MADE FOR THE TRANSFER.

I EXPECT THAT YOU CONTACT ME IMMEDIATELY AS SOON AS YOU RECEIVE THIS
LETTER.

HOPING TO HEAR FROM YOU IMMEDIATELY.

YOURS FAITHFULLY,
ZAKARIA MARA

Oh yeah. The good old 419 scams. These people know how to have fun with them.

I received one of the very first incarnations of these scams, back before email scams and phishing existed, and freaked out. I checked online, found nothing about it, and called the FBI. They said not to answer, and asked me to forward it to them immediately. There was an announcement about the messages on the evening news that night.

I've gotten those...what do they want exactly ??? I replied to one but didn't give private info...

FAQ on 419 scams