Nigerian Accused in Scheme to Swindle Citibank

[Doctor Cynic]

Source: New York Times

Swindles in which someone overseas seeks access to a person’s bank account are so well known that most potential victims can spot them in seconds.

But one man found success by tweaking the formula, prosecutors say: Rather than trying to dupe an account holder into giving up information, he duped the bank. And instead of swindling a person, he tried to rob a country — of $27 million.

To carry out the elaborate scheme, prosecutors in New York said on Friday, the man, identified as Paul Gabriel Amos, 37, a Nigerian citizen who lived in Singapore, worked with others to create official-looking documents that instructed Citibank to wire the money in two dozen transactions to accounts that Mr. Amos and the others controlled around the world.

The money came from a Citibank account in New York held by the National Bank of Ethiopia, that country’s central bank. Prosecutors said the conspirators, contacted by Citibank to verify the transactions, posed as Ethiopian bank officials and approved the transfers.

Read more: http://www.nytimes.com/2009/02/21/nyregion/21scam.html?hp

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You can't make this shit up!

[rcrush]

1. You mean there really is a guy in Nigeria sending me emails?

I bet he has my 50 million dollars he promised me!

[Kablooie]

15. Yep. It really is a whole scam industry in Nigeria.

Also there is a large fake Russian girlfriend industry in Cheboksary, Russia.

[conspirator]

18. I almost fell for that russian bride scam. Isn't her name Helena? nt

[Kablooie]

19. Mine was Olga.

And they've automated the system.
The letters you get are written by computer based on key words it finds in your letters to her.

[Guy Whitey Corngood]

20. Oh puhleeze!

Next thing you're going to tell is that the guy I made those wire transfers to is not really a Nigerian prince who's going to make me rich.

[babylonsister]

2. Oh, noes,. the Nigerians! Again! No, really!

OK, maybe not.

[Vincardog]

3. May be if the authorities would prosecute these a$$e$ for their attempted theft

they would not get as far as this post.

[aquart]

4. Enterprising, ain't they?

When one's government is pure corruption, one tends not to maintain lofty standards of honor and honesty. Does one?

[Bobbieo]

5. This guy,obviously, had a better command of the English language

than the ones who e-mail me.

[ConcernedCanuk]

6. I've deleted so many e-mails that offered me millions of dollars . .

.
.
.

If all of them were valid

I coulda been a billionaire!

[Sultana]

8. I never get those...thank God

:)

[dixiegrrrrl]

9. Forward them to Gonzales.

[Tandalayo_Scheisskopf]

7. What does this tell you about CITI?

I mean, they are so desperate and clueless, they got taken in a Nigerian Scam. Quick! Satirists! To your pens and keyboards! ;-)

[mbperrin]

13. And these are the kinds of guys who are getting RETENTION bonuses

because they're so super sharp and irreplaceable, right?


Whoa

[rug]

10. I don't know who to root for.

[Myrina]

21. No kidding!!

:rofl:

[Chemical Bill]

11. He can't rob Citibank! Who does he think he is...

the CEO? There will be no plundering of our banks unless you are an officer of it! We'll show him!

Bill

[Joanne98]

12. Good one.

[Lost in CT]

14. That god we didn't cap they're pay.

God knows how much some 500k a year peon would have be swindled for.

:rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl:

[JVS]

16. Teh stupid! It hurts!

[Supply Side Jesus]

17. Chop your Dollar!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f1nKR3gYRY8