A Little Special From My Inbox

I just got this email. It seems I am about to become a part of an underground dirty-money ring.

FROM: DR JOHN VODI
ACCOUNT DEPARTMENT,(NNPC)
LAGOS- NIGERIA

ATTN: THE M/D

IT IS WITH TRUST AND CONFIDENCE THAT I MAKE THIS URGENT AND IMPORTANT BUSINESS PROPOSAL TO YOU. I AM SENIOR ACCOUNTANT WITH THE NIGERIAN NATIONAL PETROLEUM CORPORATION (NNPC) HERE IN LAGOS. I HAVE BEEN ASSIGNED BY MY COLLEAGUES TO SEEK A FOREIGN PARTNER IN THE TRANSFER OF THE SUM OF US $7,500.000 (SEVEN MILLION FIVE HUNDRED UNITED STATES DOLLARS) ONLY. THIS MONEY AROSE FROM A DELIBERATE OVER - INVOICING OF A CONTRACT AWARDED BY OUR CORPORATION IN 2004.

WE HAVE BEEN SAFEGUARDING THIS MONEY SINCE THEN, AWAITNG AN APPROPRIATE TIME WHEN THE MONEY CAN BE TRANSFERRED INTO A FOREIGN NOMINATED BANK, PENDING OUR ARRIVAL FOR THE SHARING AND UTILIZATION WITH THE OWNER OF THE ACCOUNT. NOW THE NEW CIVILIAN GOVERNMENT OF PRESIDENT UMAR MUSA YAR'ADUA HAS ORDERED THAT ALL DEBTS OWED FOREIGN CONTRACTORS BY THE GOVERNMENT BE PAID IMMEDIATELY, ON THE STRENGTH OF THIS ORDER, WE WISH TO TAKE ADVANTAGE OF IT TO PRESENT YOU OR YOUR COMPANY AS ONE OF THE CONTRACTORS OWED BY THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT.

MEANWHILE, WE HAVE AGREED THAT THE MONEY WILL BE SHARED THUS: 60% WILL BE FOR US (MY COLLEAGUES AND I ),35% WILL BE FOR YOU FOR COLLABORATING AND PROVIDING THE NECESSARY ASSISTANCE WHILE THE REMAINING 5% HAS BEEN MAPPED OUT FOR ANY INCIDENTAL EXPENSES THAT MIGHT BE INCURRED IN THE COURSE OF THIS TRANSACTION.

NOTE, THAT THE NATURE OF YOUR COMPANY'S BUSINESS IS IRRELEVANT TO THIS TRANSACTION AS ALL ARRANGEMENTS HAVE BEEN CONCLUDED FOR A SUCCESSFUL AND HITCH- FREE TRANSACTION. NOTE THAT THIS MONEY IS STILL IN SUSPENSE ACCOUNT OF MY CORPORATION (NNPC) WITH CENTRAL BANK OF NIGERIA.YOU ARE REQUIRED TO FORWARD THE FOLLOWING INFORMATION IF YOU ACCEPT TO ASSIST :

(1) YOUR COMPANY NAME AND ADDRESS
(2) YOUR PHONE AND FAX NUMBERS
(3) YOUR BANK NAME AND ADDRESS ,PHONE AND FAX NUMBERS
(4) YOUR ACCOUNT NUMBER AND ACCOUNT NAME/BENEFICIARY

WE HAVE TAKEN MEASURES TO ENSURE THAT THIS IS EXECUTED IN A LEGITIMATE ARRANGEMENT THAT WILL PROTECT YOU FROM ANY BREACH OF THE LAW. WE HAVE ESTIMATED THAT THIS TRANSACTION WILL BE CONCLUDED WITHIN 14 WORKING DAYS ON RECEIPT OF THE ABOVE INFORMATION.

PLEASE REACH ME THROUGH MY PRIVATE EMAIL: drjohnvodi@i12.com
SIGNIFYING YOUR INTEREST INTHIS BUSINESS. THIS INFORMATION IS HIGHLY CONFIDENTIAL AND URGENT. FURTHER DETAIL WILL BE COMMUNICATED TO YOU AS SOON AS I RECEIVE YOUR ACCEPTANCE RESPONSE.

BEST REGARDS,

DR.JOHN VODI.

Confidential? Not any more, it's not. Clearly a hoax: he just wants my banking info. The joke's on him though; I'm sixteen, my bank account is worth about $800.