News and Politics | January 17, 2009 | 34 comments

Man loses $150,000 in e-mail scam

source: http://www.windsorstar.com/Leamington+loses+Nigerian+scam/1173799/story.html

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22-year-old John Rempel lost $150,000 in an e-mail scam. In July 2007 he received an e-mail saying he had inherited $12.8 million from a man who died in a 2005 bomb attack in London. Rempel called the lawyer and began paying fee after fee, all along believing he'd eventually get it all - and a lot more - back.


I've gotten these e-mails before but never knew anyone would think they were true - poor guy.
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34 comments // Man loses $150,000 in e-mail scam

  • lordsbassman
  • AMCope
  • EliteKane
  • foebea
    • 0
      foebea  

    • Saying that it is the sucker's fault for being a sucker is not fair to the sucker. Just because someone stands at a deserted street corner picking through thier wallet which is overstuffed with bills for 10 minutes does not mean that it is okay and expected that they should be robbed. Sure, they were acting possibly a little bit ignorant at the time, but blame must always fall on the perpetrator of the crime.

      Stupidity is not a crime. Taking advantage of stupidity /is/.

    • 3 years ago
  • Jackstowne
  • Alanisnotcool
  • foebea
    • 0
      foebea  
    • Alanisnotcool:

      Suppose you have been baited and hooked. You have sent out $15,000 in fees over the course of 4 months to pay for inheritance tax and filing fees and such. Just a day or so before the transaction is supposed to occur, you receive in the mail a letter from the scammer telling you there is a problem. The bank manager has found a problem with the will and is threatening to withhold the entire sum unless he is payed $90,000 dollars cash. Upon receipt of the money he will release the funds and you will receive your check. You are out of cash, you were counting on receiving the funds very soon, and will lose your house and if your wife finds out she might leave you. You panic. As a final attempt to stay afloat you do a very stupid thing and take out a loan for $90,000 (after all, you will be able to pay it back immediately) and sent it out to the manager. You never hear from them again.

      It is a very easy slide from 10k to 200k.

    • 3 years ago
  • foebea
    • 0
      foebea  

    • I used to get emails forwarded to me by relatives warning about deadly spiders (which live thousands of miles away), Missing children (who were never missing), and warnings about other threats and dangers.

      In my experience, most people are this rediculously gullible. It's just that most people can't afford to begin the process of inheriting 12 million fake dollars, so the scam never gets off the ground.

    • 3 years ago
  • carligula
    • 0
      carligula  

    • I once got an email telling me I was a prince in Egypt and there was 16 million waiting for me. Somehow I knew that before I could claim my "inheritance" I had to lead the Hebrew slaves out of Egypt. I also knew I had a lot of questions for my Mexican family.

      This is a sad story but what an ass!

    • 3 years ago
  • foebea
    • 0
      foebea  

    • For those of you who are not prone to paying unexpected delivery fees, check out http://www.419eater.com/

      The more time of a scammer you take up, the less time he has to destroy someones life. The more personal data you can scam out of the scammer, the higher the chances of him being found.

      Also it's great fun to get the desperate scammers to pose for ridiculous photos, "Well, this seems to be legitimate... but before I send you that Western Union for 100k, I want to be sure you are not a website. Take a photo of yourself and your family, with all of you wearing socks hanging from your ears and holding up a sign that reads 'Current.Com Rulez'. Then I will send the money order.

    • 3 years ago
  • foebea
  • subsecret
  • brad62
  • kewal91
  • Keoni_wp
    • 0
      Keoni_wp  

    • What gets me is how did someone that stupid aquire $150,000 in the first place (Inheiritance probably).
      Oh well anyone that stupid would never be able to hold on to that kind of money for very long. You all realize that when I call this guy stupid I'm really being kind.

    • 3 years ago
  • UWAZell
    • 0
      UWAZell  

    • I cannot help but NOT feel sorry for this bloke, or anyone else for that matter who is still falling for scams of this calibre. Like Keithponder stated, 'he conned himself'... he was blinded by greed and the want to essentially 'get rich quick'. This man does not deserve or sympathy or pity.

    • 3 years ago
  • Alex_French
  • keithponder
  • malathion
    • 0
      malathion  

    • the "inheritance tax" bit is always the climax on the ol' plot pyramid for this scheme . when you can get some sucker to pay taxes in another country on money they're already in debt trying to get , it's the g-spot .

    • 3 years ago
  • foebea
    • 0
      foebea  
    • malathion:

      Be rest assured that this transaction is 100% risk free as all modalities have been put in place for a smooth and successful conclusion. However, should you be intrested in assisting us, I will not hesistate to furnish you with the access code of the secret account, code which you will present at the Central Bank of Nigeria.

    • 3 years ago
  • KefKef
  • petarro
    • 0
      petarro  

    • WOW, What an idiot. I have been sold knock-off Perfume, but everyone knows about these e-mails. And $150 000!! ? Maybe $100 or $1000, but $150 000!? He could have flown to London and taken the money himself!

    • 3 years ago
  • brad62
  • foebea
    • 0
      foebea  
    • petarro:

      150k sounds about right for this type of scam. the people are quick to give a thousand, but then its another, and very soon they feel past the point of no return. the thinking is that its only a couple more then i get it all back. people take out loans and some embezzle funds in order to do this. its a serious problem and one which needs attention.

    • 3 years ago
  • rightbrain
  • foebea
    • 0
      foebea  
    • rightbrain:

      Not at all. Media focus on this type of stupidity is a valiant attempt to help other idiots suspect something when they receive a strikingly similar email.

      Side note: all people under the right circumstances are idiots. don't be too quick to judge.

    • 3 years ago
  • aspenlve
  • FILF
  • numinant
    • 0
      numinant  

    • next you're going to tell me that i can't get my penis magically enhanced with scientifically proven wonder pills.

      but really, despite the guy's naivete, it seems like the attorney could (should) be held accountable.
      **oh nevermind. i thought he had contacted his OWN lawyer. poor fool.

    • 3 years ago
  • CalgarC
  • brad62
    • 0
      brad62  

    • That Guy is not very informed about internet scams, is he?
      SUCKER!
      P.T. Barnum would be proud.
      This way to the Egress.

    • 3 years ago
  • Argon18
    • 0
      Argon18  
    • brad62:

      That is it exactly the sucker is always someone that wants something for nothing and it hasn't changed a bit since Barnum's time.

      If that had been a legitimate lawyer with an authentic inheritance he could've taken the fees out of the estate and sent the rest.

    • 3 years ago
  • ejasun
  • SHAWN_RITTIMAN
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