Woman falls $50,000 short of being duped by Nigerian scam
By Rosli Abidin Yahya

A young woman's high hopes of becoming an instant multi-millionaire was dashed to pieces after a Nigerian scam operator did not entertain her any longer when she was unable to produce the needed "US$50,000 processing fee".

Facing an apparent scam to siphon money from the victim, the woman initially refused to believe her friends who had advised her not to fall for the apparent rip-off.

She was full of high hopes on receiving an e-mail telling her that she was entitled to tens of millions of US dollars because she was "lucky enough to share the same surname with a rich man who died without having known heirs to the fortune".

"We are the lawyers for the deceased and found out that you are entitled to the fortune having shared the same surname with him," the e-mail read.

"Please open an account with your local bank so the money can be deposited direct to the account."

"Please also make travel arrangement to Nigeria where all your expenses will be reimbursed on your arrival," said the email.

She even told her boss about her entitlement to an instant fortune. The boss believed her and even provided the money needed to open an account with a local bank.

"The boss gave her B$200 to open the account. He was also excited and promised to accompany her to Nigeria to collect her windfall provided she gave him a part of the fortune," said her friends.

"However, when the boss realised it was not true, he told her the money would be claimed from her through salary deduction."

She and the boss then booked two tickets to the African country. The boss said he would sponsor the trip first and get the money later. She then advised the purported lawyers in Nigeria of their date of departure.

Prior to the departure date, she received another e-mail stating that she needed to pay US$50,000 in processing fees. The "lawyers" said the fees would be reimbursed on their arrival to Nigeria.

However, when she replied stating she did not have the money, she no longer received any e-mail, causing considerable heartbreak.

Her friends said she was lucky that she never made the trip, as they feared she could have been held hostage in Nigeria.

"The woman apparently was not aware of the scam which has been heavily reported in newspapers. We hope lessons can be learned here that money can only be earned through hard work unless of course if you are certifiably born into a rich family," they said.

Courtesy of Borneo Bulletin