digg

Facebook Connect Join Digg About

Oregon Woman Loses $400,000 to Nigerian E-Mail Scam

foxnews.com — An Oregon woman who is out $400,000 after falling for a well-known Internet scam says she wasn't a sucker or an easy mark.

Who dugg this? Made popular Nov 18, 2008

Digg DudeWhat is Digg?

Digg is a place for people to discover and share content from anywhere on the web. Digg surfaces the best stuff as submitted and voted on by the community. Take the Tour to learn more.

959 Comments

show profanity settings
expand all
  • oo7evan, on 11/18/2008, -9/+2212You can help this woman gain her money back. Just deposit a small amount of money in a savings account my friend has in Nigeria, and it will go directly to her. For your troubles, I will give you $10,000. Promise.
  • nichesiteexpert, on 11/18/2008, -3/+1415She persisted even after her family and the bank told her it was a total scam. After she inevitably lost everything, she said:

    "The hope is [other people] are not going to fall as hard as I fell"

    Lady, if your family and friends couldn't talk you out of it, some story about someone else's misfortune would have? What the hell is wrong with you?

    Of her husband's retirement: "The retirement he was dreaming of — cruising and going around and seeing America — is pretty much gone for him right now," she said.

    This chick should go to jail for criminal stupidity.
  • josepablos, on 11/18/2008, -19/+1283SUCKER!!
  • pintomp3, on 11/18/2008, -29/+1061. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . _________
    . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ./ I told you
    . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . _,,,--~~~~~~~~--,_ . . . . .it’s a trap!/
    . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ,-‘ : : : :::: :::: :: : : : : :º ‘-, . . _______/. . . . . . . . . .
    . . . . . . . . . . . . .,-‘ :: : : :::: :::: :::: :::: : : :o : ‘-, . . . . . . . . . .
    . . . . . . . . . . . ,-‘ :: ::: :: : : :: :::: :::: :: : : : : :O ‘-, . . . . . . . . .
    . . . . . . . . . .,-‘ : :: :: :: :: :: : : : : : , : : :º :::: :::: ::’; . . . . . . . .
    . . . . . . . . .,-‘ / / : :: :: :: :: : : :::: :::-, ;; ;; ;; ;; ;; ;; ; . . . . . . . .
    . . . . . . . . /,-‘,’ :: : : : : : : : : :: :: :: : ‘-, ;; ;; ;; ;; ;; ;;| . . . . . . .
    . . . . . . . /,’,-‘ :: :: :: :: :: :: :: : ::_,-~~,_’-, ;; ;; ;; ;; | . . . . . . .
    . . . . . _/ :,’ :/ :: :: :: : : :: :: _,-‘/ : ,-‘;’-‘’’’’~-, ;; ;; ;;,’ . . . . . . . .
    . . . ,-‘ / : : : : : : ,-‘’’ : : :,--‘’ :|| /,-‘-‘--‘’’__,’’’ ;; ;,-‘ . . . . . . . .
    . . . :/,, : : : _,-‘ --,,_ : : : ||/ /,-‘-‘x### :: ;;/ . . . . . . . . . .
    . . . . / /---‘’’’ : # : : : : : | | : (O##º : :/ /-‘’ . . . . . . . . . . .
    . . . . /,’____ : : ‘-# : , : : : : ‘-,___,-‘,-`-,, . . . . . . . . . . .
    . . . . ‘ ) : : : :’’’’--,,--,,,,,,¯ :: ::--,,_’’-,,’’’¯ :’- :’-, . . . . . . . . .
    . . . . .) : : : : : : ,, : ‘’’’~~~~’ :: :: :: :’’’’’¯ :: ,-‘ :,/ . . . . . . . . .
    . . . . .,/ /|| | :/ / : : : : : : : ,’-, :: :: :: :: ::,--‘’ :,-‘ . . . . . . . .
    . . . . .’| |/ ‘/ / :: :_--,, : , | )’; :: :: :: :,-‘’ : ,-‘ : : : , . . . . . . .
    . . . ./¯ :| | : |/ :: ::----, :/ :|/ :: :: ,-‘’ : :,-‘ : : : : : : ‘’-,,_ . . . .
    . . ..| : : :/ ‘’-(, :: :: :: ‘’’’’~,,,,,’’ :: ,-‘’ : :,-‘ : : : : : : : : :,-‘’’ . . . .
    . ,-‘ : : : | : : ‘’) : : :¯’’’’~-,: : ,--‘’’ : :,-‘’ : : : : : : : : : ,-‘ :¯’’’’’-,_ .
    ./ : : : : :’-, :: | :: :: :: _,,-‘’’’¯ : ,--‘’ : : : : : : : : : : : / : : : : : : :’’-,
    / : : : : : -, :¯’’’’’’’’’’’¯ : : _,,-~’’ : : : : : : : : : : : : : :| : : : : : : : : :
    : : : : : : :¯’’~~~~~~’’’ : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : : | : : : : : : :
  • brinewr, on 11/18/2008, -3/+818Um... Yeah... You're not a sucker... Easy mark? NO! You fell for a well-publicized scam that virtually EVERYONE ELSE with an email address has long-since ignored. But YOUR EMAIL was SPECIAL.

    Look! Next time you're lookin' to give away $400k, look me up!
  • zwendkos, on 11/18/2008, -36/+589............................................________........................
    ....................................,.-‘”...................``~.,..................
    .............................,.-”...................................“-.,............
    .........................,/...............................................”:,........
    .....................,?......................................................,.....
    .................../...........................................................,}....
    ................./......................................................,:`^`..}....
    .............../...................................................,:”........./.....
    ..............?.....__.........................................:`.........../.....
    ............./__.(.....“~-,_..............................,:`........../........
    .........../(_....”~,_........“~,_....................,:`........_/...........
    ..........{.._$;_......”=,_.......“-,_.......,.-~-,},.~”;/....}...........
    ...........((.....*~_.......”=-._......“;,,./`..../”............../............
    ...,,,___.`~,......“~.,....................`.....}............../.............
    ............(....`=-,,.......`........................(......;_,,-”...............
    ............/.`~,......`-...................................../...................
    .............`~.*-,.....................................|,./.....,__...........
    ,,_..........}.>-._...................................|..............`=~-,....
    .....`=~-,__......`,.........................................................
    ...................`=~-,,.,......................................................
    ................................`:,,...........................`..............__..
    .....................................`=-,...................,%`>--==``.......
    ........................................_..........._,-%.......`...............
    ...................................,
  • squafro, on 11/18/2008, -1/+525"Her family...begged her to stop"

    $400k? I believe a family beat-down is in order.
  • jeevesatvic, on 11/18/2008, -0/+443I would dearly love to see this exchange of emails. Like watching a train wreck in super slow motion.

    Not a "sucker or an easy mark". Riiight.
  • B5tKUnT1, on 11/18/2008, -3/+400Why does she insist on saying she's not a sucker then?
  • charm803, on 11/18/2008, -1/+397I hope he divorces her on the grounds that she's an idiot!

  • B5tKUnT1, on 11/18/2008, -12/+363I just noticed, her name is Spears. It runs in the family.
  • slapded, on 11/18/2008, -1/+317EASY MARK!!
  • DeadSkinMask, on 11/18/2008, -4/+316What a complete tool.

    I have zero sympathy for people this stupid.
  • sebastianbr, on 11/18/2008, -6/+308HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA
    Ok just give me a second to compose my thoughts...


    HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA
  • down4twenty, on 11/18/2008, -4/+285In other news, man who weighs 400 pounds says he always eats right and exercises regularly.
  • charm803, on 11/18/2008, -3/+273"Her family and bank officials told her it was all a scam, she said, and begged her to stop, but she persisted because she became obsessed with getting paid."

    I'm not a violent person, but I feel like knocking some sense into that woman!
  • jhop, on 11/18/2008, -1/+255Why did the family bother pleading? CUT HER THE ***** OFF! No access to any accounts. No credit cards. Nothing. Dumb people. I'm really pissed at her for destroying her husbands savings also.
  • ssj2119, on 11/18/2008, -4/+256Inaccurate title, it should be:

    Oregon Woman is ***** stupid gullible dumb ass
  • mirunit, on 11/18/2008, -0/+215"Spears, who is a nursing administrator and CPR teacher, said she mortgaged the house and took a lien out on the family car, and ran through her husband's retirement account."

    She is not just a sucker, she is a total idiot. Imagine if you were her husband.
  • CharlesMay, on 11/18/2008, -0/+209Two words:
    Justifiable Homicide
  • punkcat, on 11/18/2008, -1/+198i'd like to start a class action law suit against her for funding spam.
  • extravagant, on 11/18/2008, -16/+211wow
  • asgardshill, on 11/18/2008, -3/+190A monumental occasion on Digg - the first time I've ever Dugg up an Admiral Ackbar ASCII.
  • phoomp, on 11/18/2008, -0/+184And, her husband and bank *told* her it was a scam and she continued
  • Goochman, on 11/18/2008, -7/+177Honestly - she wasnt a sucker, she was greedy. Anyone that falls for this scam is buying into the fact that they think they are scamming someone else. The msg usually states that they have money they need to get out of the country and need a conduit to do so - well, you are in theory agreeing to help extort money out of a country so you can collect a windfall.

    99% of folks who fall for this have greed on their mind no helping out an innocent person.
  • DeadSkinMask, on 11/18/2008, -6/+171"LAGOS, NIGERIA.

    ATTENTION: THE PRESIDENT/CEO

    DEAR SIR,

    CONFIDENTIAL BUSINESS PROPOSAL

    HAVING CONSULTED WITH MY COLLEAGUES AND BASED ON THE INFORMATION GATHERED FROM THE NIGERIAN CHAMBERS OF COMMERCE AND INDUSTRY, I HAVE THE PRIVILEGE TO REQUEST FOR YOUR ASSISTANCE TO TRANSFER THE SUM OF $47,500,000.00 (FORTY SEVEN MILLION, FIVE HUNDRED THOUSAND UNITED STATES DOLLARS) INTO YOUR ACCOUNTS. THE ABOVE SUM RESULTED FROM AN OVER-INVOICED CONTRACT, EXECUTED COMMISSIONED AND PAID FOR ABOUT FIVE YEARS (5) AGO BY A FOREIGN CONTRACTOR. THIS ACTION WAS HOWEVER INTENTIONAL AND SINCE THEN THE FUND HAS BEEN IN A SUSPENSE ACCOUNT AT THE CENTRAL BANK OF NIGERIA APEX BANK.

    WE ARE NOW READY TO TRANSFER THE FUND OVERSEAS AND THAT IS WHERE YOU COME IN. IT IS IMPORTANT TO INFORM YOU THAT AS CIVIL SERVANTS, WE ARE FORBIDDEN TO OPERATE A FOREIGN ACCOUNT; THAT IS WHY WE REQUIRE YOUR ASSISTANCE. THE TOTAL SUM WILL BE SHARED AS FOLLOWS: 70% FOR US, 25% FOR YOU AND 5% FOR LOCAL AND INTERNATIONAL EXPENSES INCIDENT TO THE TRANSFER.

    THE TRANSFER IS RISK FREE ON BOTH SIDES. I AM AN ACCOUNTANT WITH THE NIGERIAN NATIONAL PETROLEUM CORPORATION (NNPC). IF YOU FIND THIS PROPOSAL ACCEPTABLE, WE SHALL REQUIRE THE FOLLOWING DOCUMENTS:

    (A) YOUR BANKER'S NAME, TELEPHONE, ACCOUNT AND FAX NUMBERS.

    (B) YOUR PRIVATE TELEPHONE AND FAX NUMBERS -- FOR CONFIDENTIALITY AND EASY COMMUNICATION.

    (C) YOUR LETTER-HEADED PAPER STAMPED AND SIGNED.

    ALTERNATIVELY WE WILL FURNISH YOU WITH THE TEXT OF WHAT TO TYPE INTO YOUR LETTER-HEADED PAPER, ALONG WITH A BREAKDOWN EXPLAINING, COMPREHENSIVELY WHAT WE REQUIRE OF YOU. THE BUSINESS WILL TAKE US THIRTY (30) WORKING DAYS TO ACCOMPLISH.

    PLEASE REPLY URGENTLY.

    BEST REGARDS"





    Hmmm.....Seems legit....
  • mithrasinvictus, on 11/18/2008, -0/+162And people even told her it was a scam, she kept sending the money.
  • sousademiami, on 11/18/2008, -1/+160She gives a whole new meaning to sucker.
    If they had gotten the $400,000 in the first transaction she would be a sucker. She was giving them money on a regular basis for TWO YEARS!
  • rabidbob, on 11/18/2008, -0/+149If it's typed all in caps then it must be legit!!
  • brbubba, on 11/18/2008, -0/+148Where the hell was the husband to protect his retirement account?

    "Her family and bank officials told her it was all a scam, she said, and begged her to stop, but she persisted because she became obsessed with getting paid."

    Idiot!
  • TheNakedChef, on 11/18/2008, -1/+142Not only a sucker and stupid, but also greedy. That's what those scams play on, greed.
  • AaronBaron, on 11/18/2008, -1/+123The Oregon woman would be thinking "if I constantly donate money to myself, then I can write all donations off in my tax return. Say hello to tax-free living. A PERFECT scam!!"
  • mithrasinvictus, on 11/18/2008, -1/+104I have some sympathy for the husband whose retirement money she gave away.
  • asgardshill, on 11/18/2008, -0/+102“One of these days in your travels, a guy is going to come up to you and show you a nice brand-new deck of cards on which the seal is not yet broken, and this guy is going to offer to bet you that he can make the Jack of Spades jump out of the deck and squirt cider in your ear. But son, do not bet this man, for as sure as you are standing there, you are going to end up with an earful of cider.”

    What.

    An.

    Idiot.
  • GalOnDigg, on 11/18/2008, -2/+100Looks legit...
  • inactive, on 11/18/2008, -1/+93She took a lien out on the car, mortgaged the house *and* blew her husband's retirement fund?! Because the Bank of Nigeria, President Bush and the FBI director all supposedly needed help?

    President Bush needs help and *your* installments of $200 over 2 years is what's going to make the difference?!

    Divorce that bitch NOW!!
  • meirav, on 11/18/2008, -59/+151I'm sorry, but DARWIN!
  • kreatr, on 11/18/2008, -1/+89I always used to wonder who fell for those scams? Now i know ...
  • dok333, on 11/18/2008, -0/+84A fool and their money,... and their husbands money, ...and their home mortgage
  • mark076h, on 11/18/2008, -8/+92A hard lesson learned
  • SleepingOrange, on 11/18/2008, -2/+83Hi honey, how was work? Good? Cause your gonna be there for the next 30 years!!!
  • inactive, on 11/18/2008, -1/+81I'm digging you for digging the Ackbar.

    What comes around goes around.


    P.s. As a rule I don't normally answer emails from Nigeria. Even if my family is mentioned. That's because I've always listen to the Admiral.
  • TnTBass, on 11/18/2008, -0/+79"Her family and bank officials told her it was all a scam, she said, and begged her to stop, but she persisted because she became obsessed with getting paid."

    They BEGGED her to stop. As much as I feel bad for her, I look at it this way. If you keep telling a person not to touch a hot stove, but they keep touching it anyway, then they deserve to get burnt.
  • black27696, on 11/18/2008, -1/+75Dude you didn't tell me where to send it! Well, here's my account number: 4328461284, for Chase Manhatten. My social security number is 423-234-8694 and my name is John Johansen. Please send my regards to the poor woman.
  • cardyology, on 11/18/2008, -8/+81SUCKER/EASY MARK!!!!
  • MLGLies, on 11/18/2008, -0/+69No words:
  • inactive, on 11/18/2008, -1/+68I really feel bad for her husband, the perfect retirement flushed down the drains. huh, the misery
  • crocodilexp, on 11/18/2008, -7/+73Sure, divorce is a great idea. Then he'd lose 50% of the little has has left, and on top of it have to pay alimony for the rest of his life. Not so easy divorcing an idiot...
  • Dr3w, on 11/18/2008, -5/+71At this point, isn't it just cyberdarwinism?
  • inactive, on 11/18/2008, -8/+73I talked to a guy from Nigeria at an american truckstop and asked about the scammers. He said that thousands of people over there are very poor and starving to death. He said that this is the type of ***** up ***** humans do to survive when their society fails. Just hope americans aren't in the same boat in the near future.
  • Fetching more discussions...
    Show 51 - 100 of 979 discussions

  • Add a Comment

    Login or register to comment!
    Or, sign-in super fast with your Facebook account ...


© Digg Inc. 2009 — Content created and posted by Digg users is dedicated to the public domain | Terms of Use Updated | Privacy Policy
DIGG, DIGG IT, DUGG, DIGG THIS, Digg graphics, logos, designs, page headers, button icons, scripts, and other service names are the trademarks of Digg Inc.