Sunday, September 03, 2006

The Scam letters

We all know the notorious Nigerian scam letters, each of us has received one at least in their lifetime . But this is the first time I heard about the Iraqi version, and to be honest I don't find it funny. I know there are crooks in every country but that an Iraqi is doing this I find painful and it hurts me as it shakes their image in my eyes.
Weird is it not ? that I can take bombing and killing but I cannot take the fraud thing. It's like the looting after Baghdad fell.

Anyway here is the letter and it seems to originate in Italy.


Date: Sat, 8 Apr 2006 21:23:23 +0100 (GMT+01:00)
From: "Bank of Baghdad Managing Director" <mowafaq_mahmood1@virgilio.it>
To: mahmood@hotmail.com
Subject: A Representation

From: Mowafaq H. Mahmood
Bank of BaghdadBaghdad, Iraq.

Following the first Gulf War in 1991, Saddam Hussein authorized for the
first time the formation of private banks in Iraq. From 1992 until the end of
the decade, 17 such banks were established. Up until the second Gulf War,
however, Saddam prohibited these banks from conducting international
transactions - including payments, remittances, and letters of credit. Now, as
Iraq develops a market- driven banking system, these restrictions are being
reduced and the importance of Iraq's private banks is expected to grow
significantly. An important step was taken on October 28, 2003, when the
CentralBank of Iraq authorized Iraq's private banks to process international
payments, remittances and foreign currency letters of credit. This action
follows other important steps taken recently to modernize Iraq's banking system
- the establishment of a new national currency, for instance, and the launching
of daily foreign exchange auctions by the Central Bank. Subsequently, I
personally was able to hide away One Hundred Million United States Dollars in
the wake of the United States of American led war on Iraq. This money was meant
for investments but it is believed that we have lost this money to looters
during the War in Iraq. Since after the war, I have safely tucked away this
money with the hope that I will be able to do something with it as soon as
things cool down. Now intend to do so. I just need that I get you as my
reliable foreign partner who will as it is be my representative out there in
your Country; I want you as a partner who will assist me in investing in
profitable ventures in your Country. I need a person I could rely
on.

Faithfully, Mowafaq H. Mahmood
Bank of Baghdad
Iraq.

10 comments:

LadyCroc said...

Oh I´ve had my fun with those Nigerians!

Once I emailed back, pretending to be interested in their "business" adventure, if they would be so kind as to write something in Danish on a poster and take a snapshot so my "business associates" could see they were "serious". I made them write "We are idiots" in Danish and sent the pic to some friends for a laugh. Never heard from them again; the Nigerians, not my friends ;-)

For more fun with Nigerian scam letters, go to http://www.scamorama.com/ or http://www.419eater.com/ and enjoy!

You can make your own Nigerian/Iraqi idiot picture, if you think that´s funny.

Anonymous said...

Hey NB, how did you you that Dr Mowafaq H. Mahmood is presently in Lagos?? Actually he has made me a super offer I couldn't refuse and I will meet him next Friday in Lagos!

Maya M said...

Highlander, I really don't understand you if you think that killings are still acceptable while fraud and looting are not!
To my opinion, the Iraqi looting was quite standard (with the exception of the stolen historical artifacts, but that seemed to have been pre-organized by professionals and so cannot be blamed on the Iraqi people).
You will see the same looting in any country and any city where order has been disrupted by war, riots, natural disaster etc.
Our satirical paper "Starshel" commented, "Both in Iraq and in Bulgaria there was looting after the dictatorship fell. But while Iraqis were taking chairs, fans and refrigerators, in Bulgaria whole banks, factories and collective farms were looted."

Highlander said...

NBA, yes it could still be a Nigerian scam with a new twist:)

Safia, a colleague at work actually replied and asked me to help her with the email and bank info. she also phoned the guy. She did not believe me when I said it was a scam.

Adam :) so you are now chasing Dr Mowafaq ?

Maya my dear pls read again :) I never claimed killin was acceptable, I said and I quote "that I can take bombing and killing but I cannot take the fraud thing". Meaning I have been used for decades of bombing and killing in Iraq, that's a war, there is a victim and a perpetrator, but in fraud it implies immorality which is something one has control of unlike war.As for loothing I made a post about it once- cant find the link now.So I agree that it comes with a disruption in the order

programmer craig said...

Highlander, I don't agree with you that what's going on in Iraq is a war.... it looks like random butchery of the innocent from where I'm sitting.... at least, for the most part. Most of the victims in a war are typically particpants, one way or another. At least, according to my definition of "war" anyway.

Highlander said...

Programmer_Craig , I've said 'decades' of war not just what's going on now.

NBA , that colleague is divorced in her 50's and has a son, and has bitterness towards the male gender...nope you still have to look for that elusive hottie. Now if you can send me that photo I may help you in that department as long as you don't look like Adams trolls LOL here :
http://www.flickr.com/photos/libyaphoto2006/224706460/in/set-72157594251313800/

Anonymous said...
This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.
Anonymous said...

Thanks for the ad Highlander:)
If some of you non-Scandinavians
were perplexed by my John Bauer reference in that pic, try this.

dgfdsgdsgds said...

If it makes you feel any better, this is obviously sent from an Italian mail account (virgilo.it)

I've got a few scam emails claiming to be from Iraq, but signed with obvious fake names (that might sound Iraqi to a foreigner, but aren't actually.)

Highlander said...

UMMAminah lol @ zakat - sorry I'm still laughing about it now .

Redenclave I never reply either or read them but this one I saw an Arabic name and thought it was someone I knew.

Zeyad, well I gathered the address was in Italy and that is giving me a little comfort !