Advarsel om bruk av nettbanker/online-banking!

Dear All on the Distribution List, I'll stick to the facts, no loss for me. I knew this was a 419 Scam as soon as I saw it and guess I had too much time on my hands. I have copies of all the documentation if required, email me if you require it. Dates are as accurate as I can remember.

23rd May 2002 - Mr Bello informed me that the money was with the Fidelity Union Bank in Lagos Nigeria and that I needed to contact a Dr Bright Akubueze on 234-1-4811454 giving him details of bank account number etc to remit the money to. As it happens I have a US$ account with zero balance that I used when I worked in Dubai as I was paid in US$. But not wanting to waste a telephone call I did nothing. I was also advised by Mr Bello to use his new email address of solicitor1232002@yahoo.com, as his last one had been deleted! (I wonder why!).

24th May 2002 - received another email from Mr Bello, asking why I had not contacted Dr Akubueze. I responded by saying I had tried several times, but with no luck.

25th May 2002 - received another email from Mr Bello providing me with Dr Akubueze's email address akubueze2002@onebox.com and asking me to email him direct. I instead gave Mr Bello the account details for my zero balance US$ account.

27th May 2002 - received another email from Mr Bello, thanking me for providing him with the details. He informed me that he had paid US$17,460 to the security company to release the funds to the bank. I said great, can't wait for the money to hit my account in 5-7 days time.

28th May 2002 - I received an email from Dr Akubueze with a REMIT FORM that I was required to fill in and an instruction from him to pay US$9,800 (broken down as Insurance Deposit Certificate $2,100.Insurance Bond Clearance Certificate $3,700. Affidavit for Claim Certificate $800. Fund Release Certificate $1,200. None Terrorist Clearance Certificate $750.Drug Law Clearance Certificate $1,250). This money was required immediately to be transferred via Western Union to CHIDIEBELE JANE MBONU. I responded by saying 'I am very sorry but I am an unable to comply with the instructions mentioned below. Please ask Mr Bello for the sum of US$9,800 if this is what is required by Nigerian Law. This is a clear breach of International Law. Any such Legal, Banking or Inheritance Tax charges are due only on receipt of the said inheritance into my bank account, or should be deducted from the said inheritance prior to being transferred to my account. That is International Law and I would be open to prosecution if I did otherwise.
This is done primarily to prevent embezzlement and money laundering. If you have any problems with complying to International Law, please speak to Mr Bello or the International Law Association.' Which as we all know is a complete load of bull.

29th May 2002 - I received an email from Mr Bello, saying he had spoken to Dr Akubueze and everything was in hand. I again quoted International Law to him and told him to look it up by saying this follows to the letter International Law, Inheritance of Estate or Assets Article 7, Para 4.

30th May 2002 - I received an email from Mr Bello, informing me that he raised $2,700 on my behalf and an additional $3,000 from his wife. Aren't they nice people? I responded by saying I would make sure they got their money back with interest when I received the $15.2m.

4th June 2002 - I received an email from Dr Akubueze (new email address akubuezes2002@yahoo.com), stating that he had received $6,700 from me via Mr Bello and that I needed to pay the balance of $3,100 immediately. I again told him I couldn't due to International Law and that he had my permission to deduct the $3,100 from the $15.2m and send me the balance.

11th June 2002 - I sent an email to Mr Bello and Dr Akubueze saying I had not received the money yet.

13th June 2002 - I received an email from Dr Akubueze saying he could not make the bank transfer because of the events of September 11th. He had therefore made arrangements to courier the money to Holland. I asked him to let me know the Airway Bill Number.

14th June 2002 - I received an email from Dr Akubueze saying that he and Mr Bello had met and the shipment would be sent to Holland. I said this was ridiculous and that my Bank said there were no problems transferring money. Dr Akubueze responded the same day asking me for my passport number, which I gave him a made up one. I also received an email from Mr Bello, telling me everything had been sorted out and he now wanted 10% of the $15.2m, 4 Nokia Mobile Phones and 4 watches sending to the DHL office in Lagos.

15th June 2002 - I received an email from Dr Akubueze with the AWB number. He also advised me to talk to a Mr William Coker at Global International Services on 0031-612690403 and that the cost for the clearance of the two boxes was $18,500.

17th June 2002 - I responded to Dr Akubueze saying I needed my agent in Holland to confirm the contents of the consignment prior to paying any money. I received an email from Dr Akubueze asking me to remit an additional $32,000 to him which he had taken from the Bank Suspense account to pay for the shipment. He gave the following bank details: FIDELITY UNION BANK, 17 KARIMU CKOTUN STREET, VICTORIA ISLAND, LAGOS, ACCOUNT NAME: AKUBUEZE, ACCOUNT NUMBER:00221703904 USD.

18th June 2002 - I responded to Dr Akubueze with 'I do not trust Mr Coker and there is no way on earth that I am walking into his office with $18,750 (I note it has gone up by $250) without first verifying that the money is in the boxes. My rational behind this is that a) how do I know the money was actually sent from Lagos? b) how do I know that the money is still in the boxes in Holland? c) how do I know that Mr Coker
is going to give me the boxes when I pay him $18,750? d) How can I guarantee my own personal safety?'
Dr Akubueze responded sounding very annoyed and telling me that he was bringing the money back to Nigeria.

Various emails wne backwards and forwards...next significant development.

2nd July 2002 - I sent an email saying where is my money? If they don't respond I will deem it as theft of my $15.2m and go to the Police.

16th July 2002 - I get an email from Dr Dokugbe George (dokugbe@yahoo.co.in) stating he is a colleague of Dr Akubueze and he is on the case!

1st August 2002 - I receive an email from Dr Dokugbe saying that I will be paid by an agent in Canada.

12th August 2002 - I receive an email from Mr Bello, saying you have the money now, send him his cut.

16th August 2002 - I receive a fax from a Mr John Okonkwo giving me details or a Mr Mattew Mbose who works for the company in Canada.

21st August 2002 - I receive and email from Dr Dokugbe saying that $1m will be coming from Nigeria and that I need to pay $10,000 transfer charges.

22nd August 2002 - I receive an email from Mr Mattew Mbose (fpc28@hotmail.com) saying I have to go to www.pinnaclebanking.com and open an account so that they can transfer the money to me. Once I have done this I need to let him know the account number.

23rd August 2002 - I respond stating my account number.

23rd August 2002 - I receive an email from Mr Sean Williams (account_manager@pinnaclebanking.com) stating that my account is not active and that I need a minimum balance of $10,000. I respond by saying that Mr Mattew Mbose will deposit more than that into my account to make it active.

24th August 2002 - I receive and email from Mattew stating that they tried to transfer money into the account but the account is not active.

27th August 2002 - email received from a Jack Sanders at Pinnacle Banking stating 'Kindly be advised that, you will have to activate your account with US$10,000.00 (Ten thousand dollars) before funds will be deposited in it for onward transfer to your nominated bank account. Due to the situation of September 11, 2001 in the United States of America in regards to terrorist funding, we received circulars from the United Nations Money Laundering and Anti-terrorism Committee, the American government and the Eastern Caribbean Financial Report Agency, to report all deposit of large amount of money in an account that is not operational/dormant for verification/investigation. In view of the above issue, we advised all our clients to deposit a minimum opening balance of US$10,000.00 (Ten thousand dollars) in the account, so that when millions of dollars is deposited in the account it will not lead to the account/our bank being investigated. This measure is to protect our esteem clients and our bank.'

So the 419 scam is now fully enabled as e-commerce. When setting up the account with Pinnacle Banking you have an option of transferring money into the account using Visa, Mastercard etc. My guess is once you transfer the money into the account, that's the last you ever see of it.

What is alarming is that the Pinnacle Banking website has had a lot of effort put into it and it looks very legit. I am from a dotcom background and about the only thing that slips them up is that the page where you log-in etc is not secure. But this could easily easily fool people. They have obviously spent alot of time doing this and could as easily not run the normal 419 scam, but advertise as Investment Bankers, take your $10,000 and they disappear with it. Or keep the balance showing on the screen as $10,000 and you would never know.

It is also worth noting that the www.pinnaclebanking.com website is currently hosted by NetTuner Corporation, 4465 W.Gandy Blvd, Suite 801, Tampa, FL 33611, USA ip address is 64.29.29.32

People need to know about this as this could easily trip them up!!!

If you need anything else from me please let me know. I am still in 'delaying' mode with them at the moment, so I haven't burnt any bridges and would love to assist in putting these misery merchants away.

Kind regards, XXXXXX