US Attorney mistakes 419 letter for a submission from a Madoff victim

Destiny sez, "The U.S. Attorney's office submitted e-mails they'd received from Bernie Madoff's victims to the judge handling Madoff's sentencing. And one of the emails that somehow ended up in the pile was the classic text of the 'Nigerian scam' email. The U.S. Attorneys office mistook it for a real email from one of Madoff's victims -- and submitted it to his sentencing judge!"

My Name is Mr. [redacted] but my origin is from Republic of Congo. I have an inherited fund I want to invest in a business in your country with a help of a local. I don't know about what business but I found it wise to invest the funds in your country with your collaboration with me....

Wow, I Needed That (Thanks, Destiny!)

[#1 posted by technogeek , March 23, 2009 7:29 AM]

Darn it, I *still* want someone in the Atty General's office to set up a honeypot account generator. I know they've theoretically invited us to forward these to them, but what I'd like to do is get the scammers actually talking to a cop...

[#2 posted by Anonymous , March 23, 2009 8:08 AM]

@1, yeah right, I'm sure these guys sitting in an i-cafe in fuckin Nigeria really give a shit if they're talking to a cop or not.

[#3 posted by Keeper of the Lantern , March 23, 2009 8:21 AM]

Look...they bothered redacting the scammer's "name"...

Are we sure this wasn't a letter someone received FROM Madoff?!!!

[#4 posted by LB , March 23, 2009 8:40 AM]

This is why US Attorneys should never, ever, ever skim.

[#5 posted by gnosis , March 23, 2009 9:43 AM]

This somehow a zeitgeist moment.

[#6 posted by ukben , March 23, 2009 10:22 AM]

To be fair, most of this sort of legal work is now conducted on text-based searches. So it sort of stands to reason that an email asking about account details and so forth would make its way into the submission. Litigation technology is crazy crazy stuff.

[#7 posted by rjbinky , March 23, 2009 4:00 PM]

Some months ago, I ordered some Viagra on line. Needless to say, it came to me from India, as did months of spam and actual telephone calls. Here's an approximate transcription of one (the last, or one of the last):

(After the Viagra sales pitch, Frank (very heavy Indian accent) and I discussed other drug possibilities, which shall remain nameless. Finally, he quoted a good price on Valium.

Me: Well, I'm not much interested in Valium, because I belong to an HMO, so I can get Valium virtually for nothing.

Frank (after long pause): I do not understand how you can get Valium for nothing.

Me: I belong to an HMO...you have HMOs in India, don't you?

Frank (longer pause): How do you know I am from India?

Me: The Spirits told me.

Frank (very long pause): Yes, I am from India.

Me: The spirits tell me many things. For instance...what did you say your name was?

Frank: Frank

Me: No, it's not.

Frank (long pause): What you think my name is?

Me: I don't know, but the spirits will tell me if I ask them.

Frank hung up quickly.

I wish there was a safe way to fuck with these people.

Roland

[#8 posted by Ian70 , March 23, 2009 4:45 PM]

Do these even come from the country of Nigeria anymore? I'm all for supporting 'tradition', and all.. but honestly. Give the guys in Benin or Cameroon some of the sweet sweet 419 action.

@7 If you fuck with these people, remember to use protection. ;)