> > Fortunately my favorites seem to get through...I collect the
> > ones from Nigeria.  I have over a hundred now!  :-)
> >
> They are now coming from the Phillipines too.  Amazing that there are
> people gullible enough to fall for it but
> if there weren't it would have stopped.

Funny you should mention this.  There's a new wrinkle to the old scam that's
worth knowing about.  It's likely to work better than the "send me money for
chemicals to turn blank paper into $100 bills" request.  The present scam
works like this.  You get contacted, just like always, by somebody that
wants somebody honest to help him steal money that's not legally his or
hers.  That part always gives me a smile.  Instead of asking for money to
facilitate the process, the new scam sends you money right up front, big
money, in the form of a cashier's check.  As you both probably know,
cashiers checks become available funds quickly, a bit too quickly it seems.
The cashier's check is accompanied by a letter of instruction asking the
victim to deposit the funds in a U.S. account and, when the funds become
available, wire the perpetrator's share of the money to them.  The victim is
told to retain his share of the money, always a very large share relative to
the limited benefit he has provided.  Funds become available and the victim
wires the money out, comfortable that he's advanced none of his own money
but, instead, has acquired a lot more money by his action.  When the check
comes back counterfeit, the victim finds out just how wrong he was.  He is
liable not only for his portion of the funds, but also for the portion that
was wired out.  Needless to say, he can't get the wired funds back.

This is primarily a direct fraud against individuals.  I get involved when
the customer doesn't have the funds to reemburse the bank.  The bank takes
the loss and the victim loses any credit standing he once had.  Nobody goes
to jail.  The criminal isn't here and, when the authorities get around to
looking in Nigeria, is not to be found there either.

Lee