Woman out $400K to 'Nigerian scam' con artists

Vikingod · Nov 12, 2008, 10:40 PM

Janella Spears doesn’t think she’s a sucker or an easy mark.

Besides her work as a nursing administrator, Spears – no relation to the well-known pop star – also teaches CPR and is a reverend who has married many couples. She also communicates with lightning-fast sign language with her hearing-impaired husband.

So how did this otherwise lucid, intelligent woman end up sending nearly half a million dollars to a bunch of con artists running what has to be one of the best-known Internet scams in the world?

Spears fell victim to the "Nigerian scam," which is familiar to almost anyone who has ever had an e-mail account.

The e-mail pitch is familiar to most people by now: a long-lost relative or desperate government official in a war-torn country needs to shuffle some funds around, say $10 million or $20 million, and if you could just help them out for a bit, you get to keep 10 (or 20 or 30) percent for your trouble.

All you need to do is send X-amount of dollars to pay some fees and all that cash will suddenly land in your checking account, putting you on Easy Street. By the way, please send the funds though an untraceable wire service.

By this time, not many people will fall for such an outrageous pitch, and the scam is very well-known. But it persists, and for a reason: every now and then, it works.

Spears received just such an e-mail, promising her that she’d get $20.5 million if she would only help out a long-lost relative – identified in the e-mail as J.B. Spears – with a little money up front. "That's what got me to believe it," Spears said.

It turned out to be a lot of money up front, but it started with just $100.
The scammers ran Spears through the whole program. They said President Bush and FBI Director "Robert Muller" (their spelling) were in on the deal and needed her help.

They sent official-looking documents and certificates from the Bank of Nigeria and even from the United Nations. Her payment was "guaranteed."
Then the amount she would get jumped up to $26.6 million – if she would just send $8,300. Spears sent the money.

More promises and teases of multi-millions followed, with each one dependent on her sending yet more money. Most of the missives were rife with misspellings.

When Spears began to doubt the scam, she got letters from the President of Nigeria, FBI Director Mueller, and President Bush. Terrorists could get the money if she did not help, Bush’s letter said. Spears continued to send funds. All the letters were fake, of course.

She wiped out her husband’s retirement account, mortgaged the house and took a lien out on the family car. Both were already paid for.

For more than two years, Spears sent tens and hundreds of thousands of dollars. Everyone she knew, including law enforcement officials, her family and bank officials, told her to stop, that it was all a scam. She persisted...

Read the rest: Woman out $400K to 'Nigerian scam' con artists | KATU.com - Portland, Oregon | News

Judas · Nov 12, 2008, 10:55 PM

it's a trap.

no actually she's funding those militants...... and crack addicts...

idiot....

IEMC · Nov 13, 2008, 01:12 AM

I can't say she didn't deserve it, honestly.

Someone that stupid shouldn't have money. I just feel sorry for her husband.

GigaWatt · Nov 13, 2008, 02:19 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by IEMC

I can't say she didn't deserve it, honestly.

Someone that stupid shouldn't have money. I just feel sorry for her husband.

hahhhahahahah

, you are probably right, i feel sorry for him too, hahahahhaha

Vikingod · Nov 13, 2008, 04:06 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by IEMC

I can't say she didn't deserve it, honestly.

Someone that stupid shouldn't have money. I just feel sorry for her husband.

Ha! well put.

jimbojones1877 · Nov 16, 2008, 01:15 PM

Wth... feel sorry for the old lady. T_T

Al_Vampyre · Nov 16, 2008, 01:52 PM

So, let me get this straight - this caring , intelligent, religious lady - let one of the "seven deadly sins" (greed) get the better of her. She wanted $20+ million for an initial outlay of $100 and in doing so has ruined not just her own life but that of her disabled husband?

She can have my sympathy for an initial payment of $100...

OmegaRED · Nov 16, 2008, 02:17 PM

She's definitely not your "typical sucker", she's the World's Biggest Sucker.

Her husband has my sympathies and he should be filing for divorce though I suspect he's nearly as dumb as her for allowing this woman to sell off his house, car and retirement savings to fund scammers. I bet had he murdered his wife in anger most juries would have been on his side

What stuns me most of all is that she was warned by F.B.I. agents and still sent money to the scammers. How dumb can you be? To top it all off she's a Reverend...not even gonna go there lol.

Judas · Nov 16, 2008, 07:29 PM

not sure why the fbi didn't freeze the accounts

Dyre Straits · Nov 16, 2008, 09:32 PM

So, the scam actually works, huh?

mike2h · Nov 16, 2008, 10:10 PM

I'm sorry, no sympathy here for either, he had to be involved in the decision making.
vampyre made a good point to. prolly have to get her congregation/whatever to help her out with finances even more now...

**Mousey** · Nov 17, 2008, 01:09 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by IEMC

I can't say she didn't deserve it, honestly.

Someone that stupid shouldn't have money. I just feel sorry for her husband.

lmao

BlueMak · Nov 17, 2008, 01:24 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Vikingod

So how did this otherwise lucid, intelligent woman end up sending nearly half a million dollars to a bunch of con artists running what has to be one of the best-known Internet scams in the world?

Because she isn't.

I don't feel sorry for her, she wanted to scum her way through, no matter the excuses.
I feel sorry for their kids if they have any. Not the best DNA to have inside you.

Cow_160483 · Nov 17, 2008, 08:55 AM

Does any one have her e mail address am thinking of upgrading my PC LOL
She must be the stupidest person ever.

charm_quark · Nov 17, 2008, 10:54 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Judas

it's a trap.

no actually she's funding those militants...... and crack addicts...

idiot....

Thats so true, it goes for the drugs
The thing u start wondering is what on world was she doin, these scam's are old news everyone who is alive(know's a bit of current affairs), there was even an oprah winfrey episode on it (for the women who watch it) .... So u wonder what was she thinkin?

Judas · Nov 17, 2008, 06:18 PM

she wasn't.....

dawgXdenta · Nov 18, 2008, 06:41 AM

I've also experienced real life con artists trying to swindle me. Its all about working your emotions. I chilled with them 4 a bit to see how far they will go and what lies they'll pull outa their ass to make you fall 4 it. The key is they try pull you in ,place you in the palm of their hands they study you a lot while trying not to show it. They'll look concerned, intrigued straight out hollywood actors it really was fun hanging with them.

They soon realised I was "wasting their time" so they got bored and left. Next time however I'll pull them into a con of my own. (sniker sniker) I'll tell em I got money at home under the bed. SMS some of my toughest jok like friends and we'll smack the shit outa them!

Cow_160483 · Nov 19, 2008, 06:45 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by dawgXdenta

They soon realised I was "wasting their time" so they got bored and left. Next time however I'll pull them into a con of my own. (sniker sniker) I'll tell em I got money at home under the bed. SMS some of my toughest jok like friends and we'll smack the shit outa them!

Dude you should invite me to the smacking party

dawgXdenta · Nov 29, 2008, 08:42 PM

Who do you think I meant?

mike2h · Nov 29, 2008, 10:11 PM

i think you meant what you thought that i thought you meant

dawgXdenta · Nov 30, 2008, 12:00 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mike2h

i think you meant what you thought that i thought you meant

I see what you are thinking, mmhhm...

IvanV · Nov 30, 2008, 12:35 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dyre Straits

So, the scam actually works, huh?

My thoughts exactly!

A friend of mine, who's a sucker for on-line affairs, once started cyber-dating a Nigerian guy (or someone posing as one). It went on for awhile, and then he said he really needed some money so he could continue college. Fortunately, she was smart enough to quit at that moment. Sad how money ruins romance.

Nov 12, 2008, 10:40 PM	#1
Vikingod Int'l Fish Liaison Join Date: Jul 2004 Location: By the light of lamp I sit and type... Posts: 16,187 Rep Power: 109 System Specs	Woman out $400K to 'Nigerian scam' con artists Janella Spears doesn’t think she’s a sucker or an easy mark. Besides her work as a nursing administrator, Spears – no relation to the well-known pop star – also teaches CPR and is a reverend who has married many couples. She also communicates with lightning-fast sign language with her hearing-impaired husband. So how did this otherwise lucid, intelligent woman end up sending nearly half a million dollars to a bunch of con artists running what has to be one of the best-known Internet scams in the world? Spears fell victim to the "Nigerian scam," which is familiar to almost anyone who has ever had an e-mail account. The e-mail pitch is familiar to most people by now: a long-lost relative or desperate government official in a war-torn country needs to shuffle some funds around, say $10 million or $20 million, and if you could just help them out for a bit, you get to keep 10 (or 20 or 30) percent for your trouble. All you need to do is send X-amount of dollars to pay some fees and all that cash will suddenly land in your checking account, putting you on Easy Street. By the way, please send the funds though an untraceable wire service. By this time, not many people will fall for such an outrageous pitch, and the scam is very well-known. But it persists, and for a reason: every now and then, it works. Spears received just such an e-mail, promising her that she’d get $20.5 million if she would only help out a long-lost relative – identified in the e-mail as J.B. Spears – with a little money up front. "That's what got me to believe it," Spears said. It turned out to be a lot of money up front, but it started with just $100. The scammers ran Spears through the whole program. They said President Bush and FBI Director "Robert Muller" (their spelling) were in on the deal and needed her help. They sent official-looking documents and certificates from the Bank of Nigeria and even from the United Nations. Her payment was "guaranteed." Then the amount she would get jumped up to $26.6 million – if she would just send $8,300. Spears sent the money. More promises and teases of multi-millions followed, with each one dependent on her sending yet more money. Most of the missives were rife with misspellings. When Spears began to doubt the scam, she got letters from the President of Nigeria, FBI Director Mueller, and President Bush. Terrorists could get the money if she did not help, Bush’s letter said. Spears continued to send funds. All the letters were fake, of course. She wiped out her husband’s retirement account, mortgaged the house and took a lien out on the family car. Both were already paid for. For more than two years, Spears sent tens and hundreds of thousands of dollars. Everyone she knew, including law enforcement officials, her family and bank officials, told her to stop, that it was all a scam. She persisted... Read the rest: Woman out $400K to 'Nigerian scam' con artists \| KATU.com - Portland, Oregon \| News __________________ *How You Can Help DriverHeaven By Using Digg*

Nov 13, 2008, 01:12 AM	#3
IEMC Neighborhood screw up. Join Date: Dec 2005 Location: MI, US Posts: 770 Rep Power: 53 System Specs	Re: Woman out $400K to 'Nigerian scam' con artists I can't say she didn't deserve it, honestly. Someone that stupid shouldn't have money. I just feel sorry for her husband. __________________

Nov 16, 2008, 01:15 PM	#6
jimbojones1877 DriverHeaven Newbie Join Date: Nov 2008 Posts: 9 Rep Power: 0	Re: Woman out $400K to 'Nigerian scam' con artists Wth... feel sorry for the old lady. T_T

Nov 16, 2008, 01:52 PM	#7
Al_Vampyre HardwareHeaven Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2003 Location: Scotland Posts: 1,532 Rep Power: 71 System Specs	Re: Woman out $400K to 'Nigerian scam' con artists So, let me get this straight - this caring , intelligent, religious lady - let one of the "seven deadly sins" (greed) get the better of her. She wanted $20+ million for an initial outlay of $100 and in doing so has ruined not just her own life but that of her disabled husband? She can have my sympathy for an initial payment of $100... __________________ "Knowledge is knowing that a tomato is a fruit; wisdom is knowing not to put it in a fruit salad" - Brian O'Driscoll - Ireland Rugby Team 2009 Grand Slam winning Captain.

Nov 16, 2008, 02:17 PM	#8
OmegaRED Relapsed Gamer Join Date: Oct 2002 Location: Ottawa , Canada Posts: 5,626 Rep Power: 171 System Specs	Re: Woman out $400K to 'Nigerian scam' con artists She's definitely not your "typical sucker", she's the World's Biggest Sucker. Her husband has my sympathies and he should be filing for divorce though I suspect he's nearly as dumb as her for allowing this woman to sell off his house, car and retirement savings to fund scammers. I bet had he murdered his wife in anger most juries would have been on his side What stuns me most of all is that she was warned by F.B.I. agents and still sent money to the scammers. How dumb can you be? To top it all off she's a Reverend...not even gonna go there lol. __________________ E Penis Specs: <------------- See System Specs Last edited by OmegaRED; Nov 16, 2008 at 02:23 PM.

Nov 16, 2008, 10:10 PM	#11
mike2h DriverHeaven Extreme Member Join Date: Nov 2002 Location: norcal Posts: 6,483 Rep Power: 89 System Specs	Re: Woman out $400K to 'Nigerian scam' con artists I'm sorry, no sympathy here for either, he had to be involved in the decision making. vampyre made a good point to. prolly have to get her congregation/whatever to help her out with finances even more now... __________________

Nov 17, 2008, 08:55 AM	#14
Cow_160483 HH's only cow moooooo... Join Date: Apr 2008 Location: BOTSWANA Posts: 6,687 Rep Power: 280 System Specs	Re: Woman out $400K to 'Nigerian scam' con artists Does any one have her e mail address am thinking of upgrading my PC LOL She must be the stupidest person ever. __________________ Decode! Muhahahahah!

Nov 18, 2008, 06:41 AM	#17
dawgXdenta HardwareHeaven Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2008 Location: Gabz Posts: 1,988 Rep Power: 133 System Specs	Re: Woman out $400K to 'Nigerian scam' con artists I've also experienced real life con artists trying to swindle me. Its all about working your emotions. I chilled with them 4 a bit to see how far they will go and what lies they'll pull outa their ass to make you fall 4 it. The key is they try pull you in ,place you in the palm of their hands they study you a lot while trying not to show it. They'll look concerned, intrigued straight out hollywood actors it really was fun hanging with them. They soon realised I was "wasting their time" so they got bored and left. Next time however I'll pull them into a con of my own. (sniker sniker) I'll tell em I got money at home under the bed. SMS some of my toughest jok like friends and we'll smack the shit outa them! __________________ Today's world is of public opinion and the fates of nations are determined through its pressure. Once the tools for building public opinion are obtained, everything that you asked for can be done. --- Osama bin Laden when relating how global media has the minds of the masses. ______________________________________ http://dawgxdenta.deviantart.com/gallery/

Nov 29, 2008, 08:42 PM	#19
dawgXdenta HardwareHeaven Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2008 Location: Gabz Posts: 1,988 Rep Power: 133 System Specs	Re: Woman out $400K to 'Nigerian scam' con artists Who do you think I meant? __________________ Today's world is of public opinion and the fates of nations are determined through its pressure. Once the tools for building public opinion are obtained, everything that you asked for can be done. --- Osama bin Laden when relating how global media has the minds of the masses. ______________________________________ http://dawgxdenta.deviantart.com/gallery/

Nov 29, 2008, 10:11 PM	#20
mike2h DriverHeaven Extreme Member Join Date: Nov 2002 Location: norcal Posts: 6,483 Rep Power: 89 System Specs	Re: Woman out $400K to 'Nigerian scam' con artists i think you meant what you thought that i thought you meant __________________