‘Nigerian prince’ finally arrested: 67yo American behind 100s of scam emails

[canada-man]

The mastermind who claimed to be Nigerian royalty in order to conduct a well-known ‘phishing’ email scam has been arrested in Louisiana.
Michael Neu, 67, was arrested this week following an 18-month investigation by Slidell Police Department's Financial Crimes Division. He has been charged with 269 counts of wire fraud and money laundering and is believed to have set up hundreds of scam email accounts costing unassuming citizens thousands of dollars.

The scam emails involve a well-known trope that is almost as old as the internet: A person claiming to be a Nigerian prince, or their representative, emails you requesting personal financial information in order to expedite the transfer of a massive inheritance of which you were hitherto unaware.

“So-called ‘Nigerian’ email scams are characterized by convincing sob stories, unfailingly polite language, and promises of a big payoff,” reports the Federal Trade Commission.

"Most people laugh at the thought of falling for such a fraud, but law enforcement officials report annual losses of millions of dollars to these schemes," Slidell police said in a news release.

https://www.rt.com/usa/414640-nigerian-prince-arrested-louisiana/

 

[Nesbot]

Makes sense.

 

[Aardvark154]

I find it staggeringly difficult to believe that he was the one and only person conducting the "Nigerian scam."

 

[LT56]

I find it staggeringly difficult to believe that he was the one and only person conducting the "Nigerian scam."

He wasn’t. This guy was just managing the flow of money in the US. He’s connected to a whole organization of scammers in Nigeria.

 

[Phil C. McNasty]

I'm still holding out hope I'll get my $20 million cheque in the mail some day

 

[AJstar]

I'm still holding out hope I'll get my $20 million cheque in the mail some day

Get in line.

 

[TeeJay]

I find it staggeringly difficult to believe that he was the one and only person conducting the "Nigerian scam."

I'm sure there are copycats after the fact

 

[SexB]

For a while there, I was obsessed with watching videos of people trolling scammers.

This one in particular (https://youtu.be/AuayDyJ1ODI) is hilarious. The scammer continually calls the troll "stupid" and a "dumbass". But he was too much of an idiot to realize that he was being strung along.

What makes this even better is that this apparently took place over the course of a couple of months! There's a whole series of videos. I like to think that this scammer was either on the verge of being evicted or he owed money to some very bad people. Even the most dedicated scammer is going to figure out that they're being trolled and move onto the next mark.

But hey, kudos to the troll for occupying this POS' time so he couldn't rip-off other people.

 

[Aardvark154]

I'm sure there are copycats after the fact

Nigerian 419 scams internet scams have been going on for over two decades.

 

[Born2Star]

I doubt he’s the original. He’s stupid enough to stay in US?

 

[Aardvark154]

Apparently he can e-mail from jail

Hmm, here I received this e-mail today. So apparently he can e-mail from jail :doh:

"Attn: TO You,

I’m Diplomat Mark Wilfred I have been trying to reach you about an hour now just to inform you about my successful arrived Dallas/Fort Worth International airport Texas with your two Boxes of Consignment Box worth $9.5M Nine Million Five Hundred Thousand Dollars which I have been instructed by ECOWAS COURIER DELIVERY COMPANY to be delivered to you. The Airport authority demanded for all the legal back up papers to prove to them that the fund is no way related with drug money, I have presented the papers I handed to them and they are very much pleased with the paper's I presented but the only thing that is still keeping me here is the Yellow Tag which is not placed on the boxes, one of the Airport Authority has advise that we get the yellow tag so that I can exit the airport immediately and make my delivery successful. I try to reason with them and they stated the yellow tag will cost us just $72 Dollars only to get the two tag placed on the boxes as that tag will enable deliver today

Please try and reach me with my number (469) 629-X261 TEXT OR CALL as I can not afford to spend more time here due to other delivery I have to take care of. Here are the papers backing the funds together with my ID CARD as I can accompany you to your bank were you will deposit the fund successfully with these papers. I have i more vital paper with me but I can only present you the hard copy when I reach your house as that it's the diplomatic rules, such as authorization to deliver.

Re-confirm to me your information
Full Name...............
Correct phone number ...........
Delivery Address .............

You can direct the tag fee to our Head Office as they will get the Yellow Tag here for you authority. reply on my E-mail (diplomatmarkwilfred7@gmail.com). GET BACK TO ME WITH PAYMENT INFORMATION USE MONEY GRAM OFFICE SEND THE $72 NOW

Receiver CHIMA GODWIN .
Country Nigeria.
City Lagos
Country Code 00229
Amount $72 US Dollars
Text Question. when?
Answer .today.
SENDER NAME

Regard
DIPLOMAT MARK WILFRED"

 

[mandrill]

Hmm, here I received this e-mail today. So apparently he can e-mail from jail :doh:

"Attn: TO You,

I’m Diplomat Mark Wilfred I have been trying to reach you about an hour now just to inform you about my successful arrived Dallas/Fort Worth International airport Texas with your two Boxes of Consignment Box worth $9.5M Nine Million Five Hundred Thousand Dollars which I have been instructed by ECOWAS COURIER DELIVERY COMPANY to be delivered to you. The Airport authority demanded for all the legal back up papers to prove to them that the fund is no way related with drug money, I have presented the papers I handed to them and they are very much pleased with the paper's I presented but the only thing that is still keeping me here is the Yellow Tag which is not placed on the boxes, one of the Airport Authority has advise that we get the yellow tag so that I can exit the airport immediately and make my delivery successful. I try to reason with them and they stated the yellow tag will cost us just $72 Dollars only to get the two tag placed on the boxes as that tag will enable deliver today

Please try and reach me with my number (469) 629-X261 TEXT OR CALL as I can not afford to spend more time here due to other delivery I have to take care of. Here are the papers backing the funds together with my ID CARD as I can accompany you to your bank were you will deposit the fund successfully with these papers. I have i more vital paper with me but I can only present you the hard copy when I reach your house as that it's the diplomatic rules, such as authorization to deliver.

Re-confirm to me your information
Full Name...............
Correct phone number ...........
Delivery Address .............

You can direct the tag fee to our Head Office as they will get the Yellow Tag here for you authority. reply on my E-mail (diplomatmarkwilfred7@gmail.com). GET BACK TO ME WITH PAYMENT INFORMATION USE MONEY GRAM OFFICE SEND THE $72 NOW

Receiver CHIMA GODWIN .
Country Nigeria.
City Lagos
Country Code 00229
Amount $72 US Dollars
Text Question. when?
Answer .today.
SENDER NAME

Regard
DIPLOMAT MARK WILFRED"

Tsk, tsk, tsk. That's not The Nigerian Prince. That's Diplomat Mark Wilfred. For all you know, DMW could be totally legit......