Anders Rasmussen 419 Scam

Two years ago I started a thread titled BANK OF SINGAPORE 419 SCAM?. It got good traction and performed well in searching on the particular names involved in the scam, so I hope it may have been helpful to others who received the same message and searched on the names.

Fast forward to yesterday and I got another one, this time by Skype. Here is the text of it.

Quote: Anders Rasmussen

Hello Michael,

Thanks for accepting my request. As you read this, I don't want you to feel sorry for me, because I believe everyone will die someday. My name is Mr. Anders Rasmussen, I am a merchant of Swiss nationality from Grenchen, Switzerland but I’m living in France. I have been diagnosed with esophageal cancer. It has defiled all forms of medical treatment, and right now I have only about a few months to live according to medical experts.

I have not particularly lived my life so well, as I never really cared for anyone (not even myself) but my business. Though I was very rich, I was never generous, I was always hostile to people and only focused on my business as that was the only thing I cared for. But now I regret all this as I now know that there is more to life than just wanting to have or make all the money in the world. I believe when God gives me a second chance to come to this world, I would live my life a different way from how I have lived it.

Now that God has called me, I have willed and given most of my property and assets to my immediate and extended family members as well as a few close friends. I want God to be merciful to me and accept my soul so, I have decided to give alms to charity organisations, as I want this to be one of the last good deeds I do on earth.

So far, I have distributed money to some charity organisations in Lebanon, Algeria, Haiti and Indian. Now that my health has deteriorated so badly, I cannot do this myself anymore. I once asked members of my family to close one of my accounts and distribute the money which I have there to charity organisations in Bulgaria and Pakistan, they refused and kept the money to themselves. Hence, I do not trust them anymore, as they seem not to be content with what I have left for them.

The last of my money which no one knows about is the huge cash deposit of 9 million Euros which I deposited with BNP Paribas bank here in France. I want you to help me collect this deposit and dispatch it to charity organisations in your country.

May God be with you as you help me achieve this last wish for humanity. Please get back to me as soon as possible on my email: rasmussen8@yahoo.com
I have set aside 20% for you and for your time.

Yours truly,

Mr. Anders Rasmussen

Just out of morbid curiosity, I responded with the following:

Quote: MS

Hello Mr. Anders Rasmussen,

I received your message on Facebook. Thank you for your trust in me.

What do you propose as the next step?

Michael Shackleford

He quickly came back with the following, by Email.

Quote: Anders Rasmussen

Hello Michael,
Thank you so much for your response to my message. God bless you abundantly as you show compassion towards me at this final moment in my life. My condition is very critical, the doctor had me diagnosed recently and his analysis proved that I am in my last days. It is really terrible that I could still put down these few words to you. But I plead with you to assist me claim these funds and utilize it for the work of God. Please my dear, I need your urgent response so I can be reassured that everything is Okay.

I have informed my attorney and my bank concerning my intention to donate my funds to charities. Now what you need to do is to email my attorney and introduce yourself as the beneficiary of my 9 million Euros at BNP Paribas. I have already told him that you are to claim these funds and utilize it for humanitarian services in your country.

Below are the contact details of my attorney:
Mr. John Fordham
Address: 42 Avenue Raymond Poincaré,
75116 Paris, France
Email: info@fordhamsolicitors.com
Telephone: +33758099967

Please contact him as soon as possible, he will guide you and let you know how this funds will be transferred to you. God bless you.

Yours truly,

Anders Rasmussen

I looked up Anders Rasmussen. There are a few people with that name, but the most famous one is a former prime minister of Denmark and Secretary General of the United Nations.

I then looked up the attorney, John Fordham. It turns out, there is what looks like a very respectable law firm near Sydney called the
Fordham Lawyers. This, unlike the so-called John Fordham esq. out of Paris.

My main purpose in posting this is for the SEO on the names, Emails, and phone numbers. If you have come across this post as a result of an Internet search, your hunch was right -- It's a scam. The question for the poll is do you agree?

I recently got a similar email:

"I am Gilles Ouellette. There is an unclaimed inheritance with your last name in our bank. Write to my personal email for more confidential details."

The problem was, it was sent to webmaster@simpsonsarchive.com

My response:

"As you must be aware, "webmaster" is a rather popular last name. I am sure it must be someone else. I wish you luck finding the correct person.
Regards,
Simpson J. Webmaster"

try not to piss your pants and take a break in between laughing

I laughed out loud from this line in the first paragraph:

Quote:

I believe everyone will die someday.

Really? Ya think?

Quote: DJTeddyBear

I laughed out loud from this line in the first paragraph:

Trivia Time! Which two people in the bible never died?

Quote: Wizard

Trivia Time! Which two people in the bible never died?

I recall being taught there were three people assumed:

Quote: Wizard

It's a scam. The question for the poll is do you agree?

Aside from the fantastical narrative, the major scam indicator for me is that if he really can't get his lawyer to arrange to have his funds distributed as he wishes, he should be using his final days to find another lawyer instead of emailing random (or perhaps not-so-random) people on the internet.