PETALING JAYA: The Nigerian Internet scam has apparently changed tactics and adopted a London guise.
In a recent e-mail to mStar Online, the Malay version of The Star Online, a con man masquerading as a barrister called Russel Wansfell proffered to conduct a “profitable” business dealing with the recipient of the e-mail.
Wansfell, who claimed to be an American practising law in London, said he had gotten mStar’s e-mail address through the British Chambers of Commerce and Trade.
He said he was the lawyer to a deceased Jimmy Wong who had deposited US$6.5mil (RM24.7mil) in the Bank of America in Rhode Island three years ago when he was a manager in the Shell Petroleum Development Company in Gabon, West Africa.
When contacted, Shell Malaysia said there was neither any record of Wong as an employee nor was there a Shell Petroleum Development Company in Gabon.
In the e-mail, Wansfell said he had been instructed to transfer Wong’s funds to his next of kin upon his demise.
Wansfell said he had failed to find any of Wong’s relatives, and proposed that the recipient of the e-mail be Wong’s acting benefactor.
As Wong’s lawyer, Wansfell said, he was authorised to handle the transfer and the recipient (mStar) would get 40% of the total deposit.
For the full story, go to mStar Online’s website at www.mstar.com.my.
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