Union Bank Of Nigeria they have said we have inherited a large amount of money this should be stoped by the law ripoff Lagos Nigeria

This is what my friend in Lagos calls a "typical 409" scam. What happens is some people in Nigeria with access to computer and the Net have come up with this scam to run on primarily Americans (but it's been tried on the British, too). The letters tend to vary slightly, but they all operate the same way.

It goes like this; the scammer(s) in Nigeria will send an e mail to loads of different e mail addresses. In this particular case, you've been told you've inherited a whopping amount of money; unless I miss my guess, they are also asking you to send them your bank account number, so they can direct deposit your "inheritance" and therefore not alert their government (or a similar excuse).

Another variation that I've received myself - twice - was first an "urgent e mail from a de-throned leader's son". He supposedly was in hiding and loaded with money; but needed to hide the money outside of Nigeria, so the powers that be over there couldn't trace him or his "fortune".

The second letter exactly like this one was a "King's son, who's father was brutally killed", and the son was reaching out to me in total heart-rending despair and desperation. "Oh, please, dear, kind American - PLEASE send your banking information so I can put my fortune in your account! You will be rewarded handsomely!"

I know, I know...but they think it's going to work.

In any event, they are hoping that a few foolish but compassionate people will take pity on the leader or King's son's plight, and/or believe they have an inheritance waiting for them to claim. The people sends their bank account info, and *zing* Their bank accounts are completely wiped out PDQ.

By and large, the "regular Joes" of Nigeria are poor; they would not have much (if any) money left to leave as an inheritance. So it's good that you knew this was a rip off, because this one's been around so long, it's growing mold.

Delete the e mail (if you haven't already), and don't give it a second thought.