Many of you will probably recognize the “Nigerian 419 scam” when you see it. It is an e-mail (or a fax) from a wealthy foreigner (usually from Nigeria, or another country with a less than safe financial reputation) asking for your help in transferring his vast wealth abroad and a promise of huge commissions if you do.

Well, it looks like the U.S. is starting to suffer the consequences of its woes, even with e-mail scams. This letter was received and forwarded to us by an alert Dumbagent reader:

—–Original Message—–

From: Minister of the Treasury Paulson
Subject: REQUEST FOR URGENT CONFIDENTIAL BUSINESS RELATIONSHIP

Dear American:

I need to ask you to support an urgent secret business relationship
with a transfer of funds of great magnitude.

I am Ministry of the Treasury of the Republic of America. My country
has had crisis that has caused the need for large transfer of funds of
800 billion dollars US. If you would assist me in this transfer, it
would be most profitable to you.

I am working with Mr. Phil Gram, lobbyist for UBS, who will be my
replacement as Ministry of the Treasury in January. As a Senator, you
may know him as the leader of the American banking deregulation
movement in the 1990s. This transactin is 100% safe.

This is a matter of great urgency. We need a blank check. We need
the funds as quickly as possible. We cannot directly transfer these
funds in the names of our close friends because we are constantly
under surveillance. My family lawyer advised me that I should look for
a reliable and trustworthy person who will act as a next of kin so the
funds can be transferred.

Please reply with all of your bank account, IRA and college fund
account numbers and those of your children and grandchildren to
wallstreetbailout@treasury.gov so that we may transfer your commission
for this transaction. After I receive that information, I will
respond with detailed information about safeguards that will be used
to protect the funds.

Yours Faithfully
Minister of Treasury Paulson

We just need to see whether anyone falls for it. Frankly I don’t even think it’s a real scam, because it would be extremely impressive if someone were able to use a treasury.gov e-mail address for a scam and get away with it. It is quite entertaining, however.