The Gilbert Murray Chronicles - originally published as scambuster419.co.uk

The Gilbert Murray Chronicles - originally published as scambuster419.co.uk

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Home - The Chronicles - The Astrologer


The Astrologer


In which Gilbert Murray, the finest astrologer in Gypping in the Marsh, attempts to help a bank official from Hong Kong steal a fortune out of a dead Iraqi general's bank account. What will the stars have in store for the hapless "Mr Minge"?

Cast of characters

  • Gilbert Murray - Gypping in the Marsh's very own astrologer.
  • Ming Yang - allegedly Director of Operations of the Hang Seng Bank Ltd in Hong Kong.
  • Barrister Morgan Van - allegedly Mr Ming's Dutch attorney.


From: Ming Yang

To: Gilbert Murray

Subject: RESPONSE NEEDED

Sent: Mon, 17 Jul 2006 03:56:01

Dear friend,

Let me start by introducing myself. I am Mr Ming Yang, Director of Operations of the Hang Seng Bank Ltd. I have an obscured business suggestion for you.

Before the US and Iraqi war our client Major Fadi Basem who was with the Iraqi forces and also a businessman made a numbered fixed deposit for 18 calendar months, with a value of twenty-four million five hundred thousand United States dollars only in my branch. Upon maturity several notice was sent to him, even during the war and again after the war another notification was sent and still no response came from him. We later find out that the major and his family had been killed during the war in bomb blast that hit their home.

After further investigation it was also discovered that Major Fadi Basem did not declare any next of kin in his official papers including the paperwork of his bank deposit. And he also confided in me the last time he was at my office that no one except me knew of his deposit in my bank. So, twenty-four million five hundred thousand United States dollars is still lying in my bank and no one will ever come forward to claim it.

What bothers me most is that according to the to the laws of my country at the expiration of four years the funds will revert to the ownership of the Hong Kong government if nobody applies to claim the funds. Against this backdrop, my suggestion to you is that I will like you as a foreigner to stand as the next of kin to Major Fadi Basem so that you will be able to receive his funds.

WHAT IS TO BE DONE:

I want you to know that I have had everything planned out so that we shall come out successful. I have contacted an attorney that will prepare the necessary document that will back you up as the next of kin to Major Fadi Basem. All that is required from you at this stage is for you to provide me with your full names and address so that the attorney can commence his job. After you have been made the next of kin, the attorney will also fill in for claims on your behalf and secure the necessary approval and letter of probate in your favour for the move of the funds to an account that will be provided by you. There is no risk involved at all in the matter as we are going to adopt a legalised method and the attorney will prepare all the necessary documents.

Please endeavour to observe utmost discretion in all matters concerning this issue.

Once the funds have been transferred to your nominated bank account we shall share in the ratio of 70% for me, 30% for you. Should you be interested please send me your full names and current residential address and I will prefer you to reach me on the email address below:

Tel/fax: +8 523 017 6685

Email: mingyghk02@yahoo.com.hk

And finally after that I shall provide you with more details of this operation. Your earliest response to this letter will be appreciated.

Kind regards,

Ming Yang


From: Gilbert Murray

To: Ming Yang

Subject: Re: RESPONSE NEEDED

Sent: Tue, 18 Jul 2006 11:49:01

Dear Mr Minge,

Can this really be true? Tell me more. If you can back up what you say then I'm interested.

Best regards,

Gilbert Murray


From: Ming Yang

To: Gilbert Murray

Subject: MORE DETAILS

Sent: Tue, 18 Jul 2006 19:05:06 +0800 (CST)

Dear friend,

Thank you very much for your response and your interest in this transaction. I promise to give you my best as far as you are committed to this transaction.

Like I said before, due to this issue on my hands now, it became necessary for me to seek your assistance. I appreciate the fact that you are ready to assist me in executing this project, and also to help me in investing my money in your country. You should not have anything to worry about.

I will do everything legally required to ensure that the project goes smoothly, it shall pass through all laws of international banking. Having resolved to entrust this transaction into your hands, I want to remind you that it needs your commitment and diligent follow up. If you work seriously, the entire transaction should be over in a couple of days.

READ THE FOLLOWING AND GET BACK TO ME:

Firstly, I will want to know the type of occupation that you do and how old you are. You should note that this project is highly capital intensive. This is why I have to be very careful. I need your total devotion and trust to see this through. I know we have not met before, but I am very confident that we will be able to establish the necessary trust that we need to execute this project.

I am now in contact with a foreign online bank. I now intend that you open an account in your name in this foreign bank. The money would be transferred to your account which you will open in the bank for both of us. This is the best way, I have found. It will protect us from my bank.

I want us to enjoy this money in peace when we conclude. So you should listen to my instructions and follow them religiously. Also you have to know that I cannot transfer this money in my name, as my bank will be aware that it is from me. This is where I need you.

As result of this, you will have to open an account in the corresponding bank. I will obtain a certificate of deposit from this my bank, it will be issued in your name. This will make you the bonafide owner of the funds. After this, the money will be banked online for both of us. We can then instruct the bank to transfer our various shares into our respective home bank accounts. I will also perfect the documentations with the assistance of my attorney to give the transaction the legal right.

Before I commence, I will need you to send me a copy of any form of your identification (driver's licence or international passport) and your current address. I want to be sure that I am transacting with the correct person. As soon as I get these from you, I will commence the paperwork. I hope you will understand why I need all these. The money in question is big and I want to ensure that I know you well before I proceed to give you all the details to commence the project. I will also send you my international passport upon receipt of your identification.

I will send the name and contact details of the bank and their website to you so that you can commence communication with them. Ensure that you keep this project confidential, do not discuss it with anybody, because of the confidential nature of this transaction and my work.

Your urgent and positive response will be appreciated.

Regards,

Ming Yang


From: Ming Yang

To: Gilbert Murray

Subject: RESPONSE (WHY SILENCE?)

Sent: Wed, 19 Jul 2006 21:47:47 +0800 (CST)

Dear friend,

How are you doing? I just want to check on you to know how you are doing and also to know if you are still interested to follow up this transaction. You do not have anything to worry about regarding this transaction.

If I may remind you again you are required to send any of your identity to me for my reference beside it is this identity that will be used by the attorney to prepare the needed document for us in this transaction.

I await your response urgently along with the required identity.

Regards,

Ming Yang


From: Gilbert Murray

To: Ming Yang

Subject: Apologies for the delay in getting back to you

Sent: Thu, 20 Jul 2006 08:54:29

Dear Mr Minge,

I must apologise for the delay in getting back to you. I've been away down in London for a series of meetings with the editors of a number of magazines that I write for. I am an astrologer, you see. I write the horoscopes for a number of popular magazines, including Numismatology Monthly, Shtup!, Classic Yugo, Pederast World and Celebrity Gabfest.

As it happens I am currently on the lookout for sources of funding to enable me to realise my dreams and ambitions. It has long been my dream to open up a school of astrology in the village where I live so that I can pass on my knowledge and wisdom to others.

As well as enabling me to pass on my skills to budding astrologers, a scheme like this should be a good little earner: as well as paying for their astrology courses, my students would pay for their board and lodgings for the duration of their courses. I'm planning on making a tidy profit on each paying student.

That's why your proposal interested me in the first place: with the kind of money you're talking about, I could turn my dreams into reality at last.

However, I would be lying if I said that I didn't have a few reservations. You've said on a number of occasions that this transaction is risk free and that I've got nothing to worry about. But surely there must be some element of risk involved here? I mean we're planning to set me up as the next of kin to a dead Iraqi so that we can (I hesitate to use the word) steal his money. That's effectively what we'll be doing. There's no way that can be legal, and to be honest with you, that worries me. Surely we'd be putting ourselves at risk here.

I'm very tempted by the proposal you're putting forward Mr Minge, but I wouldn't want to get myself involved in anything risky or illegal; I've got my reputation to think of. If I got into trouble with the law I've no doubt that the magazines I write horoscopes for would drop me like a stone: they wouldn't want the bad publicity.

I'm going to need some reassurance on this matter. Please get back to me as soon as you can. I will be waiting to hear from you.

Best regards,

Gilbert Murray

PS. I think it's probably a good idea if I consult the stars and see what they have to say about this transaction. In order to do this I'm going to need the dates of birth of you, your attorney and the dead Iraqi. Please send them on to me by return.


From: Ming Yang

To: Gilbert Murray

Subject: RESPONSE

Sent: Fri, 21 Jul 2006 04:42:25 +0800 (CST)

Dear Gilbert,

Thank you very much for your email and explanations, actually I have confidence in your capabilities to handle this transaction appropriately. This I would say is an advantage to both of us, honestly speaking I have no cause to doubt your integrity, however I believe that our individual virtues would be confirmed as we move along with this business.

I would indeed be overwhelmed meeting you in person, perhaps there are lots of other transactions we could have together apart from this. I have been in the financial sector for many years though I try as much as possible to diversify my interests by exploring new frontiers.

Well if I may remind you again, you are required to send a copy of your driver's licence or your international passport. The most important issue is that I want to be sure I am transacting with the correct person. My curiosity can be justified considering the money in question, besides, it is this copy of your driver's licence or international passport that will be used by the attorney to have all the necessary documentations perfected.

I want the funds transferred from my bank before the week runs out. If you really intend to execute this transaction with me it would be necessary to have these sent to me immediately via email attachment. Ensure that you keep this project CONFIDENTIAL. Do not discuss it with anybody because of the confidential nature of this transaction and my work.

I earnestly await your response with the required details.

Sincerely,

Ming Yang

NOTE: I am a professional banker and I expect you to follow my instructions, for the success of this transaction.


From: Gilbert Murray

To: Ming Yang

Subject: You haven't addressed my concerns

Sent: Fri, 21 Jul 2006 08:58:03

Dear Mr Minge,

I have just read your last email. I'm sorry my dear fellow, but you haven't addressed my concerns over this transaction at all.

I stated very clearly in my last email to you that I was worried about the prospect of us getting into trouble over this transaction if anyone finds out what we've done. I mean, what you're proposing to do is actually illegal, isn't it? I'm going to have to lie to the bank by telling them that I'm related to this dead Iraqi. I'm worried that if this gets out we might get into serious trouble with the police. I mean, we're going to be defrauding the bank, aren't we?

How can you be sure that we won't get caught, Mr Minge? I'm really very worried about this. Before I am willing to move forward with this transaction, I will need your reassurance on this matter... as I said in my last email.

The other thing I will need before I am willing to move forward with this transaction - again, as I said in my last email - is the birth dates of you, your attorney and the dead Iraqi, so that I can consult my star charts to see what they have to say about the future of this transaction. I am an astrologer, Mr Minge, and it is a rule of mine never to involve myself in anything new without consulting the celestial bodies.

I must get back to my work - I am currently preparing this month's horoscopes for Banana Collector's World magazine. Please get back to me with this information by return. I look forward to hearing from you.

Best regards,

Gilbert Murray


From: Ming Yang

To: Gilbert Murray

Subject: HERE IS YOUR REQUEST

Sent: Fri, 21 Jul 2006 22:47:35 +0800 (CST)

Dear friend,

I am in receipt of your mail and update. I understand why you need all those details from me. But I want you to keep this confidential except me and you will know about this.

Below are my age of birth and the attorney. Here is the age of birth I found with the document Major Fadi Basem used in opening an account with Hang Seng Bank Ltd.

  • Ming Yang: 09/08/1965
  • Attorney: 21/01/1959
  • Major Fadi was 49 years old before his and the family unfortunate dead

I am hoping to get your next email urgent because we do not have much time to waste in this transaction. Also I will want you to send your identity immediately.

I await your urgent and positive response.

Regards,

Ming Yang


From: Gilbert Murray

To: Ming Yang

Subject: I will consult the heavens for guidance

Sent: Fri, 21 Jul 2006 16:32:55

Dear Mr Minge,

Thank you for your email and for sending me as much information as you could about the birth dates I asked for. It is such a shame that you couldn't find out Major Basem's actual birth date. Oh well, never mind. I will just have to make do with knowing the year in which he was born - the Year of the Chiropractor, I note - and do my best. Of course, without knowing his precise date of birth the chart will not be as accurate as it would otherwise have been.

Still, at least I know your birth date and that of the attorney you are proposing to use. Leo and Aquarius... what an interesting combination, especially when you throw in my own birth sign of Cancer. I shall consult my charts over the weekend and see what the stars have to say about the future success of this transaction. I will get back to you after the weekend, once I have done so.

In the meantime, my dear fellow, you have still not addressed the concerns I raised about the legality of this whole transaction and the possibility of us getting caught by the authorities. I have expressed my concerns to you on a number of occasions now. I would be grateful if you could deal with them by return. For example, what steps have you taken to ensure that the authorities don't find out what we've done?

Best regards,

Gilbert Murray

PS. I finished off this month's horoscopes for Banana Collector's World magazine earlier. Being a Leo, might I suggest that you would be wise to deal with any family matters that might be causing you concern at the moment, rather than putting them off until later? I would also advise you to steer clear of anything coloured green for the next few days... oh, and your lucky number is 4.


From: Ming Yang

To: Gilbert Murray

Subject: RESPONSE

Sent: Sat, 22 Jul 2006 04:20:47 +0800 (CST)

Dear friend,

Thank you for your email and advice you give to me, I appreciate every part of it.

Please do get back to me immediately you have contacted your whom you want to contact but I want you to know that this is confidential.

I await your response urgently after the final consulting.

Regards,

Ming Yang


From: Gilbert Murray

To: Ming Yang

Subject: Good news, my friend!

Sent: Mon, 24 Jul 2006 08:50:46

Dear Mr Minge,

I write with good news, my friend! I pored over my star charts this weekend and I am pleased to report that the heavens appear to be smiling on the future of this transaction! Harmonious aspects are visible in abundance.

Our two signs - Cancer and Leo - seem to be particularly well-suited in terms of a business relationship at the present time. Cancer is of course one of the cardinal signs, and is therefore associated with initiatory, active and dynamic qualities. Leo, being a fire sign, has associated qualities of ardour, spirit and spontenaity which would appear to be entirely complementary. Our two signs also share a long ascension, which can only be good news.

The fact that my sign is ruled by the Moon and your sign is ruled by the Sun is also extremely positive, as is the fact that the fertility of my sign cancels out the barrenness of your own. Incidentally, do you have any children, my dear chap?

On top of all this, the planetary alignments for the next few weeks appear to be extremely fortuitous, as do their positions within the major constellations. Crucially, the planet Uranus is moving into direct alignment with the stars that form the sword hanging from Orion's belt. With the sword of Orion pointing directly at Uranus, I cannot see how we can fail in this transaction; the Gods truly are smiling upon us.

However, it is not all good news; there is a fly in the ointment. Although our own two signs appear to be particularly well-suited, that of your attorney - Aquarius - does not. Aquarius is of course a semi-barren sign. This does not bode well, given the fact that your sign is also barren. Aquarius is also a diurnal sign, which is not good news. And as if that wasn t bad enough, not only is Saturn (the Greater Malefic) moving into the House of Aquarius at the present time, but so too is Mars (the Lesser Malefic).

These are most unpropitious signs indeed, my dear fellow. If we were to embark on this transaction with the attorney that you are proposing to use, I am concerned that the quadruplicity of the resulting quincunx (inconjunct) and its effect on the separating sinister aspect would be in danger of causing severe sidereal refranation. And I'm sure I don't have to spell out to you what that could mean.

However, there is an alternative. As it happens, there is an excellent lawyer in the village - Welsby, of the legal firm Elton and Welsby - whose services I have been using for over ten years. Welsby's a fine lawyer, and very well-respected in Lincolnshire legal circles. He also charges extremely reasonable fees. Most importantly, he is a Taurean, and that sign would appear to be far better-suited to this transaction than that of your attorney, being semi-fertile and related to stability, solidarity and practicality.

Welsby's got the sharpest legal brain I've ever come across. He proved invaluable last year after an unfortunate incident involving a party of potholers who took the advice I gave in a horoscope in Piscean Potholing Monthly magazine (I advised that it was a good time to take risks) and went potholing during a serious thunderstorm, which resulted in severe flash-floods.

Welsby worked wonders in the ensuing court case. Not only did he manage to get all charges dropped, he also persuaded the judge to award me costs against the bereaved families.

I can't recommend Welsby highly enough. Do you think I ought to contact him and see if he can help us out in this matter, my dear chap? I am sure he would do an excellent job for us.

Let me know what you think about getting Welsby involved in this transaction. In the meantime, I have attached a scanned copy of my passport as you requested.

Get back to me as soon as you can. I look forward to hearing from you.

Best regards,

Gilbert Murray

A forged passport incorporating a photograph of Lord Lucan

Gilbert's forged passport


From: Ming Yang

To: Gilbert Murray

Subject: CONTACT THE BANK NOW

Sent: Mon, 24 Jul 2006 19:57:59 +0800 (CST)

Dear Brother Murray,

I am in receipt of your mail. I thank you for showing some great responsibility and trust. I must also let you know that I feel comfortable transacting with you especially after your last email even though we have not had a verbal conversation. Please do not let me down.

About using your attorney I do not think it will be possible for us. This attorney is as good as anybody will think. Besides he is like my brother and he is well knowed in Hong Kong and United States. Brother, I am a father of two children with my wife is with me at home. Brother I do not want you to let your attorney know about this transaction. This is confidential between me and you.

I have sent your details to my attorney who will today put together the perfected paperwork to be sent to the bank for the release of the funds. This should take not longer than a day or two. In this light, I have sent you the website of the bank so you can browse it and make enquiries on offshore/online account opening. I advise you like I said earlier that you open an account with the bank so that once the funds are released, they will be moved straight into your account and the transfer will not attract the monetary bodies, as the transfer be will seen as in-house (same telex type with my bank). You can then transfer the funds in safe bits to your main account for both of us.

Please find below the bank's website:

http://www.caixacata.com

I will await an update. Please do make contact with the bank so that the account opening can be fast. I had to remain awake to get the notification about this contact details, you know the time difference. I call you brother so that we both understand that our trust in each other is that of blood brothers. God bless you for your positive resolve to affect our lives.

Also attached is my work identification card for your reference.

Kind in regards,

Your brother and partner,

Ming Yang

A forged ID card

Mr Yang's ID card


Mr Yang's email included a link to a typical bogus bank website: relatively professional-looking at first glance, but riddled with errors and with a surprisingly small number of pages on closer inspection. The most noteworthy item on the website is the list of charges for opening an account with the bank: depending on the type of account opened, the charges range from 4,500 Euros to 13,500 Euros. Have the scammers never heard of free banking?


From: Gilbert Murray

To: Ming Yang

Subject: I'm not at all sure about using your attorney

Sent: Mon, 24 Jul 2006 15:03:22

Dear Mr Minge,

Thank you for your email. Are you sure you want to go ahead and use your attorney, after everything I told you in my last email? According to the stars, moving forward with your attorney is just about the worst thing we could do. His horoscope just isn t in alignment with ours - his third navamsa looks particularly troubling in this respect - and that could spell catastrophe for us.

I am very serious about this, Mr Minge. The stars and planets never lie... although they can be misinterpreted sometimes, as my experience with the Piscean potholers goes to show. The stars are clearly telling us that for us to move forward with an Aquarian attorney would be sheer madness. I mean, Saturn and Mars are both occupying an anaretic place in your attorney's charts, and that could be about to afflict the Hyleg. And I'm sure you know what the potential ramifications of that could be.

For us to ignore warnings like this would be the height of foolishness on our part, my dear friend. Can I not beg you to reconsider your position and move forward with Welsby instead? I could pop my head around his door tomorrow morning and see if he can help us out with this business. It'd be no trouble. What do you think? Shall we give him a try?

Best regards,

Gilbert Murray


From: Ming Yang

To: Gilbert Murray

Subject: RESPONSE

Sent: Tue, 25 Jul 2006 04:42:46 +0800 (CST)

Dear Brother Murray,

I want to thank you for your effort and update. Brother I want you to know that this is not a friend affair this is business. I have told you not to tell or contact your attorney because this is a confidential.

I think it will be very much OK doing this with the first attorney. Besides if there should be any problem or delay in this transaction it should be you or me although you have already seen this as a successful transaction in future.

The attorney does not have anything a lot to do in this, I only pay him for the document he is to prepare with your details. Brother do not let this be the issue we will be discussing and I will appreciate if this will be the last time we will discuss this attorney issue.

Brother what I expect from you now is for you to contact the bank and open an account and make sure you get the account activated so I can be able to effect on the transfer in time.

Immediately you have gotten the account open and activated do get back to me with the necessary details of the account so I can effect the transfer immediately which will hit or reflect on the account after eight hours.

I await your response urgently.

Regards,

Your brother and partner,

Ming Yang


From: Gilbert Murray

To: Ming Yang

Subject: Against my better judgement, we ll use your attorney

Sent: Tue, 25 Jul 2006 08:50:29

Dear Mr Minge,

I have to say I am surprised to see that despite everything I have told you, you are still insistent that we should move forward with your own attorney. I have read disturbing portents about your attorney in the stars, Mr Minge. We ignore the warnings that are given to us by the celestial bodies at our peril, my dear chap.

Well, you seem to be determined to use your own attorney, and for some reason it seems as if my most cogent and urgent arguments are having no effect. With this in mind - and against my better judgement - I will agree to use your attorney in this business.

But I'm sure I don't have to tell you what could happen if the frictional influence of the sesquiquadrate that could result from our decision causes the infortunes that are due to enter the House of Aquarius to fall within the influence of the Via Combusta in a departing aspect. On your head be it if that happens.

Now then, I had a quick look at that bank's website last night. I have to say, it's hardly the most professional-looking website in the world, is it? Have you seen it? It's dreadfully slow, there are images missing from the pages and there are broken links all over the place. It really doesn't give a very good impression of the bank. As my son, Gilbert Jnr would probably put it, I've scraped more professional-looking websites off the sole of my shoe.

Tell me, why do we have to use this bank anyway? Surely it would be easier to have the money transferred directly into my own bank, rather than me having to open an account with this shoddy-looking outfit. I've been with my own bank, Bartletts, for years now, and they've always been extremely reliable and discreet. I'd much prefer to have the money transferred directly into my Bartletts account. What do you reckon?

I must go: I've got to prepare this month's horoscopes for Protozoan Digest magazine. Please instruct your attorney to begin work on our behalf immediately and get back to me with your thoughts about having the money transferred into my own bank account.

Best regards,

Gilbert Murray


From: Ming Yang

To: Gilbert Murray

Subject: RESPONSE

Sent: Tue, 25 Jul 2006 18:54:45 +0800 (CST)

Dear Brother Murray,

Greetings. Thank you for your suggestion to use your bank. Actually the reason I decide to use the bank I am to provide for you is because the bank is of the same telex type as my bank, hence any transfer between the bank and my bank would be seen as an in-house transfer, this will avoid the attention of certain financial bodies that have strict monetary policies, you have nothing to worry regarding this.

The authorities would simply believe this transfer to be a bank to bank affair and it would not raise eyebrows or trigger any red flags. It is necessary to take precautions on issues like this, and I have to ensure that our interest are protected in this transaction and as soon the funds hit your account at the bank you can then transfer our shares in our respective private accounts anywhere in the world.

I am a professional banker I know what I am talking about and I expect you to follow my instructions for the success of this transaction. I thank you once again for your time and commitment so far on this matter.

Your urgent response will be appreciated and do make contact with the bank and get the account open and activated so I can be able to effect on the transfer within the next few days.

Regards,

Your brother and partner,

Ming Yang


From: Gilbert Murray

To: Ming Yang

Subject: I'm not having much luck with that bank's website

Sent: Tue, 25 Jul 2006 16:02:16

Dear Mr Minge,

I've been trying to open an account with that bank you recommended to me, but I've not been having much luck with their website. Each time I try and enter my information it crashes and gives me bizarre error messages. I've tried five times now to open an account with them, and I've failed each time. It's all very irritating.

I have to say Mr Minge, my opinion of this bank is going downhill faster than a greased cheetah on roller skates. Do you know if there is some other way I can open an account with the bank, other than using their website? Do you have any contacts in the bank I could get in touch with, for example? Or perhaps you could recommend a different bank that we could use? Preferably one with a website that doesn't look as if it was designed by retarded chimpanzees.

Of course, an even easier alternative would be to forget about this bank altogether and use my existing bank account, as I suggested earlier. I reckon this would be far easier for all concerned. What do you think?

How is your attorney getting on with drafting those documents, by the way? I trust you'll be able to send me a copy within the next day or so.

Get back to me with your thoughts about the bank as soon as you can, there's a good chap.

Best regards,

Gilbert Murray

PS. I've just finished the horoscopes for Protozoan Digest magazine. Being a Leo, this month's gibbous moon means that you will probably find yourself spending a considerable amount of time in self-analysis, brooding over all of the things that have gone wrong in your life and that have led you to where you are now. But do try not to be be too harsh on yourself; you can leave that to others. Things appear to be looking up for you on Wednesday, but do try to stay away from anything made of cheese. Meetings and partings may be particular significance to you in the coming week, and your lucky number is 1.


From: Ming Yang

To: Gilbert Murray

Subject: RESPONSE

Sent: Wed, 26 Jul 2006 01:36:03 +0800 (CST)

Dear Brother Murray,

I appreciate the fact that you are putting all your effort to complete this transaction within the useful time.

Here is the bank contact which you can use in contacting them for an account requirement:

Email: info@caixacata.com

Brother you can as well send them an email because I want you to get the account open before Friday so I can be able to effect the transfer first thing Monday morning Hong Kong time.

Immediately you have open and activate the account I will want you to send me the details which I can effect to the transfer to.

I await your response urgently.

Regards,

Your brother and partner,

Ming Yang


From: Gilbert Murray

To: Ming Yang

Subject: I will contact the bank today

Sent: Wed, 26 Jul 2006 10:10:17

Dear Mr Minge,

Thank you for sending me those contact details. I will contact the bank today and send you a copy of the email.

Incidentally, I note that it is a Spanish bank. As it happens, I learned a bit of Spanish a while ago. Emailing the bank will be an excellent opportunity for me to try out my Spanish on a native speaker.

How is your attorney getting on with those documents?

Best regards,

Gilbert Murray


From: Gilbert Murray

To: Banco de Caixa Catalunya; Cc: Ming Yang

Subject: Quiero abrir una cuenta con su banco

Sent: Wed, 26 Jul 2006 10:14:21

Buenos dias, senor o senora,

Me llamo Gilbert Murray. Soy un astrologo ingles de Lincolnshire. Estoy escribiendo a Vd por que quiero abrir una cuenta con su banco.

Yo queria abrir una cuenta en su website, pero no estaba trabajando; estaba roto. Por que no puedo abrir una cuenta en su website - estaba muy fastidioso - un de me companeros (el Sr Minge, de Hong Kong) me dio informacion de su correo electronico.

Por favor, escribame Vd y digame que debo hacer a abrir una cuenta con su banco.

Muchas gracias,

Gilbert Murray


A rough translation of the above email:

Good day, sir or madam,

My name is Gilbert Murray. I am an English astrologer from Lincolnshire. I am writing to you because I want to open an account with your bank.

I wanted to open an account on your website, but it was not working; it was broken. Because I could not open an account on your website - it was very irritating - one of my colleagues (Mr Minge, from Hong Kong) gave me information about your email address.

Please write to me and tell me what I must do to open an account with your bank.

Many thanks,

Gilbert Murray


From: Ming Yang

To: Gilbert Murray

Subject: BE SERIOUS ABOUT THIS MATTER PLEASE

Sent: Wed, 26 Jul 2006 18:29:27 +0800 (CST)

Dear Brother Murray,

I am in receipt of your mail and update. I have read and understand all your email but I will advise you to be serious about this transaction. Do not send me any email with Spanish again because I do not understand Spanish.

What you are to hurry about now is for you to contact the bank and set up an account for the transfer of the funds.

I await your response urgently.

Regards,

Your brother and partner,

Ming Yang


From: Gilbert Murray

To: Ming Yang

Subject: My email to the bank

Sent: Wed, 26 Jul 2006 14:59:40

Dear Mr Minge,

You may not understand Spanish - and I wouldn t expect you to, coming from Hong Kong as you do - but seeing as the Banco de Caixa Catalunya is a Spanish bank, whoever reads my email at the bank will certainly understand what I was saying to them.

I thought that it would be courteous to write to the people at the Spanish bank in their own language. To write to them in English and to expect them to understand my email would have been rude. I only wish that I knew some Catalan so that I could have written to them in what must be their first native tongue rather than in Castillian.

I have to say Mr Minge, I don t take kindly to you telling me to be serious about this matter. I am extremely serious about this matter. This money means a lot to me: it will enable me to realise my dreams. I would thank you not to address me in such an insolent manner again.

Anyway, not to worry. As you have seen, I have emailed the bank and asked them for information on how to set up a bank account with them. No doubt they will respond to my email in the very near future. I will keep you informed of developments.

Best regards,

Gilbert Murray

PS. For the third time of asking, how is your attorney getting on with those documents?


From: Ming Yang

To: Gilbert Murray

Subject: THANK YOU FOR YOUR EFFORT

Sent: Wed, 26 Jul 2006 23:37:39 +0800 (CST)

Dear Brother Murray,

Thank you for your email and your effort so far on this transaction. Brother I will be waiting to receive any more details from you about the account you are to set up.

I await your response.

Regards,

Your brother and partner,

Ming Yang


From: Gilbert Murray

To: Banco de Caixa Catalunya; Cc: Ming Yang

Subject: Responda Vd a mi correo electronico, por favor

Sent: Thu, 27 Jul 2006 09:14:27

Buenos dias, senor o senora,

Estoy decepcionado a ver que no ha respondido al correo electronico que te envi ayer.

Responda Vd a mi correo electronico hoy, por favor: debo abrir una cuenta con su banco pronto. Es muy importante. Comprende Vd?

Estoy esperando por su repuesta.

Muchas gracias,

Gilbert Murray


A rough translation of the above email:

Good day, sir or madam,

I am disappointed to see that you have not responded to the email I sent to you yesterday.

Please reply to my email today: I need to open an account with your bank soon. It is very important. Do you understand?

I am waiting for your reply.

Many thanks,

Gilbert Murray


From: Gilbert Murray

To: Ming Yang

Subject: I haven't heard a word from that Spanish bank yet

Sent: Thu, 27 Jul 2006 09:17:03

Dear Mr Minge,

I haven't heard a word from that Spanish bank yet. It's been a whole day since I emailed them. Surely any bank worth its salt would have got back to me by now.

Anyway, as you'll have seen, I've just sent them an email asking them why they haven't responded to the email I sent to them yesterday and asking them to get back to me quickly. I have told them that it is very important that I open an account with their bank as soon as possible.

It's very irritating that they're delaying this transaction. I'll tell you what, Mr Minge. Let's give them until the end of the day to get back to me. If I haven't heard from them by the end of the day, I suggest we forget about this Spanish bank and have the money transferred directly into my own bank account. That way their typically Spanish manana attitude needn't cause us any more delays. What do you reckon?

I must go: I have to prepare this month's horoscopes for Hatstands Today magazine. I'll let you know as soon as I hear from the bank.

Best regards,

Gilbert Murray


From: Ming Yang

To: Gilbert Murray

Subject: RESPONSE

Sent: Thu, 27 Jul 2006 16:45:02 +0800 (CST)

Dear Brother Murray,

Thank you for your email and and effort so far on this transaction. Brother I will appreciate if you can browse the bank website and register for an account opening.

I am a professional banker and I know what I am saying. You should apply for an account opening yourself in the bank website rather than sending them a lot of email.

Brother do act fast because it may work that way. If you want us to transfer the whole into your account it will be degerious (sic) which I do not accept. Beside you will need to pay the attorney again for some transfer document that he will need to prepare.

I await your response.

Regards,

Your brother and partner,

Ming Yang


From: Gilbert Murray

To: Ming Yang

Subject: I still can't get that website to work

Sent: Thu, 27 Jul 2006 10:14:35

Dear Mr Minge,

I have just tried again to open an account using that bank's execrable website and it's still no good; all I get are error messages. It even managed to crash my computer. It's no good; I just can't get it to work.

I have to say, my opinion of this bank is getting worse all the time. Not only do they have a website that looks as if it's been designed by a lobotomised loris, they don't even have the decency to respond to my emails. Do they want my business or not?

And what's all this nonsense about have to pay the attorney to draw up another transfer document? How can that be? If he's drawn up the transfer document already it can't possibly refer to any bank account specifically, because I haven't opened one yet.

I repeat, I am giving this Spanish bank until the end of the day to get back to me. If they haven't responded to my emails by then, I suggest we move forward with another bank... such as my own.

Best regards,

Gilbert Murray


From: Banco de Caixa Catalunya

To: Gilbert Murray

Subject: Account Opening Clarification

Sent: Thu, 27 Jul 2006 02:59:20 -0700 (PDT)

Dear Sir,

We have received your email and the content well understood. Be informed that you need to log onto our website and click on Apply For Account, fill the spaces provide and click on Submit after filling the form.

Once we receive your application it will be processed and you will hear from us.

Customer Service


From: Ming Yang

To: Gilbert Murray

Subject: CALL THE BANK

Sent: Thu, 27 Jul 2006 17:56:49 +0800 (CST)

Dear Brother Murray,

Thank you for your email, I will want you to call the bank by phone now to see how serious you really are.

Because the bank website here in my computer is quite OK. I do not see anything wrong with it or error.

Do call the bank by phone and get back to me with what they said.

I await your urgent response.

Regards,

Your brother and partner,

Ming Yang


From: Gilbert Murray

To: Banco de Caixa Catalunya; Cc: Ming Yang

Subject: Muchas gracias por su correo electronico

Sent: Thu, 27 Jul 2006 13:36:17

Buenos dias, senor o senora,

Thank you for your email. Better late than never, I suppose. Thank you also for writing to me in English. Vd es muy amable.

I understand that you want me to open an account using your website. However, if you go back and read the email I sent to you yesterday again, you will see that I cannot open an account using your website; every time I try to do so I get nothing but error messages. Sometimes my computer even crashes.

This may be a problem with your website, or it may be a problem with my computer. I don't know. However, surely I can open an account without having to go through your appalling website. Simply respond to this email and tell me exactly what personal information you require from me in order to open account. I will send you that information by email, and then you can open an account for me. Comprende?

Please get back to me as soon as you can and let me know what information you need from me.

I look forward to hearing from you.

Best regards,

Gilbert Murray

PS. If you don't mind me saying so, perhaps you might like to consider getting someone in to redesign your website? I've never come across a bank with such an appalling website in all my life. It really doesn't reflect well on your bank; in fact, it makes you look like a bunch of rank amateurs, rather than the professional bankers that you undoubtedly are.


From: Gilbert Murray

To: Ming Yang

Subject: The bank has been in touch

Sent: Thu, 27 Jul 2006 13:42:49

Dear Mr Minge,

Panic over, my dear fellow: the bank has been in touch. I don't know what took them so long to get respond to my email. Perhaps it was their siesta time... or they could have been having one of their many donkey-torturing festivals.

Anyway, whatever the reason for their delay in responding, that doesn't matter now. As you'll have seen, I've responded to the email they sent me and told them again that their website doesn't work on my computer for some reason. I've asked them to send me an email telling me exactly what information they need to open an account on my behalf. Hopefully they will get back to me before the end of the day, and then we can start making some progress.

By the way, you still haven't sent me a copy of the documents that the attorney has drawn up. Please scan them in and send me a copy by return, my friend.

I will let you know as soon as I hear back from the bank.

Best regards,

Gilbert Murray

PS. I've just finished the horoscopes for Hatstands Today magazine. Being a Leo, now is the time to sort out any problems you have in your personal relationships. The time for prevarication is over: the impending ascension of Venus into the House of Leo means that this is the time for action. Be wary of looking gift horses in the mouth around the 30th: things may not be all that they seem. The colour that best matches your aura at the moment is brown, and your lucky number is 9.


From: Ming Yang

To: Gilbert Murray

Subject: RESPONSE

Sent: Fri, 28 Jul 2006 01:04:45 +0800 (CST)

Dear Brother Murray,

I was so happy to hear that the bank have contacted you. Brother I will be waiting to receive the next feedback from you which you will receive from the bank.

Once again I appreciate all your effort so far on this transaction.

I await response.

Regards,

Your brother and partner,

Ming Yang


From: Ming Yang

To: Gilbert Murray

Subject: RESPONSE

Sent: Sat, 29 Jul 2006 18:08:57 +0800 (CST)

Dear Brother Murray,

How are you doing? I have not heard from you for some time now. I will want an update from you regarding the account set up.

Brother do act fast from your side so I can be able to effect on the transfer.

I await your response.

Regards,

Your brother and partner,

Ming Yang


From: Gilbert Murray

To: Ming Yang

Subject: I'm still waiting for the bank to get back to me

Sent: Sat, 29 Jul 2006 13:18:33

Dear Mr Minge,

I'm sorry for the delay, but I'm still waiting for the bank to get back to me and let me know what information they need from me in order to open a bank account with them.

As it's now the weekend I don't expect to hear anything from them until Monday at the earliest. Let's hope they get in touch with me then.

I'm really not impressed with their customer service. It's almost as if they don't actually want my business. Well, if they haven't got in touch with me by the end of Monday, I'm going to give up on them. We'll have to have the money transferred directly into my existing bank account instead.

Best regards,

Gilbert Murray

PS. Where are those documents that the attorney has drawn up? I want to see them. Send me a copy at once.


From: Ming Yang

To: Gilbert Murray

Subject: RESPONSE

Sent: Sun, 30 Jul 2006 00:38:23 +0800 (CST)

Dear Brother Murray,

Thank you for getting back to me in time. I hope they contact you by Monday.

I await to hear from you till then.

Regards,

Your brother and partner,

Ming Yang


From: Gilbert Murray

To: Banco de Caixa Catalunya; Cc: Ming Yang

Subject: You have until the end of the day to respond to my query

Sent: Mon, 31 Jul 2006 08:55:39

Dear Sir/Madam,

I have asked you a number of times now to tell me precisely what information you need from me in order to open an account with your bank.

Your lack of a positive response is mystifying. I am planning to invest a large sum of money in your bank. Do you want my business or not?

If you do indeed want my business, you will respond to my email before the end of today so that we can make some progress. If I have not heard from you by the end of the day I will be taking my business elsewhere - to a bank that has some concept of what 'customer service' actually means.

Best regards,

Gilbert Murray


From: Ming Yang

To: Gilbert Murray

Subject: DO AS THE BANK HAS ORDER YOU TO

Sent: Mon, 31 Jul 2006 18:33:07 +0800 (CST)

Dear Brother Murray,

I am in receipt of your mail and update. Brother I want you to act as the bank has ordered you to. Just open the bank website and fill the registration form for a new account opening.

I am sure they will contact you on what they need. Remember this is a bank and they have their own policy.

Do browse the website and fill the form for account opening. I await your response urgently.

Regards,

Your brother and partner,

Ming Yang


From: Gilbert Murray

To: Ming Yang

Subject: How many times do I have to tell you this?

Sent: Mon, 31 Jul 2006 12:05:28

Dear Mr Minge,

I CAN'T OPEN ACCOUNT USING THE BANK'S WEBSITE BECAUSE IT DOESN'T WORK ON MY COMPUTER.

For pity's sake, how many times do I have to tell you this? I am starting to feel like a stuck record. I don't know whether there's a problem with the bank's website or with my computer, but regardless of where the problem lies, the fact remains that I CAN'T OPEN AN ACCOUNT USING THEIR WEBSITE.

I am sick and tired of all this hassle that the bank is causing us. They are delaying this whole transaction. What on earth is the bank's problem? Why haven't they got back to me?

You say they have their own policy... I'm starting that you're right about that. Their policy seems to consist entirely of sitting on their fat backsides doing absolutely bugger all in response to enquiries from prospective customers.

And as for you, I can t for the life of me understand why you are so determined to stick with such a pathetically useless bank. It just doesn't make sense.

You may be willing to sit around twiddling your thumbs for day after day while some bunch of Iberian indolents delay us time and time again, but I am not. I repeat, if they haven't got back to me by the end of the day with the information they need from me in order to open a bank account, I will refuse to do business with them and we will have to use another bank. It's as simple as that.

You're a banker, Mr Minge. You must have contacts in the banking world. I suggest that you do what you can today to get in touch with these Spanish sloths and poke them into action.

I will be waiting.

Best regards,

Gilbert Murray


From: Ming Yang

To: Gilbert Murray

Subject: RESPONSE

Sent: Tue, 01 Aug 2006 02:24:35 +0800 (CST)

Dear Brother Murray,

Thank you for your email and suggestion. Brother let us just wait for the bank to contact. If they did not I will see what I can do about changing of bank.

Regards,

Your brother and partner,

Ming Yang


From: Gilbert Murray

To: Ming Yang

Subject: Details of my bank account

Sent: Tue, 01 Aug 2006 08:42:52

Dear Mr Minge,

Well, I didn't hear a word back from those Catalan cretins at the bank yesterday. As they have shown that they are obviously not interested in doing business with me, I am no longer interested in doing business with them.

So, now that we are no longer having anything to do with those sherry-drinking simpletons, here are the details of my own bank account instead. Please make arrangements to transfer the money directly into it:

  • Bank Account Name: Gilbert Arnold Murray
  • Bank Account Number: 74053275
  • Sort Code: 21-38-19
  • Account Holding Bank: Bartletts Bank PLC, 14 Slocombe Street, Lincoln, Lincolnshire, UK

Please get back to me to confirm that you will make the necessary arrangements forthwith: I am fast losing patience. If it hadn't been for your dogged insistence that we should use those dunderheaded Don Quixotes, we would have had this money transferred by now.

Get back to me as soon as you can. I look forward to hearing from you.

Best regards,

Gilbert Murray

PS. When are you going to send on those documents that your attorney has drawn up? I've asked you for them time and time again. Have you been reading my emails properly?


From: Ming Yang

To: Gilbert Murray

Subject: RESPONSE

Sent: Tue, 01 Aug 2006 16:41:06 +0800 (CST)

Dear Brother Murray,

I am in receipt of your mail and update. Remember I told you that we cannot use any local bank account. We have to use an online account because that Spain online bank have the same telex type with my bank.

But I talk to the attorney about transferring the funds to a local bank, if it might cause any trouble. He said yes, but he can help us prepare some document which he we submit at my bank for the release of the funds to his client which will be you.

But he said that might cost us 3,000 Euros for attorney fee and document preparations. Brother I want you to know that I am totally out of funds for such payment that I am trying to have patience with the Spain bank for the account.

Brother if you think it will be better for us to use the attorney to transfer it direct it will be you who will take care of the charges because I have spent a lot of money preparing the first document with your details and I have to pay for taxes too.

I want you to know that everything is currently on your hands right now. So brother do not let me down at this moment of a better opportunity. And I will not let you down too.

Regards,

Your brother and partner,

Ming Yang


From: Gilbert Murray

To: Ming Yang

Subject: That sounds more like it

Sent: Tue, 01 Aug 2006 10:04:22

Dear Mr Minge,

Thank you for your email. That sounds more like it: I knew there had to be some way of transferring the money directly into my own bank account. Anything would be better than getting ourselves involved with that bunch of bullfighting buffoons at that useless Spanish bank. The way things were going with them, it'd be Christmas before we got the money transferred.

If it costs a bit of money to have the fund transferred into my own bank account, then so be it. You need a speculum to accumulate, as my wife's gynaecologist used to say. It ll be worth it in the end... and we'll have the satisfaction of knowing that we don't have to rely on those paella-eating poltroons.

Besides, any fees we have to pay in order to get our hands on that money sooner will be more than outweighed by the extra interest we ll earn.

Kindly instruct your attorney to prepare the necessary documentation at once, Mr Minge: we've put up with enough delays over the past week, thanks to that Spanish bank.

You get the ball rolling at your end, Mr Minge, and send those documents to me as soon as they're ready. I'll be busy today preparing this month's horoscopes for Pre-Teen Jailbait magazine, but I'll be waiting to hear back from you.

Best regards,

Gilbert Murray


From: Ming Yang

To: Gilbert Murray

Subject: RESPONSE

Sent: Tue, 01 Aug 2006 16:41:06 +0800 (CST)

Dear Brother Murray,

I have talked to the attorney but he refuse doing anything without the fee payment. Beside he needs some details from you.

You can contact him through these contacts:

  • Dean Morgan Van Chambers
  • Barrister Morgan Van
  • Joop Geesinkweg 901-999, 1096 AZ, Amsterdam, Netherlands
  • Telephone: +31 (0)84 721 3990 (office)
  • Fax: + 31 (0)84 721 3990
  • Email: barrister_morgan_van@yahoo.com

Brother I want you to do everything fast from your side to get the attorney settled for the preparation of the documents.

I await your response.

Regards,

Your brother and partner,

Ming Yang


From: Gilbert Murray

To: Ming Yang

Subject: I'll get in touch with the attorney straight away

Sent: Wed, 02 Aug 2006 08:55:15

Dear Mr Minge,

Thank you for sending me your attorney's details. I'll get in touch with him straight away.

I have to ask, given the fact that you're based in Hong Kong, why on earth are you using a Dutch attorney? The difference in time zones must make it very inconvenient when you have to get in touch with one another. Aren't there any decent attorneys you could have used in Hong Kong?

Well, I suppose you must know what you're doing... even if it doesn't make an awful lot of sense to me.

Anyway, I'll get back to you when I've got an update.

Best regards,

Gilbert Murray

PS. I completed this month's horoscopes for Pre-Teen Jailbait magazine yesterday. Being a Leo, the fact that Neptune is casimi and that Jupiter is combust at the moment means that good fortune should be coming your way towards the end of the week. However, the rather fluid state of Uranus at the moment means that you should avoid all fibrous food until after the weekend. Your lucky number is unfortunately not expressible as the quotient of two integers.


From: Gilbert Murray

To: Barrister Morgan Van; Cc: Ming Yang

Subject: Regarding the late Major Fadi Basem's fortune

Sent: Wed, 02 Aug 2006 08:59:20

Dear Mr Chambers,

I have been given your details by a business associate of mine - Mr Minge, the Director of Operations at the Hang Seng Bank Ltd in Hong Kong. I gather that you are his attorney and that you have been working for Mr Minge and myself regarding the fortune left behind by the late Major Fadi Basem.

Mr Minge and I are trying to arrange for the transfer of Major Basem's fortune into my own bank account. He told me yesterday that in order for us to do this, you will need to prepare a number of documents and that this would cost approximately 3,000 Euros. Mr Minge also told me that you required some information from me in order to prepare the documents, but he didn't specify exactly what.

Please get back to me by return and let me know exactly what information it is that you need from me, and I will do my best to provide it to you.

Best regards,

Gilbert Murray


From: Barrister Morgan Van

To: Gilbert Murray

Subject: FROM DEAN MORGAN VAN CHAMBERS

Sent: Wed, 02 Aug 2006 13:29:37 -0700 (PDT)

Joop Geesinkweg 901-999
1096 AZ Amsterdam
Netherlands

Attn: Mr Gilbert Murray

Dear Sir,

This is to inform you on behalf of staff and members of Dean Morgan Van Chambers that your email was received and well understand and I want to assure you that everything regarding your transaction with Mr Ming Yang would soon be ending successfully, if only you act diligently to my instructions and guidelines. Mr Ming Yang concerning you has duly contacted me.

I would like to introduce myself to you; I am Barrister Morgan Van, the financial adviser to the Holland Stock Market and also the legal advice to Mr Ming Yang of Hang Sang Bank Ltd (sic), Hong Kong. It is my pleasure to notify you that after my careful findings, it is very necessary that the funds involved in this transaction has to be transferred directly in safe bits to your local account in your country. The reason is because it would be well mobilised by you and also preventing high the rate of taxation so you do not really need to set up any online bank account.

At exactly 10am Monday morning (2nd August 2006), a formal application stating your position regarding the funds was faxed to Hang Sang Bank Ltd as instructed by Mr Ming Yang for verification and these are the verification findings that were out listed to me by the bank and we need to make sure that we try our best to suit their requirement before the stipulated time.

Also I want you to know that in addition to the certificate that puts you as the next of kin to the late Major Fadi (beneficiary certificate) I will need to prepare the following documents that will assist in your speedy acquiring of the loan, get a legal backing to your physical possession of the document and request for financial assistance. The documents are:

  1. Beneficiary certificate
  2. Legal authorisation for financial aid
  3. Funds transfer slip
  4. Bank authorisation slip
  5. Ownership authorisation slip

Let me also inform you that for item (1) through (5), you are required to pay a fee of 3,000 Euros (three thousand Euros) would be required from you immediately to start documentations. You will need to act fast so by Monday 8th 2006 the funds would be wired into your account immediately after the final verification on Saturday 6th same August 2006.

You are required to send your full contact address and bank details, which will be on the documents of the sole beneficiary.

Below is our receiver's contacts of where you are to send the fee with:

  • Name: EDE EVANS
  • Address: Bloomstraat 112, 1012 HD, Amsterdam, The Netherlands

We await your urgent response as regard the fee so we can commence the preparation of the needed documents, as we really do not have much time to toil with on this matter.

Your satisfaction remains our priority at Dean Morgan Van Chambers.

Barrister Morgan Van

Dean Morgan Van Chambers


From: Ming Yang

To: Gilbert Murray

Subject: RESPONSE

Sent: Thu, 03 Aug 2006 05:07:13 +0800 (CST)

Dear Brother Murray,

I am in receipt of your mail and update. I want to thank you for your effect on this transaction. I am from Hong Kong does not mean that I should be using Hong Kong attorney as well.

This man has been a partner for many years so I know what will be good for us. Like I told you in my previous email I am doing this confidential from anybody from my country. But if you suggest we use Hong Kong attorney which I do not see difficult but I know this will be good for us.

And do get back to me with every email you receive from him for my reference.

Regards,

Your brother and partner,

Ming Yang


From: Gilbert Murray

To: Barrister Morgan Van; Cc: Ming Yang

Subject: The information you requested, and a few queries

Sent: Thu, 03 Aug 2006 08:57:08

Dear Mr Van,

Thank you for your email. Firstly, I must apologise for getting your name wrong. From what my associate Mr Minge told me, I thought that your surname was "Chambers". I now see that I was mistaken. Please forgive me. Incidentally, I'm still confused over your first name: is it "Dean" or "Morgan"?

Incidentally, while we're on the subject of names, please note that the bank that Mr Minge works for is the Hang Seng Bank, not the Hang Sang Bank, as you put in your email. It may be a small point, but it pays to get these things right. As an attorney, you probably know that. Or then again maybe you don't.

Anyway, to business. Having read your email, I have a few queries. I would be grateful if you could answer them by return.

Firstly, could you please clarify what you mean when you say that the money should be transferred into my account "in safe bits", and what do you mean when you say that it would be "well mobilised" by me? What precisely is a "safe bit", and what do I need to do in order to "mobilise" things? Indeed, what is it that I need to "mobilise"?

Secondly, you referred to a fax being sent at "10am Monday morning (2nd August 2006)". This Monday was actually the 31st July, not the 2nd August. On which day was the fax actually sent?

Thirdly, you referred to the possibility of final verification taking place on "Saturday 6th same August 2006" and to the funds being transferred on "Monday 8th". This coming Saturday is not the 6th August and this coming Monday is not the 8th. Precisely which dates are you referring to here?

Fourthly, you referred to the "speedy aquiring of the loan" in your email. What loan are you referring to here? I don't want to loan money from anybody.

Fifthly, what is this "financial aid" you're referring to? I don't want any financial aid from anybody; I simply want to have Major Fadi Basem's fortune transferred into my bank account. Are you confusing me with another one of your clients, perhaps?

Sixthly, you say that a fee of 3,000 Euros will be payable. Is this 3,000 Euros per document, or 3,000 Euros altogether? Whichever, I have to say that it sounds like an awful lot of money just to obtain a few documents. Tell me, what proportion of this money is going to pay for unavoidable court fees and what proportion of it relates to your own personal fee?

Seventhly, I have to say that I am surprised that you are asking for these fees upfront. In all of the dealings I've had with lawyers in the past, not a single one of them has ever asked me for an upfront fee; they have always performed their services and then presented me with an invoice at the end of it. I trust that you will see no problem in working in this way too.

Now then, you asked for my address and my bank details. Here they are:

  • Address: Hemlock Cottage, Cold Harbour Lane, Gypping in the Marsh, Lincolnshire, UK
  • Bank Account Name: Gilbert Arnold Murray
  • Bank Account Number: 74053275
  • Sort Code: 21-38-19
  • Account Holding Bank: Bartletts Bank PLC, 14 Slocombe Street, Lincoln, Lincolnshire, UK

Please get back to me by return with answers to my queries. I look forward to doing business with you.

Best regards,

Gilbert Murray

PS. May I respectfully suggest that you might find that a calendar or a diary would come in useful in your line of work? If you had one, you probably wouldn't have made all those silly little mistakes over dates in your last email. Why not send your secretary out to buy you one this morning? They're not very expensive.


From: Barrister Morgan Van

To: Gilbert Murray

Subject: FROM DEAN MORGAN VAN CHAMBERS

Sent: Thu, 03 Aug 2006 04:20:30 -0700 (PDT)

Dear Sir,

This is to notify you that your email was well received at Dean Morgan Van Chambers. Mr Murray I am sorry about the slit (sic) mistakes. It is my secretary who prepared the email.

I have read your email and it was well understood by me. Saying you can mobilise the funds means you can take good care of the funds without any monetary bodies in England.

I have faxed everything to Hang Seng Bank Ltd. Do not worry about the mistake made by my secretary.

Talking about a loan means that transferring the funds will be seen as a loan in your country but in Hang Seng Bank it will be seen as an inheritance.

I am sorry I cannot do anything right now to finish the document before the fee. You need to understand that this is an organisation so it is the policy of the company. You will have to pay up the fee which is for the whole documents and my fee as well.

Your satisfaction remains our priority at Dean Morgan Van Chambers.

Barrister Morgan Van

Dean Morgan Van Chambers


From: Gilbert Murray

To: Barrister Morgan Van

Subject: You haven't answered some of my queries

Sent: Thu, 03 Aug 2006 13:53:21

Dear Mr Van,

Thank you for your email and for answering some of my queries. However, you haven't answered a couple of of the queries that I put to you in my last email. I would appreciate it if you could send me answers to my remaining queries (see below) by return so that we can make some progress.

  1. You didn't tell me what you meant when you referred to transferring the money "in safe bits". What is a "safe bit"?
  2. What proportion of the 3,000 Euros is going to pay for unavoidable court fees and what proportion of it relates to your own personal fee?

In addition to this, I am even more confused than I was before about this "loan" you keep talking about. You said in your last email that "transferring the funds will be seen as a loan" in my country. Well I don't want it to be seen as a loan; if it's seen as a loan, mightn't that mean that someone expects me to pay it back? I don't want to pay it back; I want it transferred for good. What can you do about this?

Please get back to me as soon as you can and clear up these troubling questions. I will be waiting to hear from you.

Best regards,

Gilbert Murray

PS. I understand completely that the stupid mistakes in your previous email were caused by your secretary. I'd give her the push and get straight onto a temping agency for a replacement if I were you: good secretaries are ten a penny, so there's absolutely no reason to put up with a lame brain like the one you've got at the moment.


From: Barrister Morgan Van

To: Gilbert Murray

Subject: FROM DEAN MORGAN VAN CHAMBERS

Sent: Thu, 03 Aug 2006 08:36:09 -0700 (PDT)

Dear Sir,

This is to notify you that your email was received here in Dean Morgan Van Chambers. I also want to thank you for your past few correction you send to us.

The reason why I said safe bit is because we will need to transfer the whole funds twice safe bit to avoid any monetary bodies in Hong Kong and England.

About the fee, I have knowed Mr Ming for long so I know why I am charging you that amount of fee. The 3,000 Euro is meant for the document and I know after the successful part of the business between you and Mr Ming, it will be your power to pay me for my well done on this matter but I just have to collect the document fee from you for now.

And please no more question because I have other client to attend to.

Any time you felt like proceeding on the start of the preparation of the document you can pay up the fee and let me know that you have done it so we can proceed here.

Your satisfaction remains our priority at Dean Morgan Van Chambers.

Barrister Morgan Van

Dean Morgan Van Chambers


From: Gilbert Murray

To: Barrister Morgan Van

Subject: How should I get the 3,000 Euros to you?

Sent: Thu, 03 Aug 2006 16:59:16

Dear Mr Van,

Thank you for your email. What is the best way of getting the 3,000 Euros to you? Shall I pop a cheque in the post? Or perhaps you would prefer travellers' cheques? Please let me know and I will make the necessary arrangements.

Regarding the questions I asked you, I have to admit that I'm still none the wiser as to what a "safe bit" is... and now you're talking about transferring "the whole funds twice". How would that work? Would that mean that I ended up with twice as much money? If that is indeed the case then I'm all for it.

Also, you still haven't answered my question about why "transferring the funds will be seen as a loan". It's not a loan; it's a bank transfer we're talking about, and I'm not intending to pay the money back to anyone once it's been transferred, so the last thing I want is for the authorities to see it as a loan. Please confirm that you will be doing all that you can to avoid any such misunderstanding taking place.

Get back to me as soon as you can with answers to these pressing matters, and let me know how best to get the 3,000 Euros to you. Do you take Visa?

Best regards,

Gilbert Murray

PS. I came across a woman with the same surname as you - "Van" - some years ago. A lovely woman, she was. She sold camping equipment in the nearest town. Her first name was Kara. I don't suppose the two of you are related by any chance?


From: Ming Yang

To: Gilbert Murray

Subject: RESPONSE (SORRY FOR MY LATE RESPONSE)

Sent: Fri, 04 Aug 2006 14:55:22 +0800 (CST)

Dear Brother Murray,

I am in receipt of your mail and update. I am very sorry for not replying you in time it was due to too many work at the office I have to go asleep immediately I get home.

Brother how far have you gone with the attorney? I will appreciate an urgent response immediately.

I await your response.

Regards,

Your brother and partner,

Ming Yang


From: Barrister Morgan Van

To: Gilbert Murray

Subject: FROM DEAN MORGAN VAN CHAMBERS

Sent: Fri, 04 Aug 2006 00:11:59 -0700 (PDT)

Dear Sir,

This is to notify that your email was received here in this above chamber. Mr Gilbert I am sorry I do not think you are serious about this matter which I do not find strange.

Below are the company receiver's name which you can make the payment to and get back to me with the payment slip. You can send it via Western Union near you or any Walmart.

  • Name: EDE EVANS
  • Address: Bloomstraat 112, 1012 HD, Amsterdam, The Netherlands

Mr Gilbert please do get back to me with your personal cell phone number which I will need urgently.

I have already changed the transfer details of the loan. Do not worry about that. But if you wish you are serious and ready to get the funds transferred to your account at your country do make the payment so the whole document can be finished here then we can fax them to Hang Seng Bank Ltd.

We await your response as regard the fee.

Your satisfaction remains our priority at Dean Morgan Van Chambers.

Barrister Morgan Van

Dean Morgan Van Chambers


From: Gilbert Murray

To: Barrister Morgan Van

Subject: How dare you write to me in such an insulting manner?

Sent: Fri, 04 Aug 2006 08:52:40

Mr Van,

I have just read your last email. To be frank, sir, I found it rude and insolent.

How dare you write to me in such an insulting manner? Is it standard practice within your chambers to insult your clients? The lawyer who normally takes care of my legal affairs - Welsby, of the legal firm Elton and Welsby - has never once been rude to me in all the time I have been dealing with him... and he's been handling my briefs for over ten years now.

If you ask me, Mr Van, you could do with taking a leaf out of Welsby's book. In fact you could probably do with borrowing his entire library.

There is a great deal of money at stake here, Mr Van, so I can assure you that I am perfectly serious about this affair. If anyone around here isn't treating this business with the seriousness it deserves, it's you, Mr Van, not me.

I have been deeply unimpressed with your performance in this matter so far, Mr Van. Let me spell out the reasons why:

  • The very first email you sent to me was riddled with inaccuracies - which you blamed on your mutton-headed secretary. Even if the errors were her fault and not yours (which I am beginning to doubt), no lawyer worth his salt would have let such an appallingly error-strewn email go out in his name.
  • Your first email to me raised a number of important questions, yet when I pressed you for answers to these questions you either failed to answer them, or you answered them in such a cack-handed manner that they raised further questions... which you then refused to answer.
  • You keep on referring to this transfer of money as a "loan", when I have told you time and time again that it is no such thing.
  • To top it all, you now have the temerity to insult me.

I could go on to mention your appalling grammar, your pitiful spelling and the unstudied manner in which you express yourself - I have come across more accomplished English scrawled onto the walls of the village toilets - but I am too polite to do so. I have put that down to you being Dutch.

I am sorry, Mr Van, but I am simply not prepared to go any further with you on this matter until I have received a full and unreserved apology from you for the rude and insolent manner in which you have addressed me. If I receive an apology from you I will transfer the 3,000 Euros to your sidekick first thing on Monday morning. If I do not, you can go hang and I will find myself another lawyer.

Get back to me at once. I am waiting.

Gilbert Murray


From: Gilbert Murray

To: Ming Yang

Subject: I am not impressed with your attorney

Sent: Fri, 04 Aug 2006 08:59:32

Dear Mr Minge,

I am sorry to say that I am not impressed with your attorney. Not only does the man seem incapable of expressing himself with any degree of clarity - his writing is more akin to that of a simpleton than to that of a lawyer - but he had the temerity to insult me in his last email!

As if this wasn't bad enough, the man doesn't seem to have a grasp of what this business is actually about. He keeps on referring to this money transfer as a "loan", which it patently is not, yet despite me trying to explain this to him on a number of occasions, he still doesn't seem to understand. I'm worried that he's going to draw up the wrong documents and that I'm going to end up having to pay the money back!

You told me that this man was "well knowed in Hong Kong and United States". Precisely what is he "well knowed" for, Mr Minge? Is it for cleaning toilets, perhaps? Or maybe for sweeping dung off the streets? Whatever it is he is "well knowed" for, I'd be absolutely amazed if it was for being a lawyer.

I am a man of honour, Mr Minge. I treat all those with whom I come into contact with the utmost respect, and I expect others to do likewise in their dealings with me. Leaving aside Mr Van's other many failings, I simply refuse to do business with anyone who has the poor manners to insult me.

For the sake of this transaction - and given the large amount of money that is at stake here - I have told Mr Van that I will be willing to move forward with him if - and only if - I receive a full apology from him for his disgraceful behaviour.

If the man has the decency to apologise, I will transfer the fee to him on Monday morning. If not, we will simply have to find ourselves another lawyer.

I told you we shouldn't have gone for an Aquarian lawyer Mr Minge, but did you listen to me? No, you didn't. Well if I haven't received a full apology from Mr Van by Monday morning, I'm going to pop my head around Welsby's door and see if he can help us out in this matter.

Best regards,

Gilbert Murray


From: Ming Yang

To: Gilbert Murray

Subject: RESPONSE

Sent: Fri, 04 Aug 2006 21:00:25 +0800 (CST)

Dear Brother Murray,

Thank you for your update. Brother I understand every bit of word you are trying to explain. But I want you to know that we all are humans so let us give him a chance but I know Mr Morgan is good in such matters.

It will be better if you can send them the money by Monday so I can schedule the date of the transfer here in my bank.

Do act fast about everything from your side.

I await your response.

Regards,

Your brother and partner,

Ming Yang


From: Barrister Morgan Van

To: Gilbert Murray

Subject: FROM DEAN MORGAN VAN CHAMBERS

Sent: Fri, 04 Aug 2006 06:27:07 -0700 (PDT)

Dear Sir,

Thank you for your email and for letting me knows that I have offended you without going further on it. Mr Gilbert I am very sorry if I have say anything insult on my last email but to be frank and sincere you make me feel I am nothing.

No problem. You deserve an appeal. Please Mr Gilbert I promise to give you the successful part of this matters and have told you before not to worry about the statement "loan". You will not pay it back to anybody. The money will arrive safe into your account without any error or interferences of any monetary bodies.

Do get back to me by Monday so we can get the document prepared and faxed to Hong Kong.

Your satisfaction remains our priority at Dean Morgan Van Chambers.

Barrister Morgan Van

Dean Morgan Van Chambers


From: Gilbert Murray

To: Barrister Morgan Van; Ming Yang

Subject: Apology accepted

Sent: Fri, 04 Aug 2006 16:44:17

Dear Mr Van,

Thank you for your grovelling apology, which I grudgingly accept. Please ensure that you do not address me in such an insolent manner again. I am paying you to do a job of work for me, not to insult me; I have the wife for that.

I will be away this weekend but will be returning home late on Sunday night. Therefore I will head into the village and transfer the money to your assistant first thing on Monday morning.

Hopefully we will be able to get this money transferred at some point during next week.

Best regards,

Gilbert Murray

PS. Tell me, is this "Ede Evans" a man or a woman? That's not a name I've come across before.


From: Gilbert Murray

To: Ming Yang

Subject: Your attorney has apologised

Sent: Fri, 04 Aug 2006 16:48:57

Dear Mr Minge,

I am pleased to report that your attorney has apologised for being so unpardonably rude to me. As he has done so, I will be transferring the 3,000 Euros to his assistant on Monday morning.

Let us hope that Mr Van remembers his manners during our business dealings next week: if he has the audacity to address me like that one more time I will insist that we find ourselves a different lawyer.

I will be away for the weekend, but I will be back in touch on Monday. Do have a pleasant weekend, my friend.

Best regards,

Gilbert Murray

PS. I have been busy today compiling this month's horoscopes for Cottaging Today magazine. I am pleased to say that the omens look good in the coming week regarding this transaction.

As a Leo, you might also like to know that as your governing body, the Sun, resumed forward motion yesterday, you can expect to experience significant movements in your personal life in the near future. However, Uranus will be motionless next week, so you may find that things start to back up, which may be rather uncomfortable. Take heart though: you should find that things start moving again nicely towards the end of the week. Be especially wary of anyone who smells strongly of beef, and your lucky number is 4.266 recurring.


From: Ming Yang

To: Gilbert Murray

Subject: RESPONSE

Sent: Sat, 05 Aug 2006 01:07:51 +0800 (CST)

Dear Brother Murray,

Thank you for your email and I am very glad you have made a good contact with the attorney now.

Brother we will hope to fully get everything transfer immediately we receive the document from attorney.

I await your response.

Regards,

Your brother and partner,

Ming Yang


From: Barrister Morgan Van

To: Gilbert Murray

Subject: FROM DEAN MORGAN VAN CHAMBERS

Sent: Fri, 04 Aug 2006 15:29:49 -0700 (PDT)

Dear Sir,

Mr Gilbert I want to thank you for finding it easy to forgive me. I will wait till Monday then. Immediately I receive the payment from you by Monday everything will be in good mode and the transfer can take place immediately the bank receives the documents.

Do get back to me with the MTCN you use in sending the funds.

Your satisfaction remains our priority at Dean Morgan Van Chambers.

Barrister Morgan Van

Dean Morgan Van Chambers


From: Ming Yang

To: Gilbert Murray

Subject: HAPPY WEEKEND

Sent: Sat, 05 Aug 2006 19:19:33 +0800 (CST)

Dear Brother Murray,

How are you and your family doing? I hope you all are doing fine. I just want to wish you and your family a very nice weekend. I will wait to hear from you when you return by Monday.

Once again happy weekend to you and your family members.

Regards,

Your brother and partner,

Ming Yang


From: Gilbert Murray

To: Barrister Morgan Van; Ming Yang

Subject: Will MoneyGram be OK?

Sent: Mon, 07 Aug 2006 08:51:26

Dear Mr Van,

I trust that you had a pleasant weekend. I have been thinking about the best way to get the 3,000 Euros to you. Unfortunately the nearest Western Union agent turns out to be quite some distance away from me.

However, the local post office is apparently a MoneyGram agent. Would transferring the money via MoneyGram be OK with you? It would be far more convenient for me.

Please let me know as soon as you can.

Best regards,

Gilbert Murray

PS. I asked you on Friday whether this "Ede Evans" person is a man or a woman. Please let me know by return: I might need to know this in order to make the transfer.


From: Barrister Morgan Van

To: Gilbert Murray

Subject: FROM DEAN MORGAN VAN CHAMBERS

Sent: Mon, 07 Aug 2006 04:36:02 -0700 (PDT)

Dear Sir,

Thank you for your email notifications. Mr Gilbert, it will be good if you can send it through MoneyGram. Mr Ede Evans is the chamber's accountant and he is a man as well.

Do get back to me immediately you have effected the post of the money.

Your satisfaction remains our priority at Dean Morgan Van Chambers.

Barrister Morgan Van

Dean Morgan Van Chambers


From: Gilbert Murray

To: Barrister Morgan Van; Ming Yang

Subject: I will transfer the money first thing tomorrow morning

Sent: Mon, 07 Aug 2006 16:21:30

Dear Mr Van,

Thank you for your email. It would have been better if you could have replied to me sooner - it is now too late for me to transfer the money today as the post office is closed - but better late than never, I suppose.

Anyway, now that I know that a MoneyGram transfer will be acceptable, I will pop along to the post office first thing tomorrow morning to transfer the money. I will get back to you tomorrow as soon as I have done so.

Best regards,

Gilbert Murray

PS. You end each of your emails with the phrase "your satisfaction remains our priority at Dean Morgan Van Chambers". You may like to note that I don't take kindly to my business affairs being delayed by pen-pushing underlings, so if my satisfaction is indeed your priority, it will be better served in the future if you respond to my emails in a more timely fashion.


From: Barrister Morgan Van

To: Gilbert Murray

Subject: FROM DEAN MORGAN VAN CHAMBERS

Sent: Mon, 07 Aug 2006 12:22:33 -0700 (PDT)

Dear Sir,

Thank you, I will be waiting to hear from you tomorrow.

Your satisfaction remains our priority at Dean Morgan Van Chambers.

Barrister Morgan Van

Dean Morgan Van Chambers


From: Gilbert Murray

To: Barrister Morgan Van; Ming Yang

Subject: I have transferred the money

Sent: Tue, 08 Aug 2006 09:55:27

Dear Mr Van,

I have just got back from the post office, where I transferred the 3,000 Euros to Mr Evans via MoneyGram.

You are probably aware that we deal with Pounds Sterling in this country rather than in Euros, so I have actually transferred 2,024 - which equates to 3,000 Euros.

The postmistress told me that your henchman would need the following information to collect the money from his nearest MoneyGram agent:

  • Sender's name: Gilbert Arnold Murray
  • MoneyGram reference number: 68372173
  • Test question: Which planet rules Aquarius?
  • Answer: Uranus

The postmistress advised me that the money would be available for Mr Evans to collect immediately. Please get back to me as soon as the money is safely in his possession.

Now that I have transferred the 3,000 Euros to you, how soon do you think you will be able to complete all the paperwork regarding the transfer of the $24,500,000 into my bank account?

Best regards,

Gilbert Murray


From: Barrister Morgan Van

To: Gilbert Murray

Subject: FROM DEAN MORGAN VAN CHAMBERS

Sent: Tue, 08 Aug 2006 05:12:33 -0700 (PDT)

Dear Sir,

This is to notify you that your email was well received in Dean Mark and Philip Chamber. But the accountant have just arrived from the MoneyGram Walmart and they said nothing like that exist.

So it will better if you checked well or contact the office you used in transferring the funds. Do that and get back to us immediately.

Your satisfaction remains our priority at Dean Morgan Van Chambers.

Barrister Morgan Van

Dean Morgan Van Chambers


From: Gilbert Murray

To: Barrister Morgan Van

Subject: I'm very sorry, I made a mistake

Sent: Tue, 08 Aug 2006 13:55:03

Dear Mr Van,

I am very sorry, Mr Van. I've taken another look at MoneyGram receipt I was given at the post office and I can see that I made a mistake with the MoneyGram reference number.

The postmistress has very bad handwriting you see, and I mistook one of the numbers on the form for another. Now that I have examined the form more closely, I can confirm that the correct MoneyGram reference number is actually 68372193, not 68372173 as I told you earlier.

I am very sorry for any inconvenience this may have caused you. Please pass on my sincere apologies to Mr Evans.

Anyway, now that you have the correct number, I presume that Mr Evans will be able to collect the money immediately. Please get back to me as soon as he has done so.

Best regards,

Gilbert Murray

PS. You said in your last email that my email "was well received in Dean Mark and Philip Chamber". Have you changed jobs or something?


From: Gilbert Murray

To: Ming Yang

Subject: It won't be long now before we get our hands on this money

Sent: Tue, 08 Aug 2006 16:41:38

Dear Mr Minge,

How are you, my dear fellow? As you'll have seen from the email that I forwarded onto you earlier, I transferred that money to Mr Van first thing this morning.

There was a little slip-up at lunchtime when I realised that I'd made a small mistake when I sent Mr Van the MoneyGram reference number, but that's all sorted out now. I'm expecting Mr Van to get back to me and tell me that his henchman has collected the money any time now.

This is excellent news. It won't be long now before we get our hands on this money, provided that Mr Van gets his act together and doesn't drag his heels. Don't you worry, my friend; I'll do my best to ensure that he doesn't take his eye off the ball.

You must be getting very excited now at the prospect of all that money. I know I certainly am.

I must go: I am midway through preparing this month's horoscopes for Fretwork and Treillage Monthly (incorporating Vivisection Today) magazine. I'll get back to you as soon as I've got any more news.

Best regards,

Gilbert Murray


From: Ming Yang

To: Gilbert Murray

Subject: RESPONSE

Sent: Wed, 09 Aug 2006 03:17:08 +0800 (CST)

Dear Brother Murray,

I saw all your offline email message, I am sorry I have not been able to reply to your email for some time now. I was ill and I have not been able to get to the office. I just went to a business place where I send this email now because my computer has developed a fault.

Brother please make sure you get every properly with the attorney and make sure everything went well because I do not know when I will be able to get back to you on email.

Brother everything is currently on your hands now. Do not let me down.

Regards,

Your brother and partner,

Ming Yang


From: Barrister Morgan Van

To: Gilbert Murray

Subject: FROM DEAN MORGAN VAN CHAMBERS

Sent: Tue, 08 Aug 2006 12:27:45 -0700 (PDT)

Dear Sir,

This is to notify you that your email was well received at Dean Morgan Van Chamber. Mr Gilbert I want you to know that we received same complained immediately Mr Evans went for the pick up of the funds.

So I will advise you send us the payment slip you use in posting the money so we can rectify where the fault is from.

Do get back to me as soon as possible.

Your satisfaction remains our priority at Dean Morgan Van Chambers.

Barrister Morgan Van

Dean Morgan Van Chambers


From: Gilbert Murray

To: Ming Yang

Subject: Don't worry, I won't let you down

Sent: Wed, 09 Aug 2006 08:42:50

Dear Mr Minge,

Thank you for your email. I'm sorry to hear that you've been ill. Tell me, was it a physical illness, or some form of psychosis? Whichever it was, I do hope that are feeling better and that you go on to make a complete recovery.

If you remember, I did tell you last week that Uranus would be motionless this week and that it could cause you some problems. That'll be the cause of your illness if you ask me. There, you see: the stars never lie.

You may find that prune juice helps. Just a thought.

I've just had an email from Mr Van. Unfortunately it sounds as if his henchman is having some difficulty picking up the money that I transferred to him. I don't know what the problem is, but don't you worry, Mr Minge; you leave it to me. I'll get back to Mr Van immediately and sort it out.

I'll get back to you as soon as I have more news.

Best regards,

Gilbert Murray

PS. I completed this month's horoscopes for Fretwork and Treillage Monthly (incorporating Vivisection Today) magazine last night. As a Leo, sensual Venusian pleasures are scrawled across your horoscope, but whether you have the time to locate them is another matter. Unfortunately, major disappointments and involvement with authority figures loom equally large. You would be well advised to avoid stepping on the cracks in the pavement, and your lucky number is the square root of -1.


From: Gilbert Murray

To: Barrister Morgan Van

Subject: Here's a copy of the receipt

Sent: Wed, 09 Aug 2006 08:56:33

Dear Mr Van,

I am surprised to hear that your henchman is still having problems collecting the money I transferred to him. The postmistress told me that collecting a MoneyGram transfer was so easy that even a child could manage to do it. I've given you all the information you need for Mr Evans to collect the money. Are you sure the man knows what he's doing?

I've attached a copy of the MoneyGram receipt to this email. I am sure that if Mr Evans prints it out and goes back to the MoneyGram agent with it they will be able to sort out the problem.

I have to say, I'm a little concerned at the thought of my money hanging around in the system for this length of time. I'll be a lot happier when it's safely in your hands. Please send Mr Evans back to the MoneyGram agent immediately and get back to me as soon as he returns.

Best regards,

Gilbert Murray

A forged MoneyGram receipt

Gilbert's forged MoneyGram receipt


From: Gilbert Murray

To: Barrister Morgan Van

Subject: Has Mr Evans collected the money yet?

Sent: Wed, 09 Aug 2006 15:23:19

Dear Mr Van,

What's the current situation at your end? Has Mr Evans managed to sort out whatever the problem was? Has he collected the money yet?

Please get back to me by return and give me an update on what's going on at your end: I'm on tenterhooks here, waiting to find out the latest from you.

As an aside, it strikes me that "Evans" isn't a very Dutch name. It sounds more Welsh to me. Tell me, Mr Van, is your sidekick Welsh by any chance? It'd explain a lot if he is. Come to think of it, the village steeplejack is called Evans too. He's a short chap, with a loping gait and with his eyes a bit too close together. Runs a company called "Evans Above". I don't suppose he could be related to your Mr Evans?

Anyway, get back to me as soon as you can with an update on the current situation. I'll be waiting to hear from you.

Best regards,

Gilbert Murray


From: Barrister Morgan Van

To: Gilbert Murray

Subject: FROM DEAN MORGAN VAN CHAMBERS

Sent: Wed, 09 Aug 2006 14:38:53 -0700 (PDT)

Attn: Mr Gilbert Murray,

This is to notify you that Mr Evans could not pick the money because they said the number does not exist. This is why we use Western Union for our fee receivers.

So it will be good if you can get the money sent through Western Union. It is your will to act fast about it because that we create the time we will start the preparation of the document.

Do get back to me immediately you have made the payment through Western Union.

Barrister Morgan Van

Dean Morgan Van Chambers


From: Gilbert Murray

To: Barrister Morgan Van

Subject: What do you mean, "the number does not exist"?

Sent: Thu, 10 Aug 2006 08:52:11

Dear Mr Van,

What do you mean, "the number does not exist"? Of course the number exists. You've seen a copy of the receipt yourself.

What the devil is Mr Evans playing at? Are you sure this man is competent?

I don't like the sound of this at all, Mr Van. If what you're saying is right, over two thousand pounds of my money is seemingly lost in the MoneyGram system.

I'm going straight down to the post office to find out what the problem is. I'll get back to you.

Best regards,

Gilbert Murray


From: Gilbert Murray

To: Barrister Morgan Van

Subject: Problem solved

Sent: Thu, 10 Aug 2006 10:23:41

Dear Mr Van,

Good news, Mr Van. I've been back to the post office and I've managed to find out what the problem is.

I explained to the postmistress that your local MoneyGram agent hadn't been able to locate my transfer. The postmistress explained to me that MoneyGram are currently in the middle of upgrading their computer hardware in the UK. This has apparently resulted in what she called "internet connectivity" problems, and apparently mine is not the only transfer to have gone missing over the past ten days or so. What this means is that the transfer is definitely in the MoneyGram system - the postmistress showed it to me on her own computer - but it is not showing up on your local MoneyGram agent's computer because of these "internet connectivity" problems.

However, the postmistress explained that there's a simple solution to this. She told me exactly what your local MoneyGram agent needs to do in order to locate my transfer on their computer and gain access to the money. Apparently all they need to do is to initiate procedure MG-RV8 on their computer system, entering the reference number of the transfer that I gave to you. This will apparently give your local MoneyGram agent access to all transfers that have got "stuck" in the system, and will mean that Mr Evans will be able to collect the money there and then.

The postmistress was rather surprised that the MoneyGram agent Mr Evans visited hadn't initiated procedure MG-RV8 already: apparently it is standard procedure for MoneyGram agents when things like this happen. She even showed me the procedure in her MoneyGram Procedures Handbook. She said to me that if your local agent hasn't heard of procedure MG-RV8, they probably don't know their job very well and that they could probably benefit from some more training.

Perhaps Mr Evans ought to suggest this to the MoneyGram agent when he goes back to collect the money. After all, their ignorance of their own procedures has wasted not only your time and Mr Evans' time, but - more importantly - mine as well.

Anyway, regardless of the problems Mr Evans has been having over the past couple of days, I'm glad we've got it all sorted out now so that he'll be able to collect the money: all he needs to do is to go back to the MoneyGram agent and ask them to initiate procedure MG-RV8.

Please get back to me as soon as Mr Evans has been back to the MoneyGram agent to let me know that the money is safely in your possession. I will be waiting to hear from you.

Best regards,

Gilbert Murray


From: Barrister Morgan Van

To: Gilbert Murray

Subject: FROM DEAN MORGAN VAN CHAMBERS

Sent: Thu, 10 Aug 2006 13:23:52 -0700 (PDT)

http://www.gilbertmurray.co.uk/astrologer.htm

You are just being a fool.

I am not involved in your scam.


From: Gilbert Murray

To: Barrister Morgan Van

Subject: So, the penny has finally dropped

Sent: Fri, 11 Aug 2006 08:54:02

Dear "Mr Van",

So, you've finally cottoned on to the fact that I've been playing you like a fiddle for the past few weeks. I see you've found my website. I do hope you found it amusing. Trust me, thousands of people all around the world have been laughing themselves silly reading about your pathetic attempts to scam money out of me.

If anyone's being a fool here, "Mr Van", I'm afraid it's you, not me. I imagine it must have been rather embarrassing for you, turning up at your local MoneyGram agent time after time and being sent away empty-handed again and again. I hope it was suitably humiliating. I would love to have been a fly on the wall when you turned up with the forged receipt and asked the MoneyGram agent to initiate procedure MG-RV8.

Tell me, "Mr Van", have you ever considered going out and getting a proper job, rather than making a living out of stealing money from innocent people? Given your obvious lack of intelligence, I realise that you wouldn't be able to earn all that much, but at least you would be able to sleep at night with a clear conscience.

Maybe when you end up in prison - which is undoubtedly where you will end up - you'll be able to learn a trade which will enable you to get a proper job when you're finally released. You may even end up becoming a valuable and useful member of society - rather than the criminal scum that you are at the moment.

Wait for that knock on the door, "Mr Van". With the mobile telephone tracking technology that's now in use, It won't be long coming.

Your humiliation remains our priority at gilbertmurray.co.uk,

"Gilbert Murray"

PS. It feels appropriate to sign off with a final horoscope. As an Aquarian, the current alignment between Saturn and the Sun means that you will soon be having a brush with the authorities. I hope you like confined spaces, prison food and being raped by large, violent men in the showers, because these are all on the horizon for you. Try to avoid being such a despicable character in the future. Oh, and your unlucky number is 419.


From: Barrister Morgan Van

To: Gilbert Murray

Subject: Re: So, the penny has finally dropped

Sent: Fri, 11 Aug 2006 12:54:26 -0700 (PDT)

I knew you were a fool from the beginning too. I did not go to any MoneyGram office I just track it on net and it was not there.

Go to hell.


From: Gilbert Murray

To: Barrister Morgan Van

Subject: You've made a complete fool of yourself

Sent: Fri, 11 Aug 2006 21:53:33

Dear "Mr Van",

"I did not go to any MoneyGram office I just track it on net and it was not there". Rubbish. If there's a grain of truth in that statement then I'm a Dutchman.

It must have been so embarrassing for you when the MoneyGram people kept on turning you away empty-handed. You must have felt like a complete fool. Mind you, given the outstandingly low level of intelligence and common sense you've shown in this business from the start, you should be used to that.

You've made a complete fool of yourself, and you know it. And the best thing about it is that thousands of people around the world have watched you do it.

It's been nice toying with you, "Mr Van". But now that we've had our fun at your expense, you can go and crawl back into whatever hole you crawled out of in the first place.

Your humiliation remains our priority at gilbertmurray.co.uk.

"Gilbert Murray"


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The Gilbert Murray Chronicles - originally published as scambuster419.co.uk