My personality investigated! By June 24, Dr. Bunyon had formulated an alternate idea. He had a conference to attend in Kenya next month. He'd simply stop over in Lome, Togo, and meet Dr. Boko in person to finalize the deal. This was the American way of transacting business, he insisted.
"Your excuses are becoming out of order sir," Boko replied the same day. But after some initial reluctance, my scammers agreed to the plan.
C. Stiles
The fake Dr. Alassane sent this passport to prove his identity.
C. Stiles
The real Dr. Alassane.
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My mentor, Ostrich, "graduated" me a bit early with his blessing, because in real life, he was moving to take a new job. But other scam-baiters were glad to step in. On the 419Eater forum, members walked me through the intricacies of my flight to Lome. I sent copies of a fake ticket, my silly photo of Bunyon, and my flight number and arrival time. I came up with endless excuses about my passport and visa (I'd had to rush-order a new one; it arrived at the last minute). I sent Boko absurd letters, asking what size suit he wore so I could pack some from my American tailor, along with other gifts like computers and phones. I corralled a friend at work to field a phone call in the character of Dr. Bunyon, so details about my arrival could be discussed. Boko suddenly wanted me to wire a $2,980 advance to a lawyer in Ghana. But I was nearly out of cash, so I told him I had to liquidate some stock. It all required delays.
Boko and Alassane were thrilled. They smelled blood.
Knowing my interest in African culture, Boko wrote on July 3, he had hired a historian to show me around Lome. He had decided he wanted to spend his golden years in Florida. He warned me not to trust anyone but himself and Alassane.
i have received your picture and i am highly impressed that i am dealing with a reputable and an honourary gentlemen and with you i have the whole hope of coming to stay in miami for my retirment. Every arrangment will be made to welcome you as a big customer down here and you will be very happy after the whole transaction. Now about the suit good black or blue or any good colour will be good. i asked the director general about the phone he told me that he will want lap top so anyone that is within your capacity is good. the digital cameras are also good. listen to me very well. you have to know that this business is very confidential ok.
Professor Paul Bunyon never arrived in Togo. Dr. Johnson Boko, a stranger who had become Bunyon's trusted friend, waited in vain the night of July 9 at the Lome airport. Bunyon and Boko were supposed to finish the legal paperwork and toast their partnership over dinner. And Bunyon was supposed to be a very rich man.
On July 14, Dr. Bunyon's new secretary, Carmella Sabatini, wrote to Boko and Alassane to explain what had happened at the Paris airport. Her new boss had suffered a heart attack as he was getting ready to board the flight to Lome. Only minutes before, he'd wired the $2,980 from Western Union and sent Boko the receipt to prove it. Dr. Bunyon, she wrote,
...has not been lucid yet, so I have no further instructions from him about the business matter you were engaged in. The good news is that he is expected to recover, but his progress may be slow.
Boko replied that the fake Western Union receipt I had created was missing one digit of the crucial MTCN number he needed to retrieve the funds.
I DR JOHNSON BOKO WILL NEITHER SPEAK WTH YOU NOR MR BUNYON NOE ANY BODY UNTIL I SEE THE ATTACHMENT COPY OF THE WESTEN UNION NOR THE CONTROL NUMBER.
Carmella offered to help straighten things out, but Boko and Alassane seemed to have lost their passion for the deal. Still, Alassane sent Bunyon more letters, continually capitalized. He never wanted to hear from Bunyon again: "YOU WANT TO EAT MY MONEY!"
Boko complained he was in danger of losing his job: "PLEASE I HAVE A WIFE AND THREE KIDS TO FEED."
And Jenny Schecter resurfaced at the end of July. "Hello Dr. Alassane, remember me? Your old 'friend' Jenny Schecter?" Jenny demanded to know when they were going to wire the $4.5 million into her P.I.G.G.Y. bank account.
THE PROBLEM HERE IS I CANT SEEM TO TRUST BOTH YOU AND YOUR SO CALLED BOSS BUNYON. THIS IS PUTTING MY ASS ON FIRE, AND I WOULD NOT REALLY LIKE THAT.
Clearly I'd been passed back down the rungs again. My Oga/big man was fed up with me. We carried on a desultory correspondence for another couple of months, but the low-level scammer who sent me an email on September 27 could barely speak English.
if you ready to do this business send the money to them now okay. you are play with my money.
Only the most dedicated scam-baiters hang on to a bait once it gets boring. Sometimes, being passed down the ladder means it's time to find a new target.
