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E-mail Scam Exploits Identity of Croc Hunter's Widow
September 26, 2006 10:59 AM
The wife of deceased Crocodile Hunter Steve Irwin is the latest high profile person to be exploited by a "Nigerian e-mail scam."
In the e-mail, "Terri Irwin" says she needs help keeping the fund in safe hands because "the bank is planning to use the money for nuclear weapons."
THE BLOTTER RECOMMENDS
In a cruel twist, the e-mailer purporting to be Mrs. Irwin says the matter is urgent because she is "suffering from cancer illness," and "my condition is really deteriorating." The message says 60 percent of the fund will be used for the "development of the Church and Mosque in Africa, America, Asia and Europe"; the remaining 40 percent will go to the person offering assistance.
Experts say people who respond to these messages are typically asked to pay "processing fees" of thousands of dollars in order to claim their money. The victims then discover the promised huge payout was a fraud.
Most of these e-mails originate from scam artists in Nigeria, and authorities say they reap billions of dollars from unsuspecting people worldwide every year. Experts say the scammers are quick to capitalize on high-profile events to keep their e-mails current.
September 26, 2006 | Permalink | User Comments (47)
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There continues to be evil in the world, unfortunately. I hate to say it, but anyone who falls for these scams, deserves what they get. In this day and age of constant warnings about these types of scams, I'm in disbelief that people really fall for them. The person I feel very sorry for is Terri Irwin. These scum of the earth scammers use her grief to try to bilk people out of their money. Can you get anymore evil than that?
Posted by: Debbie | Sep 28, 2006 10:33:22 AM
These e-mail scams are so out of control. It is bad enough we have to deal with them at all, but to take someone as sweet, kind and who has just lost the one she loves and use her as a target, this is totally out rageous! I wish these people could be captured and given their rightful punishment!
I hope everyone out there reading these posts realizes that those scams, if you respond, will take over your bank account, and leave you with nothing but heartache and pennyless!
Teri, I am so sorry this had to happen to you. You and your family deserves only the very best of everytning.
Posted by: MistletoeLady | Sep 28, 2006 10:55:20 AM
The empathy expressed here is commendable, but the spelling is atrocious.
Posted by: rick | Sep 28, 2006 12:03:40 PM
What is sad that no one can go after these people for everything they have now and in the future! The damn politician's go after the home owner's with more zest than they do to people that steal even from the idiot's in this world. Let police arrest them and then put them (after trial of course you liberal bleeders) into a chain gang and pay back every penny to there suckers (victims). And to every attorney out there wanting to plead there case - shut up! No one cares what garbage you can spin for why they are thieves.
Posted by: Kelley | Sep 28, 2006 2:22:57 PM
I have read all of these postings from everyone and think that this is awesome on how supportive everyone is of Terri. Terri, my thoughts and prayers are with you and your family. Steve was an awesome role model.
Posted by: shari | Sep 28, 2006 3:35:17 PM
Why would anyone want to lash out at this family in sich a way that it woudl bring shame to you and them. I agree that we should just leave the Irwin Family alone, they deserve better than this. All they did was help unincriminate the animals that we incriminated. And as for those stingray games, what would Irwin have done? The only real dinger to you, is yourself. Only you can ut yourself in wildlife danger like that. Heck, it is you that really puts you in danger. The whole thing was an accident. I am a singer, and i have been writing a song in Irwin's death. I will get it recorded, and i will sell it, i hope you guys hear it. It is a tribute to the Irwin family. A for those who are sending stupid anusing e-mails, go home and pick your nose or something if you have nothing else better to do. I am sorry for sounding shrewd, but it is the truth.
Posted by: Emanuel J. Montoya | Sep 28, 2006 3:56:30 PM
To those Nigerians who are trying to pull a scam against a beautiful family such as the Irwins ought to be locked up.
signed,
A croc fan
Posted by: debra | Sep 29, 2006 3:48:44 PM
"Laurie," who said she sends viruses to scammers, is not as smart as she thinks. Scammers often use a website to deal with their victims; the return email address is spoofed -- that is, it's not really that of the sender -- so Ol' Laurie ends up hurting people with no connection to the scammer.
Laurie, can you say, "D'oh!" like Homer Simpson?
Posted by: John | Sep 29, 2006 4:18:39 PM
If everyone on this list would just shutup about the crodile hunters death we would no longer be adding to this list of stories and comments. I am writing this to put in a comment to stop writing about it and it will be no more....at least at this website. But you have to start somewhere, if you want to leave them alone QUIT writing things for them to read. Damn yall upset me, I must not go drink an energy drink. PEACE
Posted by: Jonathan | Sep 30, 2006 12:34:26 PM
Unfortunately, many elderly people, especially some with beginning Alzheimer's are easy prey for this kind of e-mail from Nigeria and elsewhere. My mother first logged onto the computer at 80 and when she got off at age 85 I was glad, because her beginning Alzheimer's would have made her a perfect target.
Posted by: Dean Barrett | Oct 1, 2006 8:33:55 PM
Soon there will be a book coming out on people who scammed these scammers, and made fools of them. These criminals will believe anything if they think their target has taken the bait. But it is the scammers who are hooked in these cases. Clever stuff... watch for it!
Posted by: arnold fannerman | Oct 1, 2006 8:53:13 PM
its unfortunate that these scammers have no respect for the berieaved lady. this people are a disgrace to humanity and do not represent the true character of nigerians.
Posted by: EUGENE OKOJIE | Oct 2, 2006 7:19:49 AM
People who fall for any of this are the sAME PEOPLE WHO THINK TERRORISTS KNOCKED DOWN THE TWIN TOWERS AND THINK DUMBYA IS A GOOD PRESIDENT
Posted by: truth Seeker | Oct 2, 2006 8:38:13 AM
Let the Irvin family alone. I lost my husband when I was young and I have learned alot from people in general. Your close friends care and some of the family but the scams artists forget. I always just delete things I don't want to hear about and especially people who can cruel to you.
Posted by: freereagan | Oct 2, 2006 2:41:32 PM
i hope that terri and the family will alway be there to take care of the animals that steve love so much. i my self will miss his smiling face and his outrages laugh. he was a wonderful man and i and my family will miss him and wish the family best wishes and hope one day to be able to come to the zoo there and meet the one true love that steve had beside his love of croc. best wishes to you and your co worker at the zoo we still love you and the family, we still watch the show when it come on but i fill like i have lost a friend. that i have never met wished i could have but he gone home to be with his mother. love you alway
pat
Posted by: pat | Oct 3, 2006 1:17:37 AM
I am sorry
Posted by: Pat Boutilier | Oct 3, 2006 1:23:06 AM
steve will always live in are heartsand he will always be 44 years old for ever young
Posted by: lisa zan | Oct 3, 2006 9:44:14 PM
steve irwin put to the test that nobody dared to go..it's obliviously close to the end of our mother earth and you can thank that to the greed of goverments.and religion.but, if you understand what it takes to live in prosperty with what god gave you and it,s enviroment to make the spriral keep turning as it should be we would be in a better place that we are in now.steve irwin and family brought to the world a message that means the mosts to what it means to share[I mean share]the globe with it's enviroment that kept it thriving since the beg
Posted by: amy | Oct 4, 2006 1:19:49 AM
Please, know there are people that greive along with Terri's family. Lost is a painfull experience. Never feel guilt for the fun. Those are the memories that one should hold on to. To be Part of Steve world was a gift.
Posted by: Charlie J. | Oct 7, 2006 1:52:10 PM
If anyone believes that they should go get bitten by a crocodile. Leave Terri and the children alone!! I would give anything to call them, write to them, email the, or better yet, visit them. But I know they want some space. LEAVE THEM ALONE PEOPLE!! THEY HAVE FEELINGS TOO!!!
Posted by: Lindsey | Oct 12, 2006 10:00:06 PM
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