Subject: YOUR ASSISTANCE PLEASE

From: [email-masked]
Date: Mon, 7 Jul 2003 17:19:43 +0200

May I take the honour to introduce myself.
I am Mr  Bheki Maphalala the secretary of a five-man tenders board committee
of the South Africa Ministry of Housing.

I have been mandated by my colleagues to search for a reliable and honest
foreign associate to help us realise a business venture involving the sum of
US$10.5million (ten million five hundred thousand united states dollars).

Two years ago, this committee was given the responsibility of awarding
contracts to a consortium of foreign companies for the supply of y2k compliant
computers and also the construction of staff quarters.

These contracts were valued at US$18.5million.My colleagues and I decided to
help ourselves by over invoicing the actual contract value to the tune of
US$29million.This money has since been approved for payment.

However, the contractors have long been fully paid and the projects
commissioned leaving us with the excess amount of US$10.5million which is
currently been held at the South African Reserve Bank ready to be transferred
within 10 working days from the date we submit application for claim.

As civil servants, we are prohibited by the code of conduct of the civil
service commission from operating dollar or offshore account of any kind,
hence this letter to you.

We have carefully mapped out the modalities to lay claim to this money as soon
as we find a reliable and trustworthy foreign associate in whose custody we
shall entrust the sum of US$10.5million.

This transaction is 100% risk and hitch free as long as you adhere strictly to
our instructions.

The need for strict confidentiality cannot be over emphasized, considering the
nature of this transaction.

We have mapped out 20% for your assistance and participation.

Details of how we intend to carry out this project will be discussed as soon
as we get a response from you.

We await your response, which should be accompanied with your telephone and
fax numbers. As we look forward to a good business relationship with you.

Best regards,
Mr Bheki Maphalala.