/ 29 July 2003

Rev Tightnuts cons the conmen

An enterprising 'scam-baiter' runs a website that ensnares 419 email fraudsters, turning the tables on the crooks. Estimated to be a -million industry, Rev Tightnuts of the Holy Church of St Gullible got his own back recently.

There she was, smug in her anticipation of ensnaring another victim. If only she had known that the joke was on her.

The lure of American dollars overrode any feelings of idiocy she may have felt as she bore the name Rev Tightnuts Wally on a board on her chest, as she had been asked to do.

The 419 fraudsters thought they had got their guy when they ”induced” the Reverend Tightnuts of The Holy Church of St Gullible to come from Britain and hand over $15 000.

In fact it was they who were being played for fools by a London-based IT professional, who wants to be called Jack.

Jack runs a website that baits 419 fraudsters and then ridicules them. He is also the unofficial world record-holder among scam-baiters for being able to con the most money out of the 419ers. In two previous encounters he got £5 and â,¬10 notes from hopeful con-artists awaiting big payouts.

The South African drama started when a man calling himself Leonard Kujo offered Tightnuts a share of $45-million held at a bank that Kujo said he managed.

The loot, Kujo said, had been rotting in the bank since 1990 when an account holder died, apparently leaving no known heirs.

The fraudsters wanted Tightnuts to accept the money into his account in return for 35% of the loot. For this to happen, they said, Tightnuts had to fly to South Africa and pay $15 000 to cover the transfer costs.

Tightnuts obliged.

”I’m sure I can help you. What do I have to do to assist? Funny, only just this morning I found out that the church roof will cost £500 000 to renovate. Also Mrs Donkeykong, my good friend, informs me that she desperately needs a new car. So your e-mail has come at exactly the right time and so I’m certain it is a sign from our Heavenly Father. You will be pleased, I’m sure that some of this money will be going to the Lord’s work,” Tightnuts wrote in response to the invitation.

From that moment the fraudsters were hooked. Not even the name Donkeykong, a character in a computer game, gave the fraudsters an inkling that they were being conned.

”Part of the fun is to be as outrageous and ridiculous as possible and still keep them coming back for more … I suppose they are suspicious sometimes but greed just gets in the way,” said Jack this week.

He has used their greed and cultural differences to ridicule the fraudsters. ”For example, the name of my bishop, Juan King, pronounced wanking, should have alerted them,” Jack said. It did not, and before long Tightnuts and Kujo began exchanging e-mails. The latter became more desperate with each exchange. Kujo even accepted an offer to be adopted by Donkeykong if that meant that the deal would go through.

Kujo wrote: ”Daphne [Donkeykong] I accept your offer to adopt me as your own son as soon as we have completed this business. I will be there to with [sic] you face to face soon to have my share.”

Jack said he also played on the macho psyche of the fraudsters. ”They don’t like to be thought to be women, drug users, alcoholics or homosexuals. They perceive these as signs of weakness.”

Tightnuts often annoyed Kujo to the point where Kujo questioned his commitment to the deal. ”What makes you think I am not serious. My child are you drunk?” Tightnuts wrote, to reaffirm his commitment.

Kujo was appeased. Tightnuts’s other trick was based on the use of a telephone as means of communication. He annoyed the scammers by making it difficult to get hold of him on the phone. ”Many of these fraudsters prefer using the telephone. They believe that it is a better tool. They are aware that many people use the Internet to disrupt what they are doing, such as by hacking into their accounts.”

In order to dissuade them from using their tool of choice, Tightnuts spelt out his preference for the spoken word. He also made Kujo call numerous times, but did not answer.

Agitated by the lack of response to the calls, the fraudster demanded an explanation and complained about the huge expenses he had incurred in making the calls.

Tightnuts claimed he had not heard the phone ring and told Kujo to leave a message. ”When you have to leave a message just shout very loud and I will hear on the speaker that it is you. You may need to shout consistently for some time as I’m a very loud prayer.”

Despite their differences, Tightnuts finally agreed to meet Kujo at Johannesburg airport. The fraudster believed that Tightnuts would definitely show up. He sent a woman to the airport to receive Tightnuts who, in the end, did not show up.

Kujo was furious. ”In fact Rev, you have fourstrated [sic] my life and of my families. You see what I want you to do now is send me power of attorney so that I will find somebody who is ready and capable to finish this transaction.

”I tell you I will not loos [sic] this money. I will do all I can to complete this. Please am [sic] waiting.”

For Jack, the purpose of his activities was to publicise the prevalence of the scam, which the CIA says is a £200-million-a-year industry.

It is named after Section 419 of the Nigerian Criminal Code. According to ”Chapter 38, Section 419 — Obtaining Property by false pretences; Cheating 419”, any person who, by any false pretence and with intent to defraud, obtains from any other person anything capable of being stolen, or induces any other person to deliver to any person anything capable of being stolen, is guilty of a felony and is liable to imprisonment for three years.

The fraudsters are defeated for now, but it is not a happy ending for everyone involved.

Kujo will not only lose out on the $15 000, but also on a new mum and bedroom.

”I have been selecting patterns for your room. I think a nice green and black stripe with a racing car border will please you … I hope you like it as much as I do. Your new Mum, Daphne Donkeykong. ”

‘Jack’ invites all to have a laugh at the expense of the fraudsters and take a look at his website.