Russo - International Financier

Recently, I was contacted through a popular IM for an exciting business deal. Here is the transcript of this chat.

[19:13] drsteven_attah: hello
[19:13] jarusso: hello
[19:14] drsteven_attah: how r u?
[19:14] jarusso: well, and you?
[19:14] drsteven_attah: i’m fine
[19:14] drsteven_attah: where r u from?
[19:14] jarusso: I am in Westford MA
[19:14] jarusso: you?
[19:14] drsteven_attah: Africa,Ng

at this point, I know the scam....

[19:14] jarusso: wow
[19:14] jarusso: cool
[19:15] jarusso: what prompted you to contact me?
[19:15] drsteven_attah: business
[19:15] jarusso: what business?
[19:15] drsteven_attah: partnership
[19:15] jarusso: interesting
[19:16] drsteven_attah: kind of
[19:16] drsteven_attah: we want to export crude oil abroad
[19:16] drsteven_attah: but need a foreign partnership
[19:16] jarusso: ok
[19:17] drsteven_attah: r u intrested?
[19:18] jarusso: sure, I always am open to complete strangers with too good to be true tales of untold riches and wealth, with little or no effort on my part
[19:18] drsteven_attah: i don’t understand
[19:18] jarusso: what?
[19:19] drsteven_attah: I mean r intrested to go partnership with us in this business?
[19:19] jarusso: I answered that already
[19:20] drsteven_attah: ok can u give me ur phone number so that we can discuss this one on one?
[19:21] jarusso: sure, maybe you’d like my bank account and credit card info too
[19:21] drsteven_attah: what r u really talking about
[19:21] drsteven_attah: please don’t think i’m one of those internet scammers
[19:22] drsteven_attah: I am here for real business and not for a joke
[19:22] jarusso: sure
[19:22] drsteven_attah: so if u r really intersted then lets get down to bsuiness
[19:22] jarusso: ok
[19:22] drsteven_attah: or else let me look for another partner
[19:23] jarusso: ok

so now, I am going to play along, I give him the # for the FBI in Washington

[19:23] jarusso: you want my number
[19:23] drsteven_attah: yes
[19:23] jarusso: 202-324-3000
[19:23] drsteven_attah: ok
[19:24] drsteven_attah: I will call u now
[19:24] jarusso: great, ask for Robert Mueller
[19:24] drsteven_attah: ok
[19:25] drsteven_attah: I tried calling the number but it’s given me a busy tone
[19:25] jarusso: well, try again, it is often busy here...
[19:26] drsteven_attah: this is my 4time
[19:26] drsteven_attah: can u call me?
[19:26] jarusso: no, cannot make long distance calls here
[19:27] jarusso: try this one, 617-742-5533

another FBI number, this time in Boston

[19:28] drsteven_attah: this is an american number
[19:28] drsteven_attah: I thought u said u r in uk
[19:28] jarusso: no
[19:28] jarusso: Westford, MA
[19:28] jarusso: it’s in the USA
[19:28] drsteven_attah: oh ic
[19:28] drsteven_attah: it’s that ur mobile number?
[19:29] jarusso: no
[19:29] drsteven_attah: ok
[19:29] drsteven_attah: r u in the office right now?
[19:29] jarusso: yes
[19:29] drsteven_attah: what do u do?
[19:29] jarusso: office work, are you calling?
[19:29] drsteven_attah: I’m trying it now
[19:30] drsteven_attah: but it seems the fault is from my own end
[19:30] jarusso: do you know how to use a phone?
[19:30] drsteven_attah: yes I do
[19:30] jarusso: well, that appears to be in question
[19:32] drsteven_attah: so since the call is not going through
[19:32] drsteven_attah: can we discuss the business here?
[19:32] jarusso: whatever
[19:33] drsteven_attah: ok
[19:33] drsteven_attah: what we really want to do is to export crude oil abroad
[19:34] jarusso: what do you need ?trucks, tankers, pipeline?
[19:34] drsteven_attah: but b4 the govt can grant us the lincence to do that we must present a foreigner as our partner
[19:34] jarusso: hoses, filters, gaskets?
[19:34] jarusso: ok
[19:34] jarusso: so tell’em I’m working with you
[19:35] jarusso: they can reach me here
[19:35] drsteven_attah: we need ur full information to make the application
[19:35] jarusso: like what?
[19:35] jarusso: I’m 5’9”, brown hair, scar on my left side, about 1 inch long
[19:35] drsteven_attah: ur full names and address
[19:35] jarusso: I just have one name, not names
[19:35] drsteven_attah: ur tel number and fax
[19:35] jarusso: I already gave that to you
[19:35] jarusso: I have no fax here
[19:36] drsteven_attah: ur bank name and address
[19:36] drsteven_attah: and ur account number
[19:36] jarusso: I don’t use a bank
[19:36] drsteven_attah: also ur drivers licence
[19:36] drsteven_attah: a copy
[19:36] jarusso: I don’t drive
[19:37] jarusso: so it looks like you’ve got my info, what’s the hold up?
[19:37] jarusso: when will these government people contact me?
[19:37] jarusso: I am going to bed soon, tell them to call soon
[19:38] jarusso: what are you a doctor of? medicine?
[19:39] jarusso: hey steve, you still there?
[19:39] jarusso: how much do I get, money wise?
[19:44] drsteven_attah: r u sure u r intrested in this business?
[19:45] jarusso: absolutely
[19:45] jarusso: what kind of money are we talking here?
[19:45] drsteven_attah: but u don’t sound it
[19:46] jarusso: there is no sound here in the IM space....
[19:46] jarusso: I am all for it, what more can I say—so what is my share of the wealth?
[19:46] drsteven_attah: ok what is ur email let me send u the details?
[19:47] jarusso: can you tell me here what kind of money I would get?
[19:48] jarusso: come on steve, I think you know me well enough by now
[19:48] drsteven_attah: that is what exactly I want to send to u through email
[19:48] jarusso: just send it here
[19:48] jarusso: am I expected to get hundreds?thousands?
[19:48] jarusso: my garage door is broken, so a couple of hundred would do the trick to fix it...
[19:49] drsteven_attah: u r getting 10% of a $10m USD
[19:49] jarusso: so like, one million dollars?
[19:49] drsteven_attah: ya
[19:49] jarusso: nice
[19:49] jarusso: in one payment?
[19:49] jarusso: can you tell me the income tax implications of this?
[19:50] jarusso: or would this fall under investment taxes?
[19:50] drsteven_attah: that is why I want to send u the details in email
[19:50] jarusso: would you pay it as a dividend?
[19:50] drsteven_attah: for ur understanding
[19:50] jarusso: I like being able to ask you questions...it’s more personal
[19:51] jarusso: I like chatting with you, we should have a drink together, you know, make the bond between us stronger
[19:51] jarusso: do you have the 10 million now?
[19:51] drsteven_attah: :))
[19:51] jarusso: what’s that?
[19:51] drsteven_attah: u r so funny
[19:52] drsteven_attah: I am offering a very good business and u r making fun of it
[19:52] jarusso: no, I’m not
[19:52] jarusso: I’m serious
[19:52] drsteven_attah: I will have to look for a gentleman then
[19:52] drsteven_attah: I can see u r not a gentleman
[19:52] jarusso: sure I am
[19:52] jarusso: ask any of my friends
[19:52] drsteven_attah: Have a wonderful day my good friend
[19:53] jarusso: especially the ladies, if you know what I mean
[19:53] drsteven_attah: it’s been nice haveing fun with u
[19:53] drsteven_attah: bye
[19:53] jarusso: hey steve, that’s not nice, I think you are not being the gentleman here
[19:53] drsteven_attah: I know what is wrong with u
[19:54] jarusso: you know about my back?
[19:54] jarusso: it hurts like hell all the time
[19:54] jarusso: my doctor does nothing to help it
[19:54] jarusso: no pills, no surgery
[19:55] jarusso: Hey steve, I really could use that million
[19:55] jarusso: don’t go away
[19:57] jarusso: very bad form steve
[19:57] jarusso: you know, in business word of mouth is very important, and this is not good
[19:58] jarusso: when my friends ask me about Dr. Steve Attah, do you want me to tell them you just threw me aside?
[19:58] jarusso: Come on steve, I don’t think you want that

The end?