Blog Relations
Yukos 401 scam
This is an obvious scam that took me a little by surprise when it arrived in my email box It’s an email purporting to be from Bruce K Misamore formally Chief Financial Officer of Yukos, the oil company persecuted by the Russian state. He is sending me his blessings and offering me to join him in a business opportunity. Normally, it would have taken me less than a second to see through this as a variation on the Nigerian 401 scam. But this was different. I’ve met Bruce Misamore a few times in the past in my capacity as a journalist. I suppose it took me 10 seconds to realise that it could not possibly be him. I don’t think that a serious businessman would gush:
“What a blessed people we are to be part of 2006. Congratulations! May this New Year bring fulfillment of all our desires and eternal joy.Amen!! Happy New Year!!!”
It’s the dark side of the internet. Your identity can be stolen so easily by someone who merely registers an email address or website in your name. On there other side, there have been one or two emails recently that I almost deleted without reading, only to realise at the last moment that they were from readers contacting me out of the blue. You have to be so careful these days.
Neil and I were just analysing that very spam today! I looked up Bruce Misamore and found genuine business information from Yukos. I was easily convinced that this was a real person victimised by a mild form of identity theft.
It shouldn’t be so easy to fake a person’s details, but then, we’re all trapped by needing to be identifiable on the web due to the business we do. To have a true online identity is accepting that you are providing the basic details for it’s theft to some extent. Not that any of us want that or think about it, but this spam sort of drives the point home.
It’s a shame this will tarnish his name. I hope they catch the people responsible.
Dear Sir,
I’ve just received an email from a person called brus misamor inviting me to involve in abusiness with him. and when I search the web for this name i found your Blog which helped me to realize that this is a kind of fraud.
Thank you for your Blog.
Regards
Bruce must be a very busy man to be able to offer so many people the same deal. I hope he is caught but it isn´t likely. I get so many scams to my business website it is almost humerous. Keep your guard up.
I was just about to forward ‘Bruce’ to the right people when I thought of doing an online search … Thank you for not making me look bad.
“bruce” must read your blog along with the rest of us – the latest request for time and attention has been “toned down” quite a bit since you took your quote – a touch more serious but the humour is still there
“Hello,
Opportunity For Partnership!
Be so kind to contact me at your earliest convenient for a possible business deal.
I am still in London and do not intend to return to Russia soon for security reasons. Hence I am not ready to sacrifice my life for Russia’s Political purposes.
If you are not familiar with my profile, please take a moment of your very busy schedules to read about me on the internet and send your response to misamoreb@bk.ru or better still end at fax at: +44 (0) 7005804 486.
Thank you for your time and attention.
Warmest regards,
Mr. Bruce K. MISAMORE,
Chief Financial Officer,
YUKOS Oil & Gas Co., Russia.
London Contact:
Tel #: +44 (0) 7040 106 187
Fax #: +44 (0) 7005 804 486.”
What?? Do you mean an important businessman didn’t just contact me out of the blue in attempt to start a financial partnership? Sure, I’m only 24 with a B.A. in Literature and absolutely no business experience. Sure, there’s no reason in the world for him to have ever even heard of me, but dammit, I really thought he wanted to work with me! I was going to be rich, I tell you! Rich!
Anyway, how horrible that not only would such scams exist, but that those responsible would go so far as to steal another’s identity to more easily manipulate their victims. That’s it- we should just start shooting people.
[...] It looks like I was one of many to receive the Nigerian 401 Scam from Bruce K Misamore (well, somebody pretending to be him actually). The real Misamore was formally the CFO of the Russian oil company, Yukos. [...]
I knew it was a scam when I got it, but out of curiousity I Googled the name. They seem to be varying the letters. Here’s the one I got:
I,BRUCE MISAMORE, the Former Chief Financial Officer to YUKOS OIL COMPANY,representing
Mr. Mikhail Khodorkovsky (M.K.) and would like to ask for your partnership
in re-profiling funds over US$123million.
I will give the details, but in summary, the funds are safety voult and this
is a legitimate transaction. You will be paid 10% for your”management fees”.If
you are interested, please write back and I will provide further instructions.Keep
this confidential.
Finally, please note that this must be concluded within a short time.Write
me back. I look forward to it.
Mr. Bruce k Misamore.
And I have received something similar. I have immunity from such mail. Businessmen do not trust hundred millions dollars virtual, moreover and not familiar, to the person! I have checked up the IP-address of a source. I did not know, that office Khodorkovsky is in Kenya. I have written the answer in Russian… I have not bursted nearly from laughter! “Mr. Bruce Misamore a personal chief financial treasurer to Mikhail Khodorkovsky” does not know Russian! Probably, and Mikhail Khodorkovsky does not speak in this language? Such thought has flashed for me. *lol* It is a reason of all problems for Yukos! *lol*
Also I have been approached by a Certain Mr Misamore; this time he wanted to share a $100.000.000,- as it were from Khordokovsky suggesting that he and me will move around with that capital. He even suggested by phone to come to vist me at my place “as soon the money has arrived”.
I’m really glad that you all escaped the clutches of “Mr. Misamore”, and it’s such a shame that the real Mr. Misamore’s name is being abused in this way.
So its now march of 2007 and i am recieving the same emails. this is kinda crazy and also anoying!! what a shame that this is how people have fun anymore!!
so whos the next person your scaming !
so he never is a honest person
this is really funny………….scam