Money washing machine?!!?

My friend has been involved in a 'wash-wash' scam for a long time and I've been trying to make him see it's all lies. There's always a new fee or another expense to be covered by his 'associate' in South Africa, and the ongoing fraud has cost my friend a lot of money. The latest holdup is for repairs to some sort of machine with tubes that will apparently be used to clean the money, no idea what the thing is supposed to look like or the actual function. Amazing how the scammers keep coming up with new reasons to create more delays and dream up more reasons they need money. Anyone heard of such a machine before or is this a unique twist??

Hi and welcome to scamwarners,

It sounds like you know pretty well about endless fees, the "washing machine" is just another excuse, perhaps the scammers are getting low on ideas.

As for your friend, try to convince him to come here and read up, he is most welcome to ask questions and I am sure we can find some proof that he is being scammed.

Victims of these scams all too often borrow from family and friends to pay the ongoing fees and in the end they are left with nothing, friends and family move along. as the yhave also lost money and blame the victim for their loss as well

Even when your friend does realise he has been scammed, there is another scam waiting for him, the recovery scam targets those who have already lost money, promising to return the money lost, often with interest.
Problem is there will be more fees involved, fees that will never be seen again.

You need to ge tyour friend and drag him to a computer if need be, sit him down and read to him if you have to.

You could search on wash wash scam or black money scam and you will find lots of information to give your friend.

This is very serious, the sooner you can get him to realise the better.


We are here with you, (in mind at least) and we will do whatever we can including phone calls, contacting the police or emailing him.


Victims on occasion even lose their life to this scam so the sooner the better.

Please dont hesitate to ask any questions you have.

Ralph -
Thanks for your reply. Unfortunately there isn't much any of us can do at this point. It's just good to find a place where people understand the frustration of it all, so thank you to you and all the others who work hard on these sites. I have found lots of proof that this is a scam, including fake bank deposits, other fake documents, lawyers and law firms that don't exist, and the list goes on. I have contacted authorities and made calls to Africa to get verification from the bank there that money that was supposedly deposited into an 'operating account' was never deposited. There is no convincing my friend that his S. African 'friend' is lying. He started getting suspicious after I did all the digging around, but couldn't bring himself to believe that anyone could perpetrate such a long term, convoluted story. The guy in Africa is good at what he does. My friend has been to Africa, been welcomed into the 'family' and they have forged a bond that seems unbreakable. I have written to the scammer myself and begged him to let go, explaining how hard it's been on everyone here, and how I've worried about my friend's health because he experiences a lot of anxiety over the situation. There is no mercy, only an unwavering determination to keep going. The scammer wouldn't care if someone died from stress over this, all that matters is the money. There is nothing that has so far been convincing enough to make my friend end it. There is fear of course, that he will be thought a fool, after being so sure that he would make a lot of money, and I think that is a big part of what holds him back from shedding the protective layer of denial. He becomes enraged now if confronted with proof or even if anyone expresses doubt in the validity of the 'deal'. There have been moments when I thought he showed signs of believing me, but so far it's too much to accept. Counseling didn't help. The admission will have to come from within. It is my prayer that will happen soon.

Sorry for the brief reply, I am at work and have only a moment, could you please post the email address if you have it, it may help

Welcome Essmi

All of us here know how hard it can be to convince some people, so you have our sympathies, and of course it's much worse when it's a friend. Some of these scams can run for years and years.

Welcome, Essmi !
I am glad you have found us here.

The scammer´s both email address unfortunately are in no scam emails repository list yet, Googling them leads to what you have publicised so far. So at least one way another victim who is researching can find it.

If you feel confortable with posting the email addies in here, what Ralph also suggested above, this would be another way a victim can find out more about these criminals.

I also have a photograph of the so-called "washing-machine" which has been used by Amsterdam-based scammers. I can post it here if you like, it might be the same.

Yes, please post the picture...I looked for one but so far haven't come across anything at all about the machine.

I'm sure that Johann will post the picture soon, but in anycase, it's an imaginary machine, probably made out of old computers and washing machine parts. If you'd like any of us to contact your friend, you can send anyone with a scamwarner, scam advisor or moderator tag a pm with his email address and it won't go any further than us.
Probably every scammer has his own version of the machine. You'll also find a 'price list' of chemicals here: http://www.scamwarners.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=812
All fake, as is everything to do with these scams

Thank you to everyone who has been so helpful. I've sent private replies
to answer questions. I am being careful as there is currently a risk of losing my friend's trust and having communications cut off completely. I will publish more information publicly when the scammers are fully revealed.

Thanks, Essmi.
I respect that at the moment you do not wish the scammers´ email addresses to be put in the open for now but generally I would like to point out that this would help to save other victims or possible victims when they find the same emails they get, the same phone numbers they contain, and verbatim the same emails are already listed on commonly accessible scam email lists and scam warning sites.

The pic I know of having been used in a scam is this one:

The black money piles would demand a high-priced solution to be filled in this machine, so that the money loses this paint. This can even be demonstrated to a victim who is meeting the scammers and being demonstrated the process.
Apart from one demonstration dollar bill, it´s all black paper; and the machine has been compiled of random electronics.
Costs, however, will be demanded for anything: the machine, internal parts of it needing replacement, the solution, the black paper, the courier...an endless list. A scam.

EDITED to display this pic with "FAKE" written over it.

Thanks Johann - what a mystery machine!
If only all their efforts were put to good use, these guys could accomplish something. I will post information here in the near future - e-mail addresses, pressure tactics they've used, names, anything that might be helpful to others.

e-mail addresses, pressure tactics they've used, names, anything that might be helpful to others.

Thanks, Essmi. This might be helpful to others trying to verify their story via googling them (as long as they do not change email accounts...). [I hate this kind of cat and mouse game...]
However, other people discovering this as 100% scam might convince everyone who may believe in the fantastic prospects these criminals are promising.

A friend just made me aware of the Wikipedia article about this kind of scam, have you read this?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Black_money_scam

On Youtube there are also videos about it :

http://youtube.com/watch?v=OJdC4R4hrHU and related!

Being shown it that way may help convince him; especially when it has been broadcast on TV like the one above.

Hi Essmi,

Thanks for the PM, I understand and respect your decision but ask if you could perhaps PM one of us the email address.

What we can then do is contact the scammer pretending to be interested in the black money and then getting his emails for ourselves.

Once we do this we can post the information here, free of your direct involvement and free of anything tieing back to you.

Only do what your comfortable with, but we have a few tricks that we can put into effect which may just help and we are all itching to try them out on this scammer to hopefully help your friend without you losing contact

Here are the addresses:

the scammer who never gives up, no matter what -
Charles Koffi - [email protected]

And an address for Charles' friend Larry, who I suspect is Charles with a different e-mail address, wrote to me offering to have Charles either killed or busted with a large amount of cocaine planted on him. The friend also mentioned that I would need to finance any plan to get rid of Charles - he was supposedly willing to do this because Charles was sleeping with his girlfriend.

The friend:
Larry - [email protected]


In an unrelated scam, Mr. Paul Kuku would like me to know that the almighty will continue to bless me and my family for my kindness toward all mankind. My family is so pleased. This was his second e-mail, the first of course described the riches waiting to be claimed by anyone who feels like impersonating the poor dead guy's next of kin - anyone interested?

Greetings.

Once again I am Mr. Paul Kuku, the director incharge of auditing and accounting section of Lloyds Tsb Bank Plc Republic Of Benin in west Africa.

The almighty will continue to bless you and your family for your kindness towards mankind and i believe that you have been blessed in various ways by the ALMIGHTY who inspired me to work with you. I have worked hard for two years now trying to gather all the required information about this deceased customer after i found out that all his supposed next of kin are all dead leaving nobody behind to put claim over his left balance with this bank.

I also got into his security file jacket in this bank and got all the needed information about his account and all information his next of kin should know because he was a foreigner, an American then i started looking for a foreign partner who will help me put claim over this fund.

I will forward to you all the needed information and will guide you adequately in this transaction.Good underground work has been done within the bank with my colleague with whom i have been working hard towards the success of this transaction. Note that anybody can be next of kin so long that you have all the information that the surposed next of kin will have to claim the fund of which i have them all here before contacting you.

Everyth­ing has been put into place and the transaction is 100% risk free and will be finished in less than 14 banking days after the application is tendered to the bank as next of kin to the deceased putting claim over his balance with the bank.

I will appreciate you call me on my Ghana phone number
00233 247 553 553 for further discussion and information so that i can educate you properly on what to do. I will forward to you the text of application you will tender to the bank and a bank resident attorney as next of kin to the deceased with all the required information about the deceased and his account particulars with this bank after your reply.

Also any advise you will give me for further investment in your country is highly welcome my dear. You have to also reassure me that our own share of the funds will be safe in your hands after the successful inheritance and transfer of this fund to your account.

Be rest assured that everything will be done legally in the bank and the federal ministry of justice for a legal transfer of the fund into your account which is why you will send the application too to the attorney which i will give you his contact.

For helping us do this, you will be given 40% of the total fund as gratification, 10% will be set aside to take care of expences incured on the course of this transaction like telephone bills and other expenses that might come out for the success of this transaction while 50% will be for i and my colleague.

I await your call and reply as the urgency implies.Call me on +229 9709 3412 for more directives And make sure that if you want to call me first dial your country dial out code and then +229 9709 3412 and as well send me your telephon number and fax number too where i can always contact you.

Thanks and God Bless you and your family.

Best Regards,
Mr Paul Kuku

http://www.419scam.org/emails/2008-05/1 ... 61.183.htm has another scam, claiming to be from Lloyds TSB bank. But look at the phone number. It's the same one from your lad. Scammers will often use the same prepaid mobile phone for several different scams.