At the risk of seeming hopelessly naive, I just received the following email in response to an online post in which I'm looking for a joint venture partner. Though this adfmittedly smacks of the typical Nigerian approach, this gentleman is apparently quite real, unless they're scammers pretending to be him.

But assuming for a moment it's real, as a US citizen am I asking for trouble/getting in over my head with SA funds? Advice, anyone?


A salaam Alaikum Sir,


With regards your advert about possible investment, I wish to bring to your notice my interest to partner with you on this great business opportunity. I am Engr. Khaled al Seif from KSA, I run a family business, I think my website will be good for your perusal. www.el-seif.com.sa I wish to continue all communications with you via this email address, as I intend to make an anonymous investment of $20Million and above in this your offer, provided you can guarantee the security of my investment capital in your company.


Please kindly furnish me with full business details and proposal for a Joint venture partnership with you.
Looking forward for a good working relationship with you. May the peace of Almighty Allah be with you and my regards to your family!



Yours faithfully,

Engr. Khaled Al Seif.

Scam alert!! Typical 419 Nigerian Scam Scheme

Thanks ddrep--I figured as much, I just needed some objective validation.
I guess the next step would have me wiring them funds for due diligence, etc,
and on and on.

For this and other reasons I for one find this forum valuable. Thanks again.

Welcome, no problems.

I lost a friend oy mine (by meaning he died on a Hard Attack) because of this Nigerian Bastards. First he spent thousends of USD for paying fees, after he filled for bancrupty, lost his company and at last his family.

DDrep

http://www.zawya.com/cm/profile.cfm/cid189879

In addition Khaled Musaed Al Seif is a formidable man and 20M is not much money for him plus he has the means, knowledge, and whereabouts to do this without any middle men.

I'm sure he would appreciate to be informed that someone is using his name shopping around for "marks" because that may raise liability issues.
Its not the first time his name is abused and will not be the last, but I remember last time it happened he had the tools to enforce a rather immediate judgment on the perpetrators.

Richard,

I wholeheartedly agree and am willing to alert him myself. Should I contact him through his website? As there was the link
to his site in the email, I just don't want it subverted by the Nigerians.

Richard and ddrep,

OK, I have forwarded the suspicious email containing the scammers' yahoo address directly to Al-Seif's proper email address from his site.
Thanks again for the counsel.

I received a similar email from " Eng. Khaled Musaed Al Seif" offering a JV proposal. I was instructed to forward a business plan and financials to his financial consultant. It seemed very suspicious so I decided to email a non disclosure to the third party. I then emailed "Mr. Al Seif" and asked him to call me. I told him that I would not send money for any reason and have not heard from him.

I see that someone has used his information as a scam and perhaps it has happened again. I have the email address from the sender and would be happy to share it with you.