Scam control to major Tunde - Nigerian scam goes to space

16 February 2016 - 15:35 By Times LIVE
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An astronaut. File photo.
An astronaut. File photo.
Image: Gallo Images/Thinkstock

Dr. Bakare Tunde wants your help bringing his cousin, Air Force Major Abacha Tunde back to Earth, according to a scam email doing the rounds.

According to the email, Major Tunde was trapped in space following the dissolution of the Soviet Union over 25 years ago.

Which would mean he would have suffered about 25 years of bone and muscle wastage, including cardiovascular problems.

According to research by Nasa, "Calf muscles biopsies before flight and after a six months mission on the ISS show that even when crew members did aerobic exercise five hours a week and resistance exercise three to six days per week, muscle volume and peak power both still decrease significantly."

This is without even getting into the health effects of space radiation.

The letter says the major is in good spirits - which would be surprising considering that solitary confinement has been known to leave prisoners psychotic and suicidal.

According to PBS's Frontline, Stuart Grassian, a board-certified psychiatrist and a former faculty member at Harvard Medical School, found that "solitary can cause a specific psychiatric syndrome, characterised by hallucinations; panic attacks; overt paranoia; diminished impulse control; hypersensitivity to external stimuli; and difficulties with thinking, concentration and memory".

Of course, what scam would be complete without some lucre to offer would be space rescuers? According to Dr Tunde, his trapped in space mutant, probably loony cousin who would probably be killed by Earth's gravity if he ever came back, is owed "almost $ 15,000,000 American Dollars."

But he needs $3,000,000 in order unlock those funds and come home - he will pay you back his cousin says.

There has never been a Nigerian in space, the first African in space was South Africa's aptly named Mark Shuttleworth.

You can read the full email below:

Dr. Bakare Tunde
Astronautics Project Manager
National Space Research and Development Agency (NASRDA)
Plot 555
Misau Street
PMB 437
Garki, Abuja, FCT NIGERIA

Dear Mr. Sir,

REQUEST FOR ASSISTANCE-STRICTLY CONFIDENTIAL

I am Dr. Bakare Tunde, the cousin of Nigerian Astronaut, Air Force Major Abacha Tunde. He was the first African in space when he made a secret flight to the Salyut 6 space station in 1979. He was on a later Soviet spaceflight, Soyuz T-16Z to the secret Soviet military space station Salyut 8T in 1989. He was stranded there in 1990 when the Soviet Union was dissolved. His other Soviet crew members returned to earth on the Soyuz T-16Z, but his place was taken up by return cargo. There have been occasional Progrez supply flights to keep him going since that time. He is in good humor, but wants to come home.

In the 14-years since he has been on the station, he has accumulated flight pay and interest amounting to almost $ 15,000,000 American Dollars. This is held in a trust at the Lagos National Savings and Trust Association. If we can obtain access to this money, we can place a down payment with the Russian Space Authorities for a Soyuz return flight to bring him back to Earth. I am told this will cost $ 3,000,000 American Dollars. In order to access the his trust fund we need your assistance.

Consequently, my colleagues and I are willing to transfer the total amount to your account or subsequent disbursement, since we as civil servants are prohibited by the Code of Conduct Bureau (Civil Service Laws) from opening and/ or operating foreign accounts in our names.

Needless to say, the trust reposed on you at this juncture is enormous. In return, we have agreed to offer you 20 percent of the transferred sum, while 10 percent shall be set aside for incidental expenses (internal and external) between the parties in the course of the transaction. You will be mandated to remit the balance 70 percent to other accounts in due course.

Kindly expedite action as we are behind schedule to enable us include downpayment in this financial quarter.

Please acknowledge the receipt of this message via my direct number 234 (0) 9-234-2220 only.

Yours Sincerely, Dr. Bakare Tunde
Astronautics Project Manager
tip@nasrda.gov.ng

http://www.nasrda.gov.ng/

-The email was originally posted at Anorak.

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