Here's how it begins. A few days ago, I received an “invitation” to apply for a job at the (dodgy) United State Oil and Gas, Ventura, United State (Note: United STATE, not United STATES of AMERICA).

Here's the “invitation”!

United State Oil and Gas, Registered Sub Office: 515 1/2 S. Evergreen, Ventura, United State.T- : + 1 (518) 623-4696M- : + 1 (518) 623-4696E-Mail:

Attention: Madam/Sir,

Job Ref No: Ref. No.: (ML-R0005-FILE-76-094)

U.S. OIL And GAS plc is interested to employ individuals who excel intheir area of expertise in all areas of engineering, all other oil and gas related sector, Trading, Documentation/ Shipment Management /Liaison / International.

{1}. Business Dev Mgr, Merchandiser, Other Export/ Import, VP - Operations/COO, External Consultant, SBU Head /Profit Centre Head, CEO/MD/ Country Manager, finance managers,Mechanical / Equipment / Auxiliary / Support Services / Engineering / Financial / Commercial / Legal Management / (322 workers needed).

{2}. Technician / Contract / Procurement / Drillers / Drilling / Administration / Human Resources / (210 workers needed).

{3}. Quality / Inspection / Constructions / Trade / Skilled Survey / Information Technology / Marine Services / Marketing / Sales Executive / (130 workes needed).

{4}. Geology / GeoSciences / Medical Services / Environmental / Health / Safety / (176 workers needed).

As per the online recruitment that we conducted with our Recruitment Partn ( www.monsterindia.com www.monsterindia.com ), we have gone through your CV / Resume through our Recruitment Partner's website, and you have been selected you as one of the qualified candidates that will work in U.S. OIL And GAS plc.

US. Your resume is also in the custody of our screening depart but the screening department require a few more details from your end to substantiate the information they already have in their Custody, so you are to fill out the below short form which shall aid our screening department in there judgment of issues to see if you shall come out successfully and be offered a position with us. Fill out the below form to enable us re-confirm the details we found in your resume / CV at our Recruitment Agent website:

1. FULL NAME ....................................................2. CURRENT LOCATION ...............................3. NATIONALITY ..............................................4. MOBILE NUMBER.......................................5. CURRENT EMPLOYER ............................6. CURRENT DESIGNATION/POST ...... Two DESIGNATION/POST DESIRED i)................................ ii)............................... CURRENT MONTHLY/ANNUAL SALARY .......... EXPECTED MONTHLY/ANNUAL SALARY ........

Note: Answer the above questions in your reply message and do also provide us with a another copy of your CV / RESUME to enable the screening department re-confirm your resume which they have at their custody as of the moment. Reply to E-mail: job.at.united.state.oil.and.gas@gitaristan.com

Best regard

Goodluck Evant, Human Resources Manager / Recruiting Manager.PDVSA U.S. OIL And GAS plc.

So I applied for the job :-) Here's my email to Mr Goodluck Evant (gotta love that name, guys). Sent on the 7 th of August 2011.+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++Dear Sir,

I, Rohit Sharma, have pleasure in applying to your job advertisiment in United State Oil and Gas, given below.

1. FULL NAME .................................................... Rohit Sharma2. CURRENT LOCATION ............................... Mysore3. NATIONALITY .............................................. India4. MOBILE NUMBER....................................... 9841370375. CURRENT EMPLOYER ............................ Infosys6. CURRENT DESIGNATION/POST ...... Marketing Executive Two DESIGNATION/POST DESIRED i)................................ Business Development Manager ii)............................... Sales Manager CURRENT MONTHLY/ANNUAL SALARY .......... Rs 14.5 L PA EXPECTED MONTHLY/ANNUAL SALARY ........ Rs 22 L PA plus

Please let me know the next steps for this.

Signed:

Rohit Sharma

Well, Mr Goodluck, to his bad luck, decided to reply to me with a firm offer of employment :-)

U.S. OIL And GAS Plc.

United State Oil and Gas, Registered Sub Office: 515 1/2 S. Evergreen, Ventura,

United State. T- : + 1 (518) 623-4696, M- : + 1 (518) 623-4696 E-Mail: job.at.united.state.oil.and.gas@gitaristan.com

Website: http://usoilandgas.fileave.com/index.htm

JOB CODE : (ML-R0005-FILE-76-094)

LETTER OF EMPLOYMENT

Dear Applicant,

Following earlier application for job employment with U.S. OIL And GAS Plc.

Through the curriculum vitae/resume of contacted expatriates recommended for the project. Congratulation you have qualified as one of the expatriates to resume work in office.

Please note: the above letter attached to this mail is your employment letter, and a copy of it has been forwarded to U.S High Commission in New Delhi India for immediate visa endorsement.

DATE OF RESUME: You are requested to resume work in the office on 03/10/2011

*JOB LOCATION: U.S. OIL And GAS plc, Registered Sub Office: 515 1/2 S. Evergreen, Ventura, United State., United State Of American.

*JOB TITLE/DESCRIPTION:Sales Representative*JOB CODE : (ML-R0005-FILE-76-094) *JOB SECTION: 2011 / 2012.

WORK PERIODS: Monday to Fridays, Time: 9.30am to 5.30pm with break period between 12.00noon to 2.00pm.

SALARY INDICATION: Monthly take-home Salary (After tax) is USD$8,150.00 (Eight Thousand One Hundred And Fifty Dollars) Salary can

be transferred to any Bank or Country of your choice and all transfers must bemade in conformity with the existing tax situation in United State.

You will be entitled to the following facilities:

ALLOWANCES, PAID HOME LEAVE, SAFETY AND SECURITY, MEDICAL/HEALTH SERVICE FACILITIES AND INSURANCE PLAN FOR FAMILY, FEEDING AND ACCOMMODATION, TRANSPORTATION, ADDITIONAL SERVICES, TELECOMMUNICATION/INTERNET FACILITIES, FAMILY STATUS ARRANGEMENTS, CLAIMS/ENTITLEMENTS.

Interview on arrival is designed to facilitate a cordial relationship between expatriates and firm as well as the organizational structure with respect to the project scope. Interviews are also designed to ascertain claims on workingexperiences and academic/educational qualifications, and should any claim befound wanting the affected expatriate would be deported and such done in conformity with the legal provision? Among reasons for interview on arrival is to establish expatriates area of interest considering the project scope in orderto facilitate an efficient division of labor on Job Locations with respect to the organization structure.

VISA / WORKING PERMIT PROCESS:

We have mandated a reliable agent who is working with U.S embassy in New Delhi India to assure immediate visa processing for all appointed applicant coming from China, India, Pakistan and U.A.E with other Asia countries to avoid delay causes by visa processing. You are hereby advice at this stage to contact Mr. Christopher Holcomb. (via email: christopher.holcomb@careceo.com) by sending him a scan copy of your international passport and photo ID for processing of your Visa and all relevant travel/immigration documents to enable us ascertain your commitment and willingness to start with the processing of your visa.

Due to the sky-scraping number of applicant that we have on our database, all appointed applicants are given (14) days to comply with every requirementdemand by the Embassy to get their VISA. All employee that are unable to meet up with the 2weeks(14) days deadline given will automatically be disqualified with all personal information deleted from our database for employment.

Contact the agent via e-mail or Tel using the contact details:-Christopher Holcomb christopher.holcomb@careceo.comM: +91- 981-189-0626FX: 981-189-0756.U.S. OIL And GAS plcVISA/PERMIT DEPARTMENTU.S HIGH COMMISSION SHANTIPATH CHANKYAPURI, NEW DELHI -110021.INDIA. Its important that you humble yourself before the agent Lawyer Christopher Holcomb , respect him and follow his instruction for him to secure your visa indue-time to ensure confirmation with our record for immediate delivery of your Air-Ticket together with your Job Offer Letter hard copy direct to the

embassy in New Delhi India via DHL Courier service.

Your present location and a day-time telephone number would also be required for sake of efficiency and correspondence. The job programmed Schedule will be made available in due time (no distant time). As a mark of commitment, Ben The Capper U.S. OIL And GAS PLC U.S.A. will be responsible for 60% of your total travel expenses while you will be responsible for 40% only.

Yours Sincerely,

Goodluck Evant,PRESIDENT & CEOHuman Resources Manager / Recruiting Manager.PDVSA U.S. OIL And GAS plc.

This email has been sent to you as part of U.S. OIL And GAS plc. U.S.A.Please add job.at.united.state.oil.and.gas@gitaristan.com to your contacts lists, or mark as safe to make sure you receive our emails. Copyright© 2011-2012 Int U.S.A. All rights reserved.

And so I wrote back to him and “Chris” Holcombe:

Re: Job Ref No: Ref. No.: (ML-R0005-FILE-76-094): URGENT!

Dear Sir,

I thank you for your kind offer and hereby restate that I will perform myduties to United State Oil and Gas to the best of my ability and very very hardly!

Sir, I will be travelling to Delhi tomorrow as it is my native, plus I have some personal work there. Please coud you tell me what documents I should be carrying with me? (For VISA). Also, sir, I need to give 1 month notice at my company where I am working (Infosys) to get relieving letter from them. Your letter says date of resume is 3/10/2011, which means I must give my letter of resignation to my company MAXIMUM by 1/9/2011, or else I will not be relieved by them. Could you tell mehow much time it will take to get Visa for US? Only after I get Visa, I think, I should give my resignation letter at my company. Or should I give my resignation letter immediately itself?

Sir, I will contact Mr Christopher Holcomb again once I reach Delhi tomorrow evening to see where I can meet with him. Once again, thank you very much for your offer, and I look forward to serving United Sates of America Oil and Gas longly and proudly.

Thanking you.Yours faithfully

Rohit Sharma

25 August update: Christopher Holcomb replied!

From: CHRISTOPHER HOLCOMB <christopher.holcomb@careceo.com>To: rohitsharmastud@yahoo.inSent: Thursday, 25 August 2011 9:13 AMSubject: RE: Job Ref No: Ref. No.: (ML-R0005-FILE-76-094): URGENT!

Dear Applicant,

I acknowledge the receipt of your mail from (UNITED STATE OIL& GAS PLC) regarding the four (4) years working visa endorsement/residence permit. And your employer has forwarded the required documents for processing of your resident permit and employment visa.

Make a print out of the visa application form attached to you below, fill it and send it back via email and along with the application fee. By filling the application form, each applicant is entitled to pay visa and Registration fee of R.S 25,200 for processing of your four (4) years working permit. Visa will take 4 working days from the date of application.

2, As soon as your visa processing is completed will shall inform you to come over to the office along with a hard copy ofyour international passport for final visa stamp.

3, your air ticket will be send direct to you as soon as your visais ready. I am sure that your above information has help to secure you this position.

You will have to come to the office after your visa processing iscompleted.

Follow the Instructions below

So kindly Print out the Immigration Form attached to you and fill it properly for my kinds regards.

This is for official use, scan two (2) passport photography and send to me for visa processing.

"Important information" You are required to follow my instruction for easy and fair visa processing, all charges have to be paid by cash payment to my secretary account information and Correspondent account which will be giving to you, also the payment receipt from the bank is needful for official records. Note that their will be no hand to hand

payment, but you are required to ask for the account details assoon as you agree with the terms and conditions for visa processing. If you are unable to answer all questions on the Visa Immigration Application Form, please leave the space empty, i shall do the needful . Or if you know that you can not fill the Form.

Payments slip should be send to my email address to enable me fill your Immigration Form and process it and kindly remember once again that after receiving all the details requested above, it will take Four (4) working days to processing of visa to get ready.

Regards,Christopher Holcomb christopher.holcomb@careceo.comU.S. OIL And GAS plcVISA/PERMIT DEPARTMENTU.S HIGH COMMISSION SHANTIPATH CHANKYAPURI, NEW DELHI-110021.INDIA.M: +91- 981-189-0626FX: 981-189-0756.

He also sent me a truly dodgy form DHA 56B to be filled up.

I let Chris stew for a day, and then in the evening replied.

Sir,

I am most grateful to you for this oppartunity to serve United State Oil and Gas PLC. Sir I have some question: my friend Sharukh (also working in Infosys) told me that I had to TYPE the details into this form for US. He typed my detils into the form and sent me, and I have attacked it you can see attacment. Some parts I coudnt understand, I have left them blank.

Please tell me this is OK sir and I have also attachd two copies of PHOTOS for you as you mentoned. Or else if I have to write details then also OK I will print and write details and hand over form to you. Please let me know sir.

Sir you have also not answerd my question if I should resing from my work at Infosys quickly because they will take one month MINIMUM to give me relieving letter. Please tell me sir.

I am looking forward to working closely with United State Oil and GAs PLC. I hereby promise that I shall work very hardly for the company and serve with fullest energy and zeal. Sir, when will I get the VISA for United State.

Thanking you,

Yours faithfully,

Rohit Sharma

And sure, I attached the filled in form, with TWO copies of my “passport photos” . Note … he isn't asking me for my passportitself. The photo is needless to say of some guy off the internet, but looks authentic, doesn't it?

Now to wait for “Chris” to send me the account number and the bank details.

Two copies of photos duly attached.

Anyway, I offered to meet Chris Holcomb:with some hilarious results. I don't have all the earlier emails, but to cut a long story short, I offered to meet him first near Palika Bazaar (he turned up .. a black guy! .. I didn't, but two friends of mine watched with great interest while a very impatient black guy hung around near a shop, spent a fortune on some Coke etc, and left after a couple of hours. The next time, I told him to collect the money from me in Agra … again, a guy landed up near the Taj, waited for ever and then left fuming (I think!) Finally, I told him that I'd meet him at HIS office …

Sir,

Very sorry for not replaying sir, but I am traveling from my village to Delhi. Sir, I have asked my friend to corier my passport to my village, Iwill get scan copy done and send to you in two days once I recive it. I will also resign only when I get the visa as you tell me sir. Also sir, my phone is not roming, it is not working in my village, but I am getting SIM card from my fufiji in Delhi in two days.

Please tell me visa fee amount and when to get it to your office in delhichanakyapuri. I will bring in cash tomorrow sir, as I am not carrying chekbook with me.

Thanking you

Yours faithfully

Rohit Sharma

And sure enough, he quickly forbid it!!!!

Dear Applicant,

I would like you to know that you are to now deposit the money into an account which i would give to you.no hand to hand payment that is the new procedure,so get back to me today so as to give to you account of in which the money wouldbe deposited first thing tomorrow morning.

Also give me a call today,so we can talk better.

Regards,

Now it became funny: I was pleading with him so that I could PAY him money! And oh, by the way, in true Indian style, I asked him for a discount on the Visa fee :-) Here are my emails to him:

Sir, please dont anger on me. I pray to you in my village temple today for long life term, you are making change in my LIFE, please dont anger on me. My fother tolds me Beta Mr Christopher Holcomb is your devata, unko khush rakna, unka puja karo. I do what you tell sir. Sir please tell me bank details and branch where I can depost money for VISA fee. Also amount and please sir, dont mistake, I come from poor family, please give some discount for me. I will pray to GOD SHIVA for long life term for you and your family.

Thanking you

Your faithfully,

ROHIT SHARMA

and …

Sir,

Please sir my phone is not roming number. Also sir, my fufiji is bringingSIM card from delhi for me in two days, I give you new number then. But sir, please send me amont to pay (50%) and bank detales to pay amont into (bank branch and addres and number acount). Sir, I can pay amont tomorrow, but please tell detales quick, I need to get cash for payment from borowing today from my village people. Or else I have to go back to my village for ten days on monday (puja for Ganesha is very important god for us) and I will not be going to city then at all.

Please send detales to me, I will deposit tomorrow and please send me your phone details, I will call once my fufiji brings new roming simcard for me on monday).

Thanking you

Yours Faithfully

Rohit Sharma

AND …. he finally sent these emails!

Dear Rohit,

Received your mail and your prayers,it shall be well with you also.

I want you to call me first thing in the morning so that i can give you account details in which you are to deposit the moneyinto.Also you need to deposit more than half of the money and i would help out with the remaining so that the visa processingcan start immediately.

I would like you to call me today so we can talk before you deposit the money tomorrow.

Waiting to hear from you soonest.

Regards,

and …

Dear Rohit,

This is the account in which you are to make payment,this is the account of visa HEAD CORRESPONDENT ACCOUNT.

ACCOUNT NAME:ANIL KUMAR

ACCOUNT NUMBER:110001503216

IFSC CODE:ICIC0001100

PAN NO:BVEPK3145A

BANK NAME:ICICI

Once you make the deposit get back to me with the scan copy of payment.

Waiting to read from you soon.

Regards,

Guess what? He was kind enough to give me a “discount” :-)

Dear Rohit,

The amount is Rs25,200,so make payment and get back to me.you must pay above rs15,000, I will pay rest for you.

Regards,

And so … I wrote to the ICICI bank folks.

To 27 August 2011

Shantanu SamaddarICICI BankMumbai

Dear Shantanu,

It was a pleasure speaking with you a few minutes ago. As I mentioned, I received a classic 419 Scam email a few days ago, and I wanted to ensure that the scammers were caught.

As a first step, I created a fake email persona (Rohit Sharma), through who I began communicating with the scammer. IP traces of the emails showed that the original email came from Nigeria (Abuja), but subsequent emails came from a person calling himself Christopher Holcomb. His IP traces showed that he is based in Delhi.

I've cut and pasted the entire email trail in this document. I haven't been able to share the headers here, as I was only using a browser, but I'd be happy to speak with your Risk Containment folks and help them out as needed.

To cut a long story short, “Christopher Holcomb” finally asked me to send money to:

ACCOUNT NAME:ANIL KUMARACCOUNT NUMBER:110001503216IFSC CODE:ICIC0001100PAN NO:BVEPK3145ABANK NAME:ICICI

I hope this is enough for your folks to begin investigations into this account. The account seems to be at ICICI Bank, 235 Jessore Road, Nagerbazar, 700028, West Bengal.

Warm regards,

Guhesh Ramanathan+919901770317guhesh.ramanathan@gmail.comguhesh.ramanathan@nsrcel.org

and they promptly shut down that account.

The next day, I got a frantic email from Ol' pal Chris telling me NOT to pay money into that account. He then sent me the details of an SBI account (I forget where), and I promptly got that closed down too. This happened once more with a HSBC account ... Wham! Closed that down too.

Finally, I got bored. And sent Ol' Chris this email:

Sir, Ganeshji ki jai!!! Sir, after you spokes to me, I get one more offer sir, from Scotland, I have attacked offer letter below. Sir, I am getting more moneys from there 8,630 pounds but you are paing me only 8,500 dollars. Can you please pay 130 dollar more and I will join United State Oil and Gas. Also sir, they are offer 15 day holiday every month, can I get same? Also sir, in mail, Mr Zephaniah Bright said Scoch Wisky free in Scotland in Fulmar Oilfield job. Sir, I not drink but then he toled I can take bottel back to India (my father BIG drinker sir).Can you please tell me sir, what I can do? You are god sir, you give mediscount, I follow your advise but sir, please match offer sir or my father telling me to get scoch wisky for him.

Thanking you

Yours Faithfully

Rohit Sharma

The Fulmar offer is on the next page :-)

Promptly I got a message back from Christopher:

Dear Rohit,

This is not good behaving. United State offered you job first and now you are joining other country job. I have also personally offered to pay some of your Visa fee. If you do not send money to the account I send you details of in the next few minutes, I will be very angry and curse you.

Also, Fulmar Oilfield is not good company. Sometimes they cheat people. I know because I am friendly with many people they have cheated.

So, I will send you details of account and you must pay there today, OK?

Regards,

So, after some more playing around with BOTH Christopher Holcomb, and Zephaniah Bright, I did the honorable thing. I introduced the two of them to each other and let them fight it out. And somewhere in Nigeria, I still think there are two Nigerians slugging it out with each other.