The Nigerian Chess Scam – revisited

After we published our article last week we received a lot of email, including one from Nigerian IM Odion Aikhoje, who was mentioned in the original scam letter. This stated that the Nigerian Chess Federation has set up the Nigerian Chess Trainers Committee (NCTC) "which is chaired by International Master Fola Akintola." The letter also mentioned legitimate names such as that of Odion Aikhoje, who wrote to us:

"I must say, it's quite disturbing to be used as a forerunner in scam such as this bogus issue about Nigerian Chess trainers, in fact to be mentioned in any scam at all is disheartening. Or maybe I should feel happy at the obvious reference to my popularity? (ha ha). Anyway, these things happen all the time, I feel that any chess player should immediately be able to spot the inconsistencies in the said article. e.g. the fact that the fax/phone no quoted for the Nigeria Chess Federation or whatever is a US no. Ridiculous. Besides, I'm sure the proper contact details for the Nigeria Chess Federation are listed on the FIDE web site, easy to cross-check. All said, it's quite annoying but I feel it's just another of those stray undesirable things running all over the internet, after all with issues like spyware and computer viruses, who gives such poor scams a second look? Rubbish."

One reader, Martin Roland of Ontario, Canada, wrote: "This article was very interesting to read, and I am glad you brought to the world's attention. I decided that I would have a bit of fun to see where this would lead, so I sent the Nigerian's my not very subtle dream biography. Attached is my correspondence so far."

We bring you the hilarious exchange in its original form, with the original orthography and punctuation left unchanged. It is interesting to note that the scam artists apparently do not check anything and do not recognise the satire of this bogus world-class player applying for the job. Martin advocates that "many club players out there to think up their dream biographies and send it to these wasters – a couple of hundred a day should max out their 250MB yahoo account.

Date: Fri, 8 Apr 2005 13:49:11 -0700 (PDT)
From: "Martin Roland"
Subject: Re: informations on payment
To: nigchesstcom@yahoo.com

Hello, I am interested in the job as your chess coach. A little about myself:

I am FIDE rated 2698 as of April 2004. I am world ranked as number 19. I have scored top 10 finishes at Linares in every year since 1999, and placed 4th at the FIDE World Championships in 2004. I have 7 gold medals from Chess Olympiads dating back to 1992, an have represented Canada Since 1988.

I am the senior coach for both the Canadian National Team and the Canadian Junior Team. Since my involvement with the Canadian Junior Team they have been seeded as the number 2 team in the World. I have been the top rated player in Canada since 1991.

I look forward to hearing from you.

Sincerely,
Grandmaster Martin Roland

Date: Mon, 11 Apr 2005 06:59:30 -0700 (PDT)
From: "nigerian chess trainers committee"
Subject: Re: informations on payment
To: "Martin Roland"

Congratulations!Though you submitted late but one of the trainers we invited could no longer make it because her husband would not let her come so we decided to let you fill in her space.

We will send you a contract form which you would sign,keep a copy to yourself and send a copy through email to nigerian chess federation(NCF) emaill address nigachess75@yahoo.com .You also have to pay $980 for your work permit(a license in Nigeria that gives you constitutiomal right to work in Nigeria).It would also cover the cost of making a nigerian ID for you and sending the documents to you(work permit,flight ticket and ID)which you would need in Nigeria.We are very sorry we would have to rush you but you have to make this payment before the end of this week(contact NCF immediately you get this email,they would tell you how to make the payments)

When you pay before the weeks runs out your workpermit would be processed within 4days and sent to you by the end of nextweek along with your flight ticket to Nigeria(you dont have to pay for it we would organise it for you)so you can be in Nigeria on 24th of april.I am sure you would have questions to ask so please contact NCF at nigachess75@yahoo.com and ask them any question you have.You need to act fast because the other trainers are going to be in Nigeria this week you should arrive next two weeks if everything goes according to plan.

Fola Akintola(member,FIDE trainer's committee)
Chairman,nigerian chess trainers committee.

Date: Mon, 11 Apr 2005 07:32:23 -0700 (PDT)
From: "Martin Roland"
Subject: Re: informations on payment
To: "nigerian chess trainers committee"

That sounds fair. Because this is such short notice I will require a two week advance of pay in order to tie up my affairs prior to leaving. If the International Bank Draft is sent by Fed-Ex today or tomorrow I should have no trouble getting the work permit. I will contact the Nigerian Embassy once the funds are on route.

Yours truly,

Martin Roland
Grand Master

Date: Tue, 12 Apr 2005 06:41:09 -0700 (PDT)
From: "Martin Roland"
Subject: Re: informations on payment
To: "nigerian chess trainers committee" , nigachess75@yahoo.com

I have not received your reply yet. I am serious about working with you and I believe that if your chess team truly wishes to succeed, you will need my services. If you are having trouble securing the advance, I would be able to settle my affairs here with one weeks pay in advance.

I have contacted the Nigerian Embassy, and the paperwork for my work permit is on route. I should have it by 10:00am.

Please send the contract information so that my attorneys can look over it soonest.

Yours truly,

Martin Roland
Grand Master

Date: Tue, 12 Apr 2005 09:35:27 -0700 (PDT)
From: "nigerian chess trainers committee"
Subject: Re: informations on payment
To: "Martin Roland"

We asked you to mail the nigerian chess federation,their email is nigachess75@yahoo.com .

They would send the contract form to you and they would also tell you how to pay for your workpermit.When they recieve your payments they would secure the workpermit for you and send it to you.We would help you contact the NCF immediately,we would inform them to send the form and informations to you in order to save time.Thankyou.

Fola Akintola(member,FIDE trainers committee)
Chairman,Nigerian chess trainers committee(NCTC)

Date: Tue, 12 Apr 2005 13:47:32 -0700 (PDT)
From: "Martin Roland"
Subject: Re: informations on payment
To: "nigerian chess federation"

I have will be receiving a legal work permit from the CONSULATE GENERAL OF NIGERIA. They assure me it will be ready for pick up on Thursday.

This has cost me US$220.00 thus far. When will my pay advance be ready? To keep it simple, it my be easiest to send the salary advance to my attention c/o

Nigeria High Commission
613-236-0521
295 Metcalfe Street,
Ottawa, ON K2P 1R9

There are a lot of web sites saying that this is a scam. I am a FIDE certified trainer and have placed a great deal of faith in you thus far. Since I have already acquired my work permit, you may deduct the cost of my ID from my salary.

Yours truly,

Dr. Martin Roland
International Grand Master

Date: Wed, 13 Apr 2005 05:08:29 -0700 (PDT)
From: "nigerian chess federation"payment
Subject: Re: informations on payment
To: "Martin Roland"

ok

Date: Wed, 13 Apr 2005 05:59:50 -0700 (PDT)
From: "Martin Roland"
Subject: Re: informations on payment
To: "nigerian chess federation"

ok what? I have sent the contract back via e-mail. When will my cheque be ready for pick up? I will be picking up my work permit tomorrow. It will be convenient to have the cheque waiting ant the Embassy tomorrow.

Yours truly,

Dr Martin Roland KCMB
Grandmaster

Date: Wed, 13 Apr 2005 14:38:33 -0700 (PDT)
From: "nigerian chess federation"
To: "Martin Roland"

GM Martin that is not part of our contract you have not even started working and you already want to recieve payments,when you get here you would be paid.The funds for your salary are not coming from NCF but from our sponsors(coca cola nigeria,MTN communication,UNICEF)they would want to see your work permit and ID as an evidence that you exist before they release payments for you.Since you have already acquired your work permit send $70 for your ID through western union.When your ID has been processed your flight ticket would organised and sent to you.We would also tender your ID to our sponsors so they can release funds for you.Thankyou.

And that is where is stands today (14.04.2005). Apparently Martin Roland is not going the get the $150,000 job as a chess trainer, and the Nigerians are not going to get the unknown super grandmaster to pep up their team. Somehow we always expected it to end that way. Ah, well, back to the get-rich-slowly schemes...