A new email scam has been making the rounds in the Internet over the past few weeks, this time involving a Nigerian astronaut who is seeking help to get back to Earth.
The British news website Anorak reported that it has received an email from a certain Dr. Bakare Tunde, the supposed project manager of astronautics for Nigeria's National Space Research and Development Agency.
In his letter, Tunde said that he needs help in bringing back his cousin, Air Force Major Abacha Tunde, who is currently stranded on an old Soviet space station after having been left there by crewmates in 1990.
Throughout his time in space, Maj. Tunde is said to be able to survive thanks to supplies brought to him by "Progrez" missions over the years. While the Nigerian astronaut is in "good humor" despite his predicament, he has told his relatives that he wants to go home.
According to Tunde, his astronaut cousin has accumulated close to $15 million worth of flight pay and interest from the Russian government for his long years of service. The funds are supposedly being kept in an account at the Lagos National Savings and Trust Association.
The Tunde family is asking people for financial aid to help them get enough money to pay the Russian space authorities to have their relative brought to Earth on a Soyuz mission. They were told that the down payment for such a spaceflight costs $3 million.
Tunde said that he and his colleagues are willing to transfer the amount needed as well as other subsequent disbursement to the account of people who will offer their help.
He pointed out that they are prohibited under Nigeria's civil service laws to own a foreign bank account themselves since they are considered civil servants. To compensate those who are willing to give them a hand, Tunde said that they have agreed to give as much as 20 percent ($600,000) of the transferred sum to the benefactor as a form of gratitude. They will also set aside 10 percent of the total amount to cover internal and external expenses between the family and those who will send them the $3 million down payment money.
The transaction will also require the sender to remit 70 percent of the balance to various bank accounts.
Despite its reference to the real-life Nigerian space agency, the email has been tagged as yet another email scam sent out by con artists that might also be involved with the earlier Nigerian Prince scam.
Photo: Bryan Rosengrant | Flickr
