THE JERUSALEM LETTER

[GURPS]

• A remake: The Jerusalem Letter, 2014
  
  
  Part 1 of Scams (I must first apologise) project
  Digital prints 115 x 200 cm, 130 x 200 cm
  Photo prints on archive paper 24 x 30 cm
  
  
  
  
• The stories that unfold in these scams are part of a literary tradition known as The Jerusalem Letter, or The Spanish Prisoner. Jerusalem letters refer to a swindle that originated in France at the end of the 18th century, the mechanisms of which Eugène-François Vidocq has explained in his book The Thieves published in 1836. These letters, which have widely influenced present day scams, tell the stories of lords and their servants fleeing the events of the great history of the French Revolution.
  
  Jerusalem letters were scams that originated in France at the end of the 18th century, the mechanisms of which were explained by Eugène-François Vidocq in his book The Thieves, published in 1836. These letters, which have widely influenced the scams of today, tell the stories of lords and their servants fleeing the events of the great history of the French Revolution. According to Vidocq, these letters express the nostalgia for the Ancient Regime felt by some of the French after the Revolution. Their name originates from the fact that most of these con artists were imprisoned near Paris, in the Bicêtre jailhouse, partially located in rue de Jerusalem.
  
  This type of scam seems to have appeared at specific historical moments, as if its existence depended on imagination, a particular situation, and contexts that allow certain forms to arise and prosper.
  
  This scam is spread in various manners. First circulating orally then as a letter, this scam is now faxed, printed or photocopied, and develops spectacularly with the help of the Internet, establishing a contemporary version of the scam, like a remake, two centuries later.
  
  The text comes from a 1793 Letter of Jerusalem extracted from Vidocq’s book, which we then reworked through a pixelated device that integrates different means of diffusion in time, creating a spatial perspective that manipulates distances within the exhibition space.

The Jerusalem Letter | Joana Hadjithomas & Khalil Joreige

hadjithomasjoreige.com

One of the YouTubers I watch regularly talks about this scam this week

 

[GURPS]

Nigerian Scam - History​

History

The Nigerian 419 scam is a form of advance fee fraud similar to the Spanish Prisoner scam dating back to the late 19th century. In that con, businessmen were contacted by an individual allegedly trying to smuggle someone connected to a wealthy family out of a prison in Spain. In exchange for assistance, the scammer promised to share money with the victim in exchange for a small amount of money to bribe prison guards. One variant of the scam may date back to the 18th or 19th centuries, as a very similar letter, entitled, "The Letter From Jerusalem" is seen in the memoirs of Eugène François Vidocq, a former French criminal and private investigator. Another variant of the scam, dating back to circa 1830, appears very similar to what is passed via email today: "'Sir, you will be doubtlessly be astonished to be receiving a letter from a person unknown to you, who is about to ask a favour from you . . .' and goes on to talk of a casket containing 16,000 francs in gold and the diamonds of a late marchioness."

The modern 419 scam became popular during the 1980s during the hyper-corrupt "Second Republic" governed by President Shehu Shagari. There are many variants of the letters sent. One of these, sent via postal mail, was addressed to a woman's husband and inquired about his health and a long, unexpected silence. It then asked what to do with profits from a $24.6 million investment, and ended with a telephone number. Other official-looking letters were sent from a writer who said that he was a director of the state-owned Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation. He said that he wanted to transfer $20 million to the recipient's bank account – money that was budgeted but never spent. In exchange for transferring the funds out of Nigeria, the recipient would get to keep 30% of the total. To get the process started, the scammer asked for a few sheets of the company's letterhead, bank account numbers, and other personal information. Yet other variants have involved mention of a Nigerian Prince or other member of a royal family seeking to transfer large sums of money out of the country.

 

[Gilligan]

Nigerian Scam - History​

History

The Nigerian 419 scam is a form of advance fee fraud similar to the Spanish Prisoner scam dating back to the late 19th century. In that con, businessmen were contacted by an individual allegedly trying to smuggle someone connected to a wealthy family out of a prison in Spain. In exchange for assistance, the scammer promised to share money with the victim in exchange for a small amount of money to bribe prison guards. One variant of the scam may date back to the 18th or 19th centuries, as a very similar letter, entitled, "The Letter From Jerusalem" is seen in the memoirs of Eugène François Vidocq, a former French criminal and private investigator. Another variant of the scam, dating back to circa 1830, appears very similar to what is passed via email today: "'Sir, you will be doubtlessly be astonished to be receiving a letter from a person unknown to you, who is about to ask a favour from you . . .' and goes on to talk of a casket containing 16,000 francs in gold and the diamonds of a late marchioness."

The modern 419 scam became popular during the 1980s during the hyper-corrupt "Second Republic" governed by President Shehu Shagari. There are many variants of the letters sent. One of these, sent via postal mail, was addressed to a woman's husband and inquired about his health and a long, unexpected silence. It then asked what to do with profits from a $24.6 million investment, and ended with a telephone number. Other official-looking letters were sent from a writer who said that he was a director of the state-owned Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation. He said that he wanted to transfer $20 million to the recipient's bank account – money that was budgeted but never spent. In exchange for transferring the funds out of Nigeria, the recipient would get to keep 30% of the total. To get the process started, the scammer asked for a few sheets of the company's letterhead, bank account numbers, and other personal information. Yet other variants have involved mention of a Nigerian Prince or other member of a royal family seeking to transfer large sums of money out of the country.

I received one of the direct mail letter-packages back in the very early 90s. Quit the convincing package of information. ;-)