DG had previously received a username and password for UMCIB's "e-banking" facilities. They were, inevitably, useless. DG rang Cole who was "very short indicating that it was at the end of the day and he would have his people look at the problem tomorrow".

To his credit, Cole did his best to help DG access his riches:

Dear Sir,

It appears your computer is not enabled to accept the software of our e-banking system.

Please carry out the following tasks, if it doesn't work then try from a different PC.
1.Click On Internet Explorer
2.Go to The TOOLS MENU
3.Go to Internet Options
4.Go to Advanced
5.Scroll down the list and Click/Tick the check box enabling Java
6. Restart Your Computer
7. Log on to UMCIB and go to e-banking then enter your usernameand password, this will take you to the transfer page.

If this doesnt work, please call me, my direct line is: +44-778 057 2211.

Thank you

James Cole
Relationship Manager
UNITED MERCHANTILE CREDIT & INVESTMENT BANK(UK)
232 Great Eastern Street, London EC2A 6HQ UK

The penny has still not dropped. DG persists:

Dear Mr. Cole,

I apologize for mistaking your first name on the phone. Thank you for your direct phone number. I called the bank during your business hours a few days ago and received a recording.

Persuant to our phone conversation, I cannot access E-Banking or my account:
1. All Java applets are enabled on I.E. ver. 6.0.28
2. The result is the same on several computers
3. According to the coding on the web page there is nothing there to read.

Therefore the problem is not my computers or network. Additionally I have some unanswered questions.

When will I receive materials in the mail regarding the account and the "package" described on your website? Credit Card? Information on UCMIB? Procedures? Frankly I was expecting a more pronounced and pro-active response from UCMIB and I am not looking forward to any more delays. I have business to conduct which is now at a standstill.

I look forward to the resolution on Friday. I can be reached by phone in the U.S. anytime after 1600 GMT.

Sincerely,

DG

To which Cole replied:

Dear Sir,

Your welcome pack was sent out on Wednesday when your account access information was sent.

The accounts department insist that there is no problem from here and the problem is from your end.

They have advised that you try from an entirely different computer to those on your network as it appears our e-banking system is being restricted/inhibited by a program or the like on your system.

I apologize for the delays and inconvenience.

James Cole
Relationship Manager
UNITED MERCHANTILE CREDIT & INVESTMENT BANK(UK)
232 Great Eastern Street, London EC2A 6HQ UK

At this point, DG becomes increasingly desperate and apparently unwilling to contemplate the unthinkable:

Dear Mr. Cole,

I will go to a library or something today and try it from there. I must say there is no other place on the Internet where I have this problem. Also the URL prefix is HTTP not HTTPS. This indicates that this is not even a secure site to begin with so how could it be an "E-Banking" access page?

Additionally I have asked a few associates at other locations to view the page on their computers and they see exactly the same thing, a page with a blank frame and no square to enter any information. This includes a site in the UK.

Therefore the problem remains...how can the problem be on this end? It seems to be everywhere else as well and doesn't compute.

Please address this issue with them. I am standing by. Thank you for your help.

Sincerely,

DG

DG quickly followed up the above with:

To: Mr. James Cole Re: E-Banking

In following with my last email regarding your "E-Banking" and my account, I have personally gone to the library and several other sites in different locations with assorted versions of operating systems and browsers. Additionally I have had associates from around the world check from their locations for the possibility of logging in to an account on the "E-Banking" page of your website. All the results are the same. The "E-Banking" page is blank and non-functional. The continued claim from your people for more than two days that nothing is wrong defies all logic and is obviously in error.

Additionally I have not received the "Welcome Package" or the return phone call from you I requested in my previous email. The casual and non-responsive attitude to seriously resolve this issue has erroded any confidence I previously had in UCMIB or it's credibility as an institution.

This issue needs to be resolved by July 3 at 1400 GMT.

Respectfully,

DG

Despite DG's growing anger, Cole remained calm:

Dear Sir,

I apologise most sincerely for the delays and your inability to access your account, however it is not a problem from our end as the system shows that everything is working perfectly and you are the only one with this problem, please try again and if the system persists please let me know.

James Cole
Relationship Manager
UNITED MERCHANTILE CREDIT & INVESTMENT BANK(UK)
232 Great Eastern Street, London EC2A 6HQ UK

Finally, DG realised that he had been fleeced:

Mr. James Cole,

As I stated in my previous message the problem is not on my end. I am not the only one with the problem. Attempted access from multiple points around the world indicated the same problem. Your "E-Banking" page is nothing more than a blank web page. I have been patient and there has been no resolution.

I have received no welcome package nor from your response do I expect that I will. Your repetition of the same stand demonstrates nothing more than a delay tactic. It is now obvious what has happened here and it is time to get all the regulatory and legal authorities envolved in both our countries.

Sincerely,

DG

DG received no further correspondence from Cole, or any other member of the 419 gang. His $1,000 was gone and his chances of recouping his cash were zero.

Related link

In the very likely event that www.umcib.com ceases to be, we have a screen grab of its main page available here.

Bootnote

We thought we'd throw a bit of money away ourselves, and contacted the owner of www.umcib.com via the email address on the registration details to ask if he was willing to sell:

Hi there -

I got your email address from the whois register record for the domain www.umcib.com.

Myself and my colleagues were wondering whether you'd be interested in selling the domain to us. You see, we run a business called Uxbridge MotorCycle Injector Brotherhood - a sort of informal club.

We have, however, gathered quite a tidy sum from our 7,000 members to establish a website, hence this email to you. Suffice it to say we would be willing to pay a very reasonable price if you will release the domain to us.

Thanks you,

Big Lesley
Chairman
Uxbridge MotorCycle Injector Brotherhood

It seems strange that "Simon Williams" has not even had the courtesy to reply to our email. After all, there's hard cash on the table here...