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they also demanded Sony's Bank account numbers.
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@seen2much: You forgot that they would like Sony to collect money for artwork sold and keep 10% and Western Union the rest to them.
they also demanded Sony's Bank account numbers.
@seen2much: You forgot that they would like Sony to collect money for artwork sold and keep 10% and Western Union the rest to them.
Umm...but they *are*
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As soon as Nigeria apologizes for all the spam and scams their people have sent to me, I'll ask Sony to apologize.
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@scoobydoo:
I'm with Scoobydoo on this one. Once Nigeria apologizes for milking thousands of weak-minded individuals then I'll consider demanding Sony to apologize.
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@scoobydoo: That raises a good question... Do all those nigerian scams originate in nigeria or is it just a cover?
@MostlyHarmless: Although some Nigerian scams originate geographically from France, the UK or Canada, they're primarily from Nigerian immigrants to those areas. The Nigerian scam is a very Nigerian thing, yes.
@MostlyHarmless: I've run whois on a lot of 419-style spam, and yes, they really do. Lots of other countries, too, but I feel I have enough information to say that the Nigerian government absolutely needs to go take a flying fuck at a rolling doughnut here.
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@MostlyHarmless: They are overwhelmingly located in Nigeria. Lagos to be specific. They have started expanding into neighboring countries, but some (Burkina Faso) take a very dim view to that sort of activity. But yes, Lagos has a culture of scammers, or \"guymen\" as they refer to themselves. So, until the Government of Nigeria actually starts doing something to enforce section 419 of their penal code, said government can fuck itself gently with a chainsaw.
The truth hurts. Butt hurts, apparently.
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Just for once Sony has managed not to do something stupid.
@Skipweasel: I just pray they don't even consider apologizing. Especially when nobody can read Nigeria's demand for an apology without bursting out laughing.
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@Shadowman615: I don't think you need to worry... but maybe they will issue something a little smug in response:
We apologize to say we must correct an misrepresentation, pointed out to us by the Nigerian government, that we gave in our recent ad regarding our price drop on the PS3. We would like to rectify this situation. We did not mean to insinuate that you cannot believe anything you read on the internet because you can actually get the PS3 for $299. That is all.
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@Skipweasel: I know. If I didn't already own a PS3 I would have bought one because of the ad and price drop.
Technically, I did get my PS3 for around $300 because it came with a free remote, Blu-Ray movie, and game.
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They are a source for scams. I saw that commercial on TV and although the PS3 is garbage the nigeria comment was the only good thing in the commercial.
@firemunkie: Congrats on the new job at M$FT! Spin dept?
Seriously, read up on the guy (I think highlighted here a while ago) who got 11 consecutive RRoDs.
@tomok97: For one thing, the song is a parody of how gullible greedy people get swindled by crooks.
Second, when the time comes for a country to apologize for the music of a few individuals in that country, the United States should be the first to apologize.
@tundey: Yes, con artists prey on greed...that's how those things work. Music videos mocking them after the fact seem a bit much however. Do I actually expect (or want) an apology from Nigeria? No. I'm merely pointing out that their country is so notorious for this activity that its own citizens make hit songs glorifying it. So Sony using them as a punchline...well, that's kind of Nigeria's fault. Arrest some people for ther 419 scams and I'll have a greater level empathy for their outrage.
Isn't Nigeria asking the \"few people\" at Sony exactly what you're chastising me for (jokingly) asking for? Sony is \"just a handful of people\". They don't speak for all of America but Nigeria wants an apology.
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I hadn't laughed so hard at an article on the Consumerist in a while. Sure.. I laugh at the comments.. but the actual articles? Not usually.
I just find this really really funny and completely ridiculous.
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@Kimaroo - 20% More Kitty Added!: You have to read the comments to the Nigerian news paper article. Those alone are priceless...
Dear Government of Nigeria,
We at Sony apologize for our insensitive portrayal of your country as a hive of scam artists. We have the utmost respect for the great country of Nigeria and its people. In recompense, we would like to give you $1,000,000 as our way of saying sorry. All we will need from you is a number for a checking account in which to deposit the funds and a processing fee of $5000 (this will be added to the deposit of $1,000,000 to reimburse you.) Once again, we humbly apologize.
Yours,
President of Sony
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@ArcanaJ: Even if that weren't true, he says he'd be a Nigerian millionaire, not that Nigeria propagates scams. They're really trying to be offended here.
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@Cyberxion101: That's okay. We allowed to be late to the game as long as it stays in our little world alone.
It's okay, the Nigerian government will stop agree not to Sue you in the Court of Justice court if you wier $3000 USD to you're agent, Mr Nagird, imediately through Western union.
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Considering the fact that my mother's office regularly got Nigerian scam letters via snail mail and fax in the '80s, I don't think they have a leg to stand on.
Sorry Nigeria.
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/Checks spam folder and notes the 36 messages scam messages originating from Nigeria...
Yup, Nigeria is fucked.
oh well, maybe they should do something about the number of scammers in their country before they start caring about the global perception of them...
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Nigeria already has a bad image. Making a big deal about it is just making it worse. In my opinion, they should apologize to Sony, and move on.
Yeah, good luck with that
Comon, Sony! It's only the *people* of Nigeria that are the scammers, not Nigeria itself.
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Maybe if the goverment employees stoped watching tv they could bust some of these scam artists that are giving their country such a bad neme.
This version of the commercial was taken out almost two weeks ago and the infamous quote was replaced with:
\"You can't believe everything you hear/read on the internet, that's how World War I got started.\"
This article now needs an \"UPDATE\" in it somewhere. You are welcome Consumerist.
I saw the commercial yesterday on TV with the Nigeria millionaire part and I also saw the other one with the WWI refence. I think the Nigeria one was on Canadian TV but I forget.
@psm321: Yeah, it was Britain's last WWI at least. He could have been the last one out of all the countries, I'm not sure.
@G.O.B.: Come on!:
I think there's one American WWI vet left.
And I never heard the original version in Chicago, only the one with the WWI tag line.
@jarhead906: Honestly I think they should do two or three (or several) other versions as well, maybe one about cat pictures, and just make other silly claims. It has potential!
\"Fuck 'em, if they can't take a joke.\"
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That is like Hitler demanding Jews apologize for saying he was a murderer.
@savdavid:
Pierre Boulle, the author of Planet of the Apes actually ended a novella sort of that way.
In it, Hitler forgives the Jews for what he had to do to them.
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@savdavid: You have here brough Godwin's law to fruition in near-record time.
Also, no it isn't. To adapt your poor analogy, It's more like Germany asking that Mitsubishi apologize for saying that German millionaires are genocidal murderers.
Every time I list something on eBay or Craiglist that is worth anything, I *always* get a few 419 scammers from either Nigeria or the UK.
Shoot...now Nigeria's government is going to demand I apologize for this comment.
Maybe I will after they compensate me for my time reading their citizen's bogus emails. I charge competitive rates of $150 per second, payable via Western Union.
I'm sorry to disagree with the Internet mob here, but one of the first rules of advertising should be to avoid xenophobia.
@Michael Belisle: Xenophobia is an irrational fear or dislike of someone or something that is different from you. I'm not sure how making a silly joke referring to a long-running, well documented issue qualifies.
The sad thing is that I can almost imagine why you would have gone there. The idea is on the tip of my tongue, but it's almost like it's too stupid a notion to bother coalescing into a complete thought. Maybe you just wanted to assert your sense of moral superiority over the rest of the internet? I dunno...
@Cyberxion101: Or to put it another way, most 419 scammers may be Nigerian, but most Nigerians are not 419 scammers. I have a friend from Columbia, who gets really annoyed when people, say, ask her how the drug-running is going or how many acres of cocaine her family has. Nigeria, no doubt, is justified in wanted to change the impression that their most well-known export are 419 emails.
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@Michael Belisle: okay, I'll be fair and ask the next Nigerian how the rape of their homeland is going by the oil companies and how many oil wells they have tossed grenades into...
But I kinda get your point, I haven't asked my heavily German neighbor upstairs what she thinks of the holocaust. I kinda got the idea when she picked fights with the Jews and the minorities in the neighborhood...
One could also ask the Nigerian if they have doorbell scammers there that walk door to door stealing identities, and offer moral support I guess...
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But their most well-known export IS 419 scams. If they want to change that impression, they need to work on shutting down the scammers, not on going after jokes about them.
@Cyberxion101: I should have made it clearer that I meant that advertising should steer far and wide of anything approaching xenophobia, which I'm defining to include perpetrating stereotypes about other countries and their people, not that it was hard-core xenophobia.
I don't care how many 419 scammers are Nigerian. It's still in poor taste.
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Dear Nigeria,
STFU and send me my $200,000 in exchange for the $10K I sent you!
I'm waiting.
In response to this false, defamatory and confidential claim
Confidential? I can see their point (but may not agree with it) with false and defamatory (after all, can we b sure that the scammers are from Nigeria? But at the same time, he doesn't blame Nigeria for originating it, but says he would be a Nigerian millionaire). But how the f is this confidential?
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Dear Sony,
I was Prince Abubamat the Third Hair of my Country Nigeria and I am very misgivings on reference with your deslanderous offensives which have been honorably strewn at my persons. I humbly and formerly beseech the sendings of $450US at which timings I will send you in response not only forgiveness of all insults but too your winnings of foreign debt instrument speculations for tax purposes.
Yours Grandiosly,
Prince Abumamat
And if Sony doesn't apologize, Nigeria will do *what* exactly? *Not* scam Sony employees/customers?
Is Nigeria even a significant source of revenue for... anybody but Nigeria? (Serious question here, not sarcasm)
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@bstaz: now there's a way to advertise - if sony could get nigerians to promise not to send scam letters/email to sony customers i bet they'd sell one sony item of some sort to everyone in the world
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Truth hurts
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Dear Mr. Consummerist,
I am the brother to the proud prince Numumbu and after the recent PS3 ad caused a civil war in my country, my family was exiled to the island of Mufasa. My father's fortune was frozen in the bank. I am willing to share the fortune with someone in the United States if only you will please enclose $50,000 for a transfer fee, I will share 20% of the 79 million dollar fortune with you. Please Telex your identification papers and and bank account numbers so I may process the transaction.
Sincerely,
I. Amma Scamma
Island of Mufasa
Republic of Nigeria
Does anyone else think by responding to what's a subtle reference at best, that Nigerian government is just confirming that yes, they are indeed the source of the scam bearing their name?
I mean it's not as though the ad specifically said something like \"I'd be a millionaire due to all those scam emails I get from Nigera\". It was a rather subtle reference - and they got it. Exactly.
I'm just sorry Sony caved and revised the ad. If I were Sony, I'd grab this opportunity and run with it. Heck, I'd use it as a slogan! \"PS3 - it's not a Nigerian millionaire\"
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Although very late in posting this amusing story I am still glad you did. I really wish Sony hadn't caved. I mean if the ENTIRE WORLD gets the joke then guess what Nigeria????
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They want their compensation via Western Union, I bet.
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I assume the letter was like this:
Agabi and Associates.
Solicitors and Advocates.
5th floor, Unity House.
Lagos.
Dear Sony,
I am Mr. paul agabi, a Lawyer by profession. I am the personal attorney to Mr. Charles Exavier , a national of your country, who is the embassador for the nation of Nigeria, herein after shall be referred to as my client.
On the 9th of September 2009, my client stumbled across your Playstation 3 ad on youtube featuring Nigeria in a negative way. Because of this, he suffered a brain aneurysm, and has since passed on.
Since then he has made several enquiries to your company to locate those responsible for offending my clients country. This has proved unsuccessful. I came to know about you through an enquiry I was making in the internet, and I found out you shared the title of CEO, which is why I have decided to contact you, in order to assist in repatriating the money and property left behind by my client before they get confiscated or declared unserviceable by the bank.
Particularly, in a local commercial bank here where the deceased had an account valued at about US$ 15.5 Million Dollars, has issued me a notice to provide the next of kin or have the account confisticated within the next ten official working days.
Since i have been unsuccessful in locating anyone else for over 2 days now I seek your consent to present you as the next of kin of the deceased since you have the title of CEO so that the proceeds of this account valued at US$15.5 Million Dollars can be paid to you and then you and me can share the money, on the ratio of 50% for me, and 50% for you.
I have all necessary legal documents that can be used to back up any claim we may make. All I require is your honest co-operation to enable us see this business through. I guarantee that this will be executed under a legitimate arrangement that will protect you from any breach of the law. I will also require you to make a very formal apology to our Nation, by providing me with your bank account information, as well as personal information such as your D.O.B, home address, and all credit card numbers (including corporate cards).
Please get in touch with me by email and send to me your telephone and fax numbers to enable us discuss further about the details of this transaction.
Best regards, Mr. paul agabi.
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y'know, Nigeria's police could just nip this problem in the butt and y'know, prosecute these dirtbags. But since they're wont to do anything about the problem, they must suffer the shame of it. I mean seriously, don't want to be the punchline to internet jokes? ENFORCE YOUR FREAKING LAWS!
Please. When the majority of your GDP comes from 419 scams, you've got no room to talk.
Was this from the government or a representitive of a late Nigerian Prince that needs to get his funds out of the country and someone at Sony has the same last name so they can claim it. But they will only give them the money if they apologize because it's a disgrace to their people?
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The commercial has already been changed. The line was changed to:
\"You can't believe everything you read on the internet. That's how World War I started.\" (cut to blogger giving a confused look at the end of the line.)
first of all, this ad also said the first World War was started from listening to internet rumors. Secondly, why in the hell is Sony advertising in Nigeria? Well now that i think about it, I guess they can afford Playstations after ripping us all off!
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I actually did a double-take when i first saw that commercial on tv. But I thought nothing of it mainly because a lot (<---keyword) of nigerians are scammers and lie (i know from personal experience). If they would... i don't know... crack down on the hundreds of scams that go on in their country, maybe they wouldn't be notorious for it. Just like how the US is known for it's things, england, mexico, etc.
Tell ya what, I will stop talking bad about you when you reinstate public hangings for spamming.
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This ad will not hurt Nigeria what so ever, because people will continue to be tards and partake in the insane scams that are out there... Idiotttttts!
Nigeria demands you send your sort code!
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Sony, I was just going to get a Blu Ray player, but this commercial has convinced me to get a PS3.
Well played Sony... Well played.
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So I take it Nigeria wants Sony to send money in compensation via Western Union.
It would be worthy of an apology if it wasn't so true. Walking a mile to be offended by the truth here
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How did Sony get notified? Via spam email?
Fuck you, Nigeria. The only way I would ever want Sony to apologize is if you started to actually enforce the cyber-crime laws you claim you do. I don't care if it involved cutting off the hands of spammers so they can't type anymore, just do it. Until then, you are a country of corrupt politicians, scammers, and thieves.
The Nigerian princess that e-mailed me yesterday must not be happy. Well, the whole royal family must not be happy with Sony. Actually, Asian countries are in the market now too. \"Tony Chin\" some CEO from Korea e-mailed me the other day about helping him invest in his company and that he would repay me back two-folds.
If they don't want the reputation, they should do something about the scammers. I can't believe they don't know that their main export to the west is spam.
Nigeria is scam central.
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Perhaps the Nigerian government should concentrate on cleaning up its corruption problem - the country's reputation for being a haven for these types of scams. Then Sony could make fun of someone else.
Well, with the current exchange rate between the Naira to the USD, if Nigeria lost a million, they'd only actually be out $6,589.35. Sony should send 'em 23 PS3's and call it even.
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they really seem to do nothing to try and stop all the scams that come from them (I've gotten at least 3 in the past year), and yet want a blind eye from the rest of the world? ridiculous.
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Dear Ministers of Nigeria,
It has come to our attention that you have been offended by the Sony ad.
Allow us to provide restitution. Please send us your bank account and transit numbers and we will send you a sum of money to cover the error.
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Yeah Nigeria, I'm going to have to call bullshit on this one even though I would love to see Sony hit in the pocketbook... (I lost a hard drive to their crappy DRM removal tool.) ...you Nigerians actually are the source of the original \"scam\" so its time to act like big boys and take your licks in the \"satire\" department.
The Nigerian government should investigate what was the cause of the comment made by Sony. They know for a fact that their nationals have been involved in millions of scams. They even encourage these criminals by not doing anything about their nefarious activities. What they should be doing instead is to give apologies to all the victims before they start asking any apology from any person commenting on the scams Nigerians export abroad.
I thought telling the truth was an affirmative defense to libel suits...
Confidential? How is that claim confidential? What?
Sad that Sony would back up. It's not from the fear of losing Nigerian sales, I am sure - aside from being corrupt, with governemnt official issuing fake letters of credit, bank documents and the like, they are also a haven for piracy, including Sony products.
Anyone who knows about Nigerian Scams should read more about all variations and tell 10 people who are still clueless. Then, ask each to tell 3 friends, and ask them to tell 2 friends, recursively - the saddest part being that these scammers only operate because they keep finding new prey.
And by now, this means some of the most vulnerable folks around, not just the greedy.
As for Nigerian as a hole, what can I say, but that this was not a typo?
Dear Nigeria,
Go shit in your shoe.
Love,
Sony.
Hi-larious. The ad agency that created this definitely deserves some props.
pretty good, especially by sony's standards. and yes, 419=land sucks. get over it.
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The affect of this ad on the Nigerian tourism industry has cost Nigeria untold millions of dollars.
@RobertBaron: I was all set to spend a few weeks at the ultra-posh Prince Oobo Jobbo Hotel until I viewed that Sony ad. I'm canceling my trip there just because of what the ad stated.
It seemed like a great hotel with really superb security. They wanted me to provide them with my Social Security Number, a photo of my drivers license, my checking and savings account numbers and several of my credit card numbers. When I asked them why they needed all of that I was told so they could make sure it was really me who was coming to the hotel and not some undesirable. Made sense to me. ;)
@RobertBaron:
yea I am waiting for my millions transferred to me as well. :D
@RobertBaron: The effect, too.
@RobertBaron: I'm apparently owed $889,000 by someone in Nigeria. They can have it if they want. I'll forward the e-mail.