From Africa With Love

For something else other than myself actually.I don't know what I did online,but I was suddenly hit by a surge of emails from a variety of Africans(and one Malaysian) desperate to give me money.

Well,who am I to refuse?Unfortunately,they are all obviously online scams.But it did got me thinking about the number of people who actually fall for these bunch of small-time crooks who probably operate from a dingy cybercafe in the deepest,darkest reaches of Africa(on dial-up too,no doubt).Almost everyday,I've heard of people,people who have respectable careers,lose a significant amount of cash to these criminals.

Now,I'm not implying that whoever that actually buys the emails' stories are dumb,but it is baffling that they can fall for them.

Take these points into consideration for example.The people who sent these emails always claim to be a member of royalty/bank manager/rich widow who seemed to be in a spot of financial trouble and entrust you into taking care of their money,so long as you sent some first.

The thing is,how the fuck do you even know them?Did you join MyAfricanKingSpace or RoyalTwitter or something?!Lest you are a diplomat or Facebook friend whore,there is absolutely no chance of you being acquintanced with them.

Also,why would they trust a complete stranger in handling their bank accounts?If I ever will be in a state of money problem,the last thing I would do is send an email to some dude halfway across the world asking them for help.

Anyway,why don't you be a judge for yourself?Here are a few excerpts from the emails I got.

"Dear friend
I am Mr.basheru albu, the audit and account director in Bank of African Burkina Faso.Thus i humbly request your kind assistance to claim Twenty-five Million Two Hundred Thousand united state dollars ($25.200.000.00). The account holder suddenly passed away 26th december 2003 plane crash benin republic.left no beneficiary who would be entitled to the receipt of these fund.
For this reason, i have found it expedient to transfer this fund to a trustworthy individual with capacity to act as foreign business partner. Upon the transfer of this fund in your account, you will take 40% as your share from the total fund, 10% will be used as the expense incur during the process of the transfer to your account and 50% will be for me. "

"I decided to contact you because of the urgency of my situation here ,I am Miss Hellen Harry Johnson 25years old girl from Liberia,the only daughter of Late prince Harry Johnson the deputy minister of national security under the leadership of president Charles Taylor who is now in exile after many innocent soul were killed ,My father was killed by government of Charles Taylor ,he accuse my father of coup attempt.I am constrained to contact you because of the maltreatment I, am receiving from my step mother. She planned to take away all my late father's treasury and properties from me since the unexpected death of my beloved Father.Meanwhile I wanted to escape to the Europe but she hide away my international passport and other valuable travelling documents.
Luckily she did not discover where I kept my father?s File which contains important documents. So I decided to run to the refegee camp where I am presently seeking asylum under the United Nations High Commission for the Refegee here in Ouagadougou, Republic of Burkina Faso. I wish to contact you personally for a long term business relationship and investment assistance in your Country.My father of blessed memory deposited the sum of US$5, 7,Million Dollars in Bank with my name as the next of kin.However, I shall forward you with the necessay documents on confirmation of your acceptance to assist me for the transfer and investment of the fund.As you will help me in an invsetment, and i will like to complete my studies, as i was in my ist year in the university, when the crisis started.It is my intention to compensate you with 10% of the total money for your services and the balance shall be my investment capital. "

The second one had me in stitches.Seriously,he should consider a career in making soap operas.Here's the Malaysian one.

"£950,000.00 and a BMW Car has been awarded to you in the BMW NEW YEAR BIG
DASH,send us your:-
Names_____________
Address__________
Tel______________
Country___________ "

I'm disappointedlah to say the least.It just seems horribly lazy compared to the previous ones.Malaysia Scammers Boleh!!!