A variation on the Nigerian scam, or something else?

mtdtunes · Post by **mtdtunes** » Tue Dec 17, 2002 2:17 pm

We hear about these idiots all the time on the National Cartoonists Society board. Same at the ukuelele board. Don't they have anything else to do in Nigeria?
The sad part is, someone will take the bait and end up as the lead story on some television news magazine....

Wombat · Post by **Wombat** » Wed Dec 18, 2002 12:05 am

On 2002-12-17 15:17, mtdtunes wrote:
We hear about these idiots all the time on the National Cartoonists Society board. Same at the ukuelele board. Don't they have anything else to do in Nigeria?
The sad part is, someone will take the bait and end up as the lead story on some television news magazine....

This wasn't meant to be a 'mock the idiots' thread although there's no harm in doing that. This just strikes me as a troubling new development. Let me explain why.

In Australia, a Christian organisation (which I think is American) advertises in a big way for people to sponser children in 3rd world countries just like the one this 'supposed' child purports to be. Now, I think there is always a very fine line—much finer than is usually realised—between scams and genuine charities. I know some people who object to the child sponsership scheme on the grounds that the only beneficiaries are children who will be given a Chrisian upbringing—something not mentioned in the ads. What bothers me is that people who would never fall for the Nigerian scam might think that this is just another charitable initiative—yeah, I know they should be able to see through it but that's not relly my point. This sort of thing will damage genuine charitable organisations—the Nigerian scam never will have that effect.

Wombat · Post by **Wombat** » Wed Dec 18, 2002 12:07 am

On 2002-12-18 01:05, Wombat wrote:
On 2002-12-17 15:17, mtdtunes wrote:
We hear about these idiots all the time on the National Cartoonists Society board. Same at the ukuelele board. Don't they have anything else to do in Nigeria?
The sad part is, someone will take the bait and end up as the lead story on some television news magazine....
This wasn't meant to be a 'mock the idiots' thread although there's no harm in doing that. This just strikes me as a troubling new development. Let me explain why.

In Australia, a Christian organisation (which I think is American) advertises in a big way for people to sponser children in 3rd world countries just like the one this 'supposed' child purports to be. Now, I think there is always a very fine line—much finer than is usually realised—between scams and genuine charities. I know some people who object to the child sponsership scheme on the grounds that the only beneficiaries are children who will be given a Christian upbringing—something not mentioned in the ads. What bothers me is that people who would never fall for the Nigerian scam might think that this is just another charitable initiative—yeah, I know they should be able to see through it but that's not really my point. This sort of thing will damage genuine charitable organisations—the Nigerian scam never will have that effect.

paulsdad · Post by **paulsdad** » Wed Dec 18, 2002 12:46 pm

If you are interested in donating to a child who really does need help, you might consider contacting Christian Children's Fund. http://www.christianchildrensfund.org/

The percentage of your donation that actually goes to the child is higher than with many other charities.

Although we are not currently sponsoring a child, my wife and I did so for several years. We received letters from our sponsored children, and when we sent extra money for a birthday gift, etc., they even told us what they bought with it.

Joy to the world!

Palsdad

claudine · Post by **claudine** » Wed Dec 25, 2002 7:29 pm

latest junk-mail:

Hello. Excuse that I to you address and forgive to me my bad English language.
Your help is necessary for me. I the student.
I study in city of Tomsk. In army of me do not take because of illness.
The matter is that my girl was lost because of capture of hostages in Moscow the
Chechen terrorists.
We have met her of 6 years back and have grown fond each other.
And more her month with me is not present. I have no need to live more.
I more than once thought of suicide yet have not understood that I should make.
In my soul there was one fury to terrorists. The friend has advised me to
address for the help in the Internet.
I am going to go to the Chechen Republic but at me the grant of 600 roubles (20
dollars) and consequently I address to you.
Help please to me to find even money to the ticket up to Vladikavkaz and I am
farther I shall understand.
Money you can transfer on the account 674797 in payment system E-Gold
(http://webmoney.ee/en/16/ "bank transffer S.W.I.F.T." or visit
http://webmoney.ee/en/exchange.php "another metod of transfer").
Best regards Sergey Vorob’yov.

Stan · Post by **Stan** » Wed Dec 25, 2002 7:37 pm

Hi Claudine......I received the same junk
mail today also. Far reaching, huh ?

Jayhawk · Post by **Jayhawk** » Wed Dec 25, 2002 7:43 pm

Stan & Claudine - I received the same e-mail this morning, too.

claudine · Post by **claudine** » Wed Dec 25, 2002 7:47 pm

Stan, maybe he took the e-mail-addresses from the C&F memberslist.

aderyn_du · Post by **aderyn_du** » Wed Dec 25, 2002 8:49 pm

Stan, Jayhawk, and Claudine... I received it this morning too. Wonder what's up with that? I can't even tell what address it came to-- I have several set up with my Eudora program, and for some reason I can't see my address in the headers of this email.

Andrea ~*~

Wandering_Whistler · Post by **Wandering_Whistler** » Wed Dec 25, 2002 9:22 pm

Maybe so...I got the same mail.

I told him I'd send him the $20 if he sent me polaroids of his girl in various states of undress, but I didn't get a reply..imagine that.

raindog1970 · Post by **raindog1970** » Wed Dec 25, 2002 9:55 pm

I got the same e-mail today as well.
Rest assured we've been spammed by someone who spidered the C&F message board... like you didn't already know that.

I have a hard time believing that anyone ever falls for such obvious scams, but then I remember that P.T. Barnum was right... there really is a sucker born every minute!

avanutria · Post by **avanutria** » Wed Dec 25, 2002 10:05 pm

Might I suggest that folks who post their email address put some sort of "human being safety lock" on it...for example, I post my address as avanutria@yahoo.REMOVE_THIS_SPAMBLOCKER.com ...an actual person using my addy will see that and make the adjustment before sending (or at least after it bounces

) but a program won't know to make the change and so it's not a valid address for spam robots.

If you do use this method, make sure you put the blocker bit next to the three letter extension (com, org, net, et cetera) and not right next to the @ symbol, to cut down on the spam traffic your provider has to deal with.

didymus · Post by **didymus** » Wed Dec 25, 2002 10:13 pm

Count me in, I got the same email, too... Well at least I'm in good company!

Frank

bozemanhc · Post by **bozemanhc** » Thu Dec 26, 2002 1:00 pm

I got the same message yesterday. I guess if everyone sent $20 it would amount to a lot of money.

dakotamouse · Post by **dakotamouse** » Thu Dec 26, 2002 6:46 pm

I've been getting a lot of these lately. I've been thinking of sending one of my own out......

Pardon my perfect English and impeccable punctuation but I am desperatly trying to raise cash.

I had no intention of fighting the law but the law won. Please help me pay my speeding fine of $80. It's Christmas and I'd really rather spend my money elsewhere.

Thank you,
Mary Ann Bernadette Gereszek Fetch

P.S. You do realize I'm being terribly sarcastic don't you? There was a site for some gal by the name of Karyn who got herself in trouble with credit card debt . she started asking, begging, for money to erase her debt and people actually sent it to her. The internet raises begging, legitimate or not, to new heights.