Once upon a time, my partner and I worked for a communications company (that shall not be named) as tele-relay operators. In theory, it's a very noble profession. We became well-versed in the culture of the deaf and hard-of-hearing. We learned a bit of ASL along the way and became voyeurs into the private lives of those that used technology and intermediaries as a means of communication with the hearing world.
We also became well-versed in the underhanded, the vulgar and the dehumanizing. The amoral, the malignant and the diabolical deception that comes with anonymity and potential for abuse.
It was through these experiences that we became over-informed on the Nigerian 419 scams. As a result, I often respond to letters that I know or suspect were generated for this purpose. Today was one of those days.
Read on for the initial communique and my response.
----- Original Message -----
From: mrsmary louis
Sent: Wednesday, December 10, 2008 9:23 PM
Subject: Dear Friend
Dear Friend
Greetings in the name of God,Pls let this not sound strange to you for my only surviving lawyer who would have done this died early this year.
i prayed and got your email id from your country guestbook. I am MRS MARY LOUIS from London,I am 58 years old,i am suffering from a long time cancer of the lungs which also affected my brain,from all indication my conditions is really deteriorating and it is quite obvious that, according to my doctors they have advised me that i may not live for the next two months,this is because the cancer stage has gotten to a very bad stage.
I was brought up from a motherless babies home was married to my late husband for twenty years without a child,my husband died in a fatal motor accident Before his death we were true believers.Since his death I decided not to re-marry,I sold all my inherited belongings and deposited all the sum of 10million dollars with a First Inland Bank.
Presently, this money is still with them and the management just wrote me as the true owner to come forward to receive the money for keeping it so long or rather issue a letter of authorization to somebody to receive it on my behalf since I can not come over because of my illness or they get it confisticated.
Presently, I'm with my laptop in a hospital here in Switzerland where I have been undergoing treatment for cancer of the lungs. my doctors have told me that I have only a few months to live.It is my last wish to see that this money is invested to any organisation of your choice and distributed each year among the charity organization,the poor and the motherless babies home.
I want you as God fearing person, to also use this money to fund church,mosque, orphanages and widows,I took this decision, before i rest in peace because my time will so on be up.
As soon as I receive your reply I shall give you the contact of the First Inland Bank.I will also issue you a letter of authority that will prove you as the new beneficiary of my fund.
Please assure me that you will act accordingly as I stated herein. Hoping to hear from you soon. NAME: __________SURNAME:__________________SEX: _____ AGE: ______MARITAL: _______________COUNTRY: ______
CONTACT ADDRESS: ________________________PHONE NO#___________FAX NO#_________________OCCUPATION:
______________
waiting for you information
reply:me through this my private email
address:mrsmarylouis44@yahoo.fr
MRS. MARY LOUIS
----- Original Message -----
From: stagesiren@cox.net
To: mrsmarylouis44@yahoo.fr
Sent: Thursday, December 11, 2008 12:12 AM
Subject: Re: Dear Friend
Mary,
My husband and I are wealthy vacationers and are now in Switzerland. He invented the Fondue HotTub, which is very popular in Switzerland and Europe because you can sit in it on a cold evening... and it's cheese! (And everyone loves cheese.) He is at a convention in Zurich, but we could easily hop on the jet for an afternoon getaway. What hospital are you at? We would love to come visit you!
Warmest Regards,
Ivanna Popov
Professional Enabler
Friend to motherless babies
Wednesday, December 10, 2008
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