As with anyone who has an email address, I’ve seen all kinds of spam. What amazes me the most is that for spam to be economically feasible, someone has to purchase something. The success rate isn’t very high – but someone out there is buying some v1agra from spam marketers. That’s what makes me shake my head.
Besides the typical spam comes email fraud. The most popular is the “Nigerian Scam” so named b/c it originally purported to be from Nigeria. Typically, some wealthy foreigner needs “help” moving millions of dollars from his homeland due to some crisis. For helping him, he promises to give you a hefty reward. All you need to do is send the individual either your checking account number (into which he’ll “transfer” the money) or small “advance” fee so he can get the transaction moving. The more sophisticated ones usually try to play of the recipient’s sympathy (ie persecuted christian, mother who lost her son, etc).
Personally, I don’t find this scam very believable. Unfortunately, others do – to the tune of over $1B. Interestingly enough, the history of this scam can be traced back to the 1920s!
Why I bring this to your attention is that yesterday I received a very moving letter:
Sir,
Good day to you, to start with, I am Mr Syed Asmat, from Republic of IRAQ,I am a former member of Iraq Republican Guard,and a special aide to Uday Hussein, late son of former president Saddam Hussein.
I deserted from Army after the death of my boss and I am still recovering from wounds I sustained when our troops was ambushed by Allied soldiers fighting us in our country, presently I am in Basra with my family. I am privy to some of the lodgement my boss made in some finance houses in Europe, Asia conutries and I know most of the codes to release the funds.
I will start with Ten million U.S Dollars (US$10M) for a joint parnership in your business or any other you may suggest if I see you as trust worthy person as I think. Please contact me with this address: syedasmat@ummah.org
Let me know how you feel about this proposal and if you have a good business that we can invest in, let me know but if you do not then we can share the fund and I take my share. I will be waiting for your response.
May peace of Allah be with you.
Regards,
Mr. Syed Asmat