Helping a "friend" in need

[SawyerBrown]

Yesterday I got this e-mail from my "friend" Patti from church:

"How Are You Doing?

Sorry for any inconvenience, I'm in a terrible situation. Am stranded here in Philippines since last night. I was beaten and robbed on my way to the hotel I stayed and my luggage is still in custody of the hotel management pending when I make payment on outstanding bills I owe. Am waiting for my colleague to send me money to get back home but he hasn't responded. please let me know if you can help and I will refund the money back to you as soon as I get back home. My return flight will be leaving soon, please let me know if I can count on you.."

Probably shouldn't have, but I decided to help my friend Patti with this reply:

"Patti, I feel terribly awful for you recent misfortunates.  I have sent lots of money to the local police station.  You can go there right away and get what you deserve.  I have told them what to do, just as for your money using a secret code name so that you know it was from me.  Your secret code name is Askam R. Tist.  Tell them you are Askam R. Tist and they will know what to do.

Good luck hope to see you soonly."

The really sad part was that Patti's original e-mail was always signed with the following, and was still intact: "FNP-BC/GNP-BC I can do all things thru Christ who strengthens me. Philippians 4:13"

[yukon cornelius]

I feel bad that they feel they need to lie and cheat to make a living. They will be judged by what they have done! Just sad!

[Magicman]

I also got a similar message a couple of years ago.  Funny thing was that I had just seen that person and I knew that they were not on a trip anywhere.  Yes sad, but it is amazing how many times it works.

[LeeB]

They say it works best with old folks. Glad you didn't fall for it Linn.

[WV Sawmiller]

Sawyer,

    Great response. I have had those letter but just pitched them. I like your response better.

    Had a guide in South Africa a few years ago got an e-mail asking him to come work for my company in Iraq. He asked me if I had given them his name. I told him no and looked at the address and was not sent from our company server but from Yahoo. He checked further and the scam was he needed a security clearance and he needed to send 1,000 pounds to an address in London and "of course" he would be reimbursed on his first expense report to the company. He later did take a job with another company working in Iraq but quit when his boss tried to force him to sign off on work his company had not done. Client was US Gov't.

[LeeB]

Sawyer, that was a clever response. The obviously non native english speaker, if they ever see the response, would likely never see the irony if it. I'm sure there are so many cut outs between the original email and when it got to you that any reply will never get that far back down the chain.

[Magicman]

They say it works best with old folks. Glad you didn't fall for it.....

What??  I'm just a teenager in a wrinkled body.    smiley_old_guy

[LeeB]

 :D :D :D :D :D

[Warped]

Go to 419eater.com and see how they treat these scammers, especially the Safari's. It's great reading when they turn the tables on these creeps.
     They sent some of them half way around the world chasing their money and a couple into the middle of a civil war in war torn Chad. What a hoot!

419 is the law code for scamming in Nigeria