… just in case the fortune cookie printing press has an inside guy in the Lottery, or vice-versa? Well, I got a 419 SPAM the other day and I won’t bore you with the original text this time, but I found my reply amusing, and thought some of you might, also. Please enjoy, or STFU. I really don’t care which!
[i]I have to tell you, first of all, that I don’t believe
you. The general format of your letter — need
assistance moving large amount of money, due to
politics — is so widely used in scams, computer pros
like me have a NICKNAME for it, a “419 scam,” named
after the statute of Nigerian law prohibiting such
messages, many of which were purportedly sent from
Nigeria, although electronic records show most or all
such messages did not really originate in Nigeria.
I’m replying merely because I’m impressed with the
level of detail of your message. I will consider your
request, on the following terms. 30% of your $16.4
Million USD is acceptable to me. Mail me a legally
binding, signed contract stating that you will pay me
the sum of $4920000, to a United States Post Office
Box. Under these terms, I will in exchange accept
receipt of your metal box full of money, at a United
States Post Office Box, and upon your arrival, I will
turn over to you the cash within it, less $4920000.
Now, I expect you to protest that for some reason this
transaction must take place electronically, and
eventually, you will try to convince me to give you
information about my bank account, or credit card,
etc. If not, great, I would like to have $4920000.[/i]