cap

The Fresh Sheet

Hungry? Here's some food for thought.

What, I Can’t Get a Camel? Having Fun with Our Nigerian Friends

clockJune 30, 2008 just for fun | Leave a Comment

Posted by Jenn Lowther

lolcats and funny pictures

Milan, one of the programmers here at Invoke - and occasional blog poster, received one of the many emails we receive daily from Nigerian Spammers.  Instead of doing what we usually do, delete it, he wrote back.  Below is a transcript (thus far) of their email correspondence, I will update it as his responses come in.  I’d love to hear some of the stories you have about playing with the scammers - if you’ve had some fun at their expense, please leave a comment and if you’ve blogged about it, please add a link to your blog.

On Fri, Jun 27, 2008 at 12:00 PM, malick <malick3****@yahoo.com> wrote:

From Malick Camara,

Dakar Senegal

Good Day,

I am writing this letter with due respect and heartful of tears since we have not known or met ourselves previously, I am asking for your assistance after I have gone through a profile that speaks good of you.I want to find out if it’s possible for you to deal with individual as to investment.

I would like to use this opportunity to introduce my self to you.Well my name is Malick Camara from (Liberia),the son of Mr.Camara Wade,i am living in Dakar Senegal now with my only sister Binah ,we are only two, My father is now late,he died some weeks back during the last and current crisis in my country(Swaziland). i will need you assistance in the aria of investment the exact amount involved is for the investment is ($12. million United States Dollars) .

I came across your profile and I feel it’s highly reputable that is why I pick an interest getting across to you in respect of investment at my disposal.I will be so glad if you can allow me and lead me to the right channel towards your assistance to my situation now.I will make my proposal well known if I am given the opportunity.

As I have mention earlier I will make the procedure to this issue to be well knowing to you if I am given the opportunity to do so. Pls attach your direct and full information on your reply.

Sincerely,

Malick Camara

From: Milan Vrekic <*******@dreamcoatsoft.com>
Subject: Re: Urgent Message
To: “malick” <malick******@yahoo.com>
Date: Friday, June 27, 2008, 8:28 PM

Agreed.

We can start negotiations by you transferring me 4 camels.

From: malick camara <malick******@yahoo.com>

Sir,
For crying out loud, what has camel get to do with my proposal as you have mentioned? I don’t have camel as such can’t transfer camels i am very sorry about that. I did not contact you because i was seeking pleasantries . I am very serious and if you are, please notify me when responding to my mail so that we can get started with the process immediately.

Best Regards,
Malick.

We are by no means the first to have fun with our Nigerian Scammer friends. At the site 419 Eater, the author took it one step further and got the Nigerian Scammer to get a tattoo.  Head over to the site to read the correspondance and see pics of the tattoo he ended up getting.  I love how the scammers are as gullible as some of the people they target!

Read More

A Tale of a Relationship That Just Isn’t Meant To Be!

clockJune 23, 2008 social media | Leave a Comment

The other week I wrote about Twitter and Facebook and asked the question is Twitter the new Facebook? One thing that I pointed out in the post is Twitter’s issues with down time and functionality issues and the problems they’ve created for the Twitter community. Well this week I’m turning my attention and ire to YouTube.

nextMEDIA: Future of Digital Content Recap

clockJune 11, 2008 events | Leave a Comment

The conference “is where the world’s leading edge content creators, aggregators, and most influential solution-providers meet to develop key business relationships. Set in spectacular Banff, Alberta the conference once again links schedules with The Banff World Television Festival to take advantage of the synergies connecting these two media communities.”

Is Twitter the New Facebook?

clockJune 3, 2008 social media | Leave a Comment

I have a confession to make. I I <3 twitter. For those of you who don’t know what twitter is, it’s basically a micro blogging platform. You get 140 characters to say whatever you want. You add friends - creating your own social network and let them know what you are doing through your status updates. If you want to read more about twitter, you can find more info here.

Doing Good with facebook - Kiva.org

clockMay 29, 2008 Press Releases, charity | Leave a Comment

Kiva’s mission is to connect people through lending for the sake of alleviating poverty. Kiva is the world’s first person-to-person micro-lending website, empowering individuals to lend directly to unique entrepreneurs in the developing world.

The facebook Kiva application lets a user grow their funds by using the facebook platform as a means of soliciting friends for monetary contributions.