The Stin...k: An Update

Scamsters are usually a step ahead of the authorities who try to keep track of them and their ploys, not to mention the early-on victims who fall for those ploys. And there's no shortage of them (do a Google search of 'email fraud', and you'll see what I mean).

I've been receiving the usual avalanche of scam emails (419 Nigerian ploys, credit card ploys, online bank ploys, eBay ploys, etc) for four years; I've had a lot of fun tweaking in particular the 419 scammers, making some of them "weally, weally mad".

Today -- August 25 -- I received something new, at least to me: an unsolicited email from a proclaimed artist*, living in the UK*, who loves to sell his artwork to Americans and Canadians*, but has problems with the usual methods of payment used by Americans and Canadians*, namely money orders and Western Union transmittals. He is seeking "an agent" in the US to handle, for a small percentage, these payments*.

Righhhhhht**.

In keeping with a suggestion received three years ago, I forward copies of anything with a UK (United Kingdom) connection to New Scotland Yard. Whether they've run any of these to ground, I can't say. I suppose faux** starving artists* with four cats*, a dog*, and a spouse*, living on meager funds* raised through his artwork*, aren't as high on the list of NSY these days as prior to the London subway bombings, if then**.

Of course, my contacts with NSY always end with the usual "never, NEVER communicate with these persons; they are dangerous criminals, some with organized crime connections". Which is good advice, unless you're Dr. U. R. Phulovit, research analyst for the International Crustacean Obedience Training Institute, located in bucolic Vaduz, Liechtenstein (email: icotiphulovit@yahoo.com; website http://www.outofthinair.homestead.com/crustaceantraininginstitute.html)

But I digress.

At any rate, if you receive an unsolicited email offer for a part-time job from a starving artist* in the UK or anywhere else overseas*, recall the old adage if it sounds too good to be true...

And if I hear anything (besides the usual precautionary admonitions) from my friends at New Scotland Yard, I'll let you know.


* he says...

** I surmise...