This Africa

At the time we are all urging G8 leaders to think of Africa, Granny and Beloved are being deluged by one form of African self-help, sent to the email address attached to their website. All of it attempting - via seeming attempts to join poetry courses, rent accommodation, accept investment - to gain details of their commercial bank account. Since they barely have one this is likely to avail the wily ones nothing. In the case of the poetry courses etc they write back demanding cheques upfront. Naturally there are no replies. In the case of the investment opportunism they ignore them. (Any thought of taking them seriously would be cancelled by Google reports on previous outbreaks of this scam.) One that arrived this morning was so particularly and wonderfully outrageous Granny thought you might enjoy it too.

FROM GIPSIN BEN, PHD, EZE 1 OF ELEME.


ATTENTION: My friend

This letter might surprise you because we have not
met neither in person nor by correspondence. But I
believe it is one day that you got to know some body
either in physicalor through correspondence. I got
your contact through discreet inquiry from the
chambers of commerce and industry, you and your
organization were revealed as being quite astute in
private entrepreneurship, one has no doubt in your
ability to handle a financial business transaction.
However, I am Prince GIPSIN BEN the first Son of the
lateHis Royal Majesty ,DAVID BEN the traditional
Ruler of Eleme Province in the oil producing area of
River State of Bakassi Peninsula. I am making this
contact to you inrespect of US$ 40,000,000.00
(Fourty Million United State Dollars), which I
inherited,from my late father. This money was
accumulated from royalties paid to my father as
compensation by the oil firms located in our area as
a result of oil presence on our land, which hamper
agriculture, which is our major source of
livelihood. Unfortunately my father died from
protracted diabetes. But before his death he called
my attention and informed me that he lodged some
funds on a two boxes with me the next of kin status.
The lodgment security code number was also revealed
to me, he then advised me to look for a reliable
business partner abroad, that will assist me in
investing the money in a lucrative business as a
result of economic instability in Bakassi Peninsula.
So this is the main reason why I am contacting you
for us to move this m oney from the security firm to
any Country of your choice for investment purpose.
So I will like you to be the ultimate beneficiary,
so that the funds can be moved in your name and
particulars to any Country of your choice where it
will be claimed and invested. Hence my father have
had intimated the security firm personnel that the
beneficiary of the box is his foreign partner whose
particulars will be forwarded to the firm when due.
But I will guide you accordingly.
As soon as the funds reach, I will then come over to
meet you in person, so that we can discuss
physically on investment potentials. Based on this
assistance my Family and I have unanimously decided
to give you 20% of the total money, 2% for Charity
home, 3% for expenses, which may arise during this
transaction, Fax and phone bills inclusive. The
balance of 75% you will invest and manage for my
Family. I hereby guarantee you that this is not
government money, it is not drug money and it is not
money from arms deal. Though you have to maintain
high degree of confidentiality on this matter. I
will give more details and proofs as soon as I
receive your favorable reply. Please reply to my
Email I hope this will be the beginning of a
prosperous relationship between my family and your
family. Nevertheless if you are for any reason not
interested, kindly inform me immediately so that I
will look for another contact.I am waiting for your
quick response.I promise that you will never
regret any association with my family .As soon as i hear
from you i shall give to you my mobnile telephone
number where you can reach me any time. I am in
london , england here just to solicit an assistance
from some of my fathers friends but all my effort
prooved abbotve since they are requesting for 50/50
% of the funds . PLEASE I AM URGENTLY WAITING FOR
YOUR REPLY. WITH YOUR MOBILE SO THAT I CAN REACH YOU
ASAP FOR MORE ORAL CONVERSATION ON THIS MATTER.

Please thank you for your help too.

Yours faithfully,
PRINCE GIPSIN BEN

What an offer. Can we afford to decline? Please advise..