Adversity brings out the worst in some of us

[Dave Farber <dfarber () me com>]

Begin forwarded message:

> From: Mary Shaw <mary.shaw () cs cmu edu>
> Date: April 17, 2010 4:40:10 PM EDT
> To: Dave Farber <dave () farber net>
> Subject: Adversity brings out the worst in some of us

> Dave,
>
> The current travel disruptions rippling out of Europe are providing fertile ground for what I thought was a 
> well-known scam.
>
> I received email this morning purporting to be from another member of a small professional group I belong to -- the 
> mail was sent to the group.  It went,
>
> "I'm writing this with tears in my eyes ....I'm sorry for this odd
> request because it might get to you too urgent but it's because of the
> situation of things right now,We are stuck in london right now,we came
> down here on vacation ,we were robbed, worse of it is that bags, cash
> and cards and cell phone were stolen at GUN POINT, it's such a crazy
> experience for us, we need help flying back home,I've been to the U.S
> embassy and the Police here but they're not helping issues at all
> .... But the good thing is that we still have our passport,our flight
> leaves today and I'm having problems settling the hotel bills...The
> hotel manager won't let us leave until i settle the hotel bills,
> please i need you to loan me some money, i will refund you as soon as
> i'm back home tomorrow .....  I PROMISE"
>
>
> Now, this is a group of people who would use better grammar, who would know that no one is flying out of London 
> today, and so on.
>
> Funny thing is, it appears that a couple of people in the group fell for it, because they replied with supportive 
> messages (the offending message had a reply-to of the whole group).
>
> So it looks like it would be timely to warn/remind the public at large of this scam.  Some of your readers have wide 
> followings; if you think it appropriate, please forward.
>
> Mary



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