Email Scam Artists Are Fun To Play With

Ten years ago I met a colorful character who called himself Shola Rhodes.

He sent me an email suggesting I work with him on a venture to make some serious money and I said I was interested.

Because when some stranger writes you out of the blue and offers you money you always say yes. Mama Steiner didn’t raise a fool, opportunity knocks and I enter.

I chronicled the adventure in a series of posts:

1. I am Rich Again- How Much Luck Do I Deserve
2. More About My Good Fortune
3. Give Me Time and I will Be Rich, Rich, Rich
4. My Application for Shola
5. For Shola
6. No Love From Shola- Goodbye Fortune

I had a lot of fun messing with that guy and that experience led to multiple new adventures, some of which I chronicled here and some of which I didn’t.

Speaking of which I need to take a look at some of those older posts because when they were imported from my old Blogger blog there were some formatting issues.

It is not hard to read, but it could look better. Chalk it up as another blogging task I need to get to.

Email Scam Artists Are Fun To Play With

I received a new scam email today and I have been playing around with sending a silly response back to it complete with a picture of me wearing a scary clown mask.

Dear Concern,

I am Talent Scout For BLUE SKY FILM STUDIO, Present Blue sky Studio a
Film Corporation Located in the United State, is Soliciting for the
Right to use Your Photo/Face and Personality as One of the Semi -Major
Role/ Character in our Upcoming ANIMATED Stereoscope 3D Movie-The Story
of Ferdinand (Ferdinand 2017) The Movie is Currently Filming (In
Production) Please Note That There Will Be No Auditions, Traveling or
Any Special / Professional Acting Skills, Since the Production of This
Movie Will Be Done with our State of Art Computer -Generating Imagery
Equipment. We Are Prepared to Pay the Total Sum of $620,000.00 USD. For
More Information/Understanding, Please Write us on the E-Mail Below.
CONTACT EMAIL: blueskyfilms@usa.com
All Reply to: blueskyfilms@usa.com
Note: Only the Response send to this mail will be Given a Prior
Consideration.

Talent Scout

I mean who wouldn’t want to engage with a talent scout so that you could make a quick $620k.

Funny thing to me is to think about how much has changed in 10 years and how in some ways I am far more relaxed and far more cautious than I was then.

Maybe it is because I have heard many more stories about ransomware and identity theft so my antennae go up with this sort of thing.

I tell my kids it is smart to be cautious but you can’t let fear dictate all that you do.

So I am sitting here mulling over not whether I could play with this talent scout but whether it is worth the time.

After all every time I read silly letters that are taken seriously like the one below it makes me laugh and I think about coming up with something new.

Hi Shola,I am trying to decide which bank we should use for this as I bank with several.

Cleveland Bank of Plunder and Spoil
1313 Mockingbird Lane
Cleveland, Ohio 44102
Personal Agent: Herman Munster

Barnacle Bob Bank of Mistrust
4 Is the Square Root of 16 Lane
Toledo, Ohio 44104
Personal Agent: Barney Fife

Dinah Mite Financial
69 Comelickmeclean Road
Bustedtuchus, Ohio 44018
Personal Agent: Hawkeye Pierce

Do you have any thoughts or suggestions as to which one you think would be easiest to work with? I have had many interactions with Mr. Munster as when I was young I used to watch him. So perhaps it might make sense to work with his institution of deceit, deception, distrust and dismay.

-Jack

 Life Is Too Short