An answer to these ridiculous scams

[Carow]

This answer was given in our local paper today in response to the usual Mr APT in Liberia/Nigeria etc who has a substantial amount of funds for you to handle. "Should you be interested please send me your private phone no etc etc.

Response: Thank you for choosing me to be your partner and the recipient of your substantial funds. Having never met, I am unsure of what I have done to deserve this honour. However, I can assure you it is a wise choice.

Of late I have been blessed by a number of such windfalls and am having difficulty in deciding how to handle such funds. A distant uncle of mine apparantly left me a massive legacy in Sierra Leone. All I have to do to inherit these millions is to send my full banking details and a sum to the attorneys handling the will. Then the Central Bank of Nigeria has several unclaimed deposits which I am entitled to. I would not like to refuse such a gift horse in the mouth. I have also won the British Lottery although I haver never bought a single ticket. Talk about good luck!

Please be so good as to forward me, from these investment funds an initial nominal deposit of 5000 euros with which I will set up a joint Swiss bank account for the purpose of safeguarding these funds. Please also forward me your physical address and bank details, including your account number which I wish to share with some friends of mine who are all officers and gentlemen. Incidentally they are able to provide you with free hospitality, board and lodging. You will meet partners for life and never be lonely again. Sincerely yours

[Margaret]

That is actually the worst advice possible. By sending any response at all, you are telling these people that your email address is active and the emails are read. This simply ensures that you will receive even more scams. The only thing to do is delete it without response.

[Mountain Goat]

If you want to bait them, be sure to use a date-expiring email address.

I still think, sounding like the speaking clock, that shopping them in to abuse@yahoo.whatever (remember to include the original headers and 419 scam in subject line) is the best strategy. No risk to you, and it can zap a scammer dead in his (her? any lady scammers out there? - work-at-home-mums? or WAHMs in Daily Mail speak) tracks - days of work down the drain. Non-yahoo outfits aren't as proactive in my experience.

MG

[Carow]

The article was written "tongue in cheek" in a humour column which I should have added, to avoid confusion about it actually being given as advice.

MG thanks for the abuse@yahoo site. It's good to know there is a reporting system in place