What should be an appropriate punishment for a spammer that wants to steal your money by representing a dead celebrity? When we designed BSN*, one of the decisions we made was to make an easy contact with the authors. We did that by putting a simple first name basis @brightsideofnews.com in almost all cases, but we knew that we were going to attract spammers.
And yes, we are getting a lot of spam, and our filter is very successful at exterminating the vermin but earlier today, we received an e-mail from a person claiming to be the representative of the late Luciano Pavarrotti. Alleged Mr. Morris Van Cooper living on a non-existent address in Den Haag, Netherlands – offered us 3.15 Million Euro if we would be so kind to perform charity deeds. The only problem with the story, cited in an e-mail below, is the fact that no attorney in their sane minds would not quit their job and go to feed the children with the remaining seven million.
What disguised yours truly was the fact that spammers went from offering penis and breast enlargements, through pills and different services to Nigerian schemes… and it looks like this could be the latest fashion.
Bear in mind that the e-mail was legit enough to pass the security screening of a pretty expensive mail firewall, who shall remain unnamed [yes, we already sent this e-mail to them with a refund claim ;-) ].
This is the e-mail "from Late Luciano", for your reading purposes:
"----- Original Message -----
From: Luciano Pavarotti [mailto:lucianopavarotti@Sify.com]
To: undisclosed-recipients:;
Sent: Thu, 25 Jun 2009 16:29:43 +0200
Subject: !!! NOTIFICATION OF BEQUEST!!!
Notification of Bequest
On behalf of the Trustees and Executor of the Estate of Late Mr. Luciano Pavarotti, I hereby attempt to reach you again. I wish to notify you that Late Mr Luciano Pavarotti made you a beneficiary to His WILL. He left the sum of Ten Million five Hundred Thousand US Dollars.($10,500,000.00) to you in the codicil land last testament to his WILL. This may sound strange and Unbelievable to you, but it is real and true. Luciano Pavarotti was known for his humanitarian work.
He was the founder and the host of the 'Pavarotti & Friends' annual charity concerts and related activities in Morena, Italy. There he sang with international stars of all styles to raise funds for several worthy UN causes and charity homes. Late Luciano Pavarotti until his death was a very dedicated Christian who loved to give out. His great philanthropy earned him numerous awards during his life time, late Luciano Pavarotti died at the Age of 71 years.
According to him this money is to support your activities and to help the poor and the Needy including charity organisations of your choice for the good work of the lord, and also to help the motherless and less privilege and Assistance of the widows according to (JAMES 1:27). He took this decision because he does not have any child that will inherit this money. I will like you to read more about him on this website. (http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0667556/bio)
I must let you know that this transaction is 100% risk free and the nature of your business does not necessarily matter. For assisting this offering Late Mr. Luciano Pavarotti is offering you 30% of the total sum for your good will assistance, 65% is for the charity work & 5% will be mapped out for any expenses that may incurred during the course of this transaction. Finally, all we are demand from you is assurance that you will not sit on this Funds when it finally gets to your personal account or company's account in your Country. If this proposal given to you by Late Mr. Mr. Luciano Pavarotti is acceptable by you please confirm your interest via Email and we shall forward for your perusal any documentation to satisfy you that this project is a legitimate one.
NB: We will appreciate your utmost confidentiality in this matter until the task is accomplished as we don't want anything that will jeopardize the last wish of Late Mr. Luciano Pavarotti because we don't want the family and relation or anybody to know about this transaction due to the instruction given to us by Late Mr. Luciano Pavarotti.
Please you should fill the information below for more charities and identification of your Information's we have here and also contact the lawyer in charge with the email address below so that the process of this transaction can proceed? And he will direct you on how to contact the paying bank for the release of your (money) fund.
1. Full Name.
2. Mobile Telephone number,
3. Age.
4. Contact address/Country.
5. Occupation.
Yours in Service,
BARRISTER MORRIS VAN COOPER (Senior Partner)
ATTORNEY & ASS. Notary Public Solicitor & Legal Practitioner
Advocate Address: 35 Group Middle Levees 87, 12 Emirates Towers Office,
Den Haag, Netherlands.
Tel: +31-644-777-769
Fax: +31-84-759-7673
Fax: +31-84-731- 7621
Personal Email: barr.morrisvancooper@ulmail.net"
Seriously, this is sickening.
