EMAIL SCAM # 5 - REQUEST FOR HELP/APPEAL TO PITY APPROACH

Let us try to scrutinize this scam...

urgent
Sunday, June 22, 2008 1:54 AM
From: "charly marry" charlymarii@gmail.com
To: undisclosed-recipients

Dear ,

Please We are chary and Mary the children of LateGeneral Charley the former Director of militaryintelligence and special acting General Manager of thesierra Leone Diamond mining operation( S.L.D.M.C ). Weare contacting you to seek your good assistance totransfer and invest US 8.5 million belonging to ourlate father which is deposited in a bank here in Ghana

This money is revenues from solid minerals anddiamonds sales which were under my fathers possessionbefore the civil war broke out. Following the breakout of the war, almost all governmentoffices,operations and parasites were attacked andvandalized.

The S.L.D.M.C was looted and burnt down to ashes,anddiamonds worth millions of dollars was stolen by therebel military forces who attacked our fathers office,many top government officials and senior army officerswere assassinated and our father was a key targetbecause of his very sensitive military position andappointment in the S.L.D.M.C.Regrettably, our fatherwas captured and murdered along with his brother incool blood during a mid-night rebel shoot-out when ourofficial residence in Freetown was ambushed by fordedsank o the notorious rebel leader. Our mothersustained very sever bullet injuries which resulted toher untimely and painful death in a private hospitalhere in Ghana

Now we are alone in a totally strange country withoutparents, relatives or any body to care for us at ourtender ages. Before our mother died, she told us thatour father deposited some money which he made fromdiamond sales and contracts in a bank here in Ghanaand that we should pray and find a trust worthyforeign business partner who would help us to transferand invest this money in profitable business ventureoverseas.She told us to do this quickly so that we can leaveGhana and then settle down abroad. She gave us thebank document to prove the deposit and then told usthat our father used my name as the only son todeposit the money in the bank.She told us that this isthe reason why we came to Ghana. My mother died afterwards. May her spirit rest in perfect peace.

I have gone to the bank to make inquires about thismoney and I spoke with the Manager of Internationalremittance who assured me that everything is intactand promised to help us transfer this money to myfathers foreign partners bank account as soon as weprovide our fathers partners foreign bank account forthem. However, the manager is very concerned becauseof our age. I am 25 years why my younger sister is 21years and as such advised that we should look for amatured person that will represent me at the bank.If you are willing to assist us,

please let us know immediately so that you willarrange the transfer ofthe money to your account with the bank.Please notethat we will offer you 10% of the total money ascompensation for your noble assistance in accordancewith my mothers advise. I am interested in anyprofitable commercial venture which you consider verygood in your country and you would also get a schoolfor me, my little sister so that we can finish ourcollege education.Please there is urgent need for the money to betransferred to your account because of the politicalcrises they are having in Ghana now. We are hoping tohear your urgent response.
Thank you and may God bless you and your dear family.
Yours sincerely
chary and Mary
phone number +233249923065

OBSERVATION:

This email is poorly constructed. Though we can actually forgive the senders of this scam for such a lousy work. The scammers are disguising themselves as Chary and Mary, claiming that they are in the age of 25 and 21 years. The two used a request for help and appeal to pity approach in this email scam. They narrated their sad story about the cruel death of their parents and mentioned that they "are alone in a totally strange country without parents, relatives or anybody to care for [them] at [their] tender ages."

Aside from their being orphans, they are also capitalizing on their ages. They always emphasized that they are too young (well in fact at ages 25 and 21 years, they are not anymore) and further said that the bank manager told them to look for a "matured person" (maybe they meant older person) who will represent them at the bank.

Given the benefit of the doubt that this is true, the bank manager’s advice is still absurd considering that persons ages 21 and 25 years are already old enough to decide independently and competitively on matters pertaining to their money or inheritance, more so that they do not have relatives anymore. Please note that the legal age in Ghana is 18 years. Is it really necessary to get a representative who is much older and from a foreign country? If a representative is really needed, they can get a lawyer from Ghana for the job and not just anybody who is a foreigner.

Chary and Mary also did mention that 10% of total sum will be awarded to the person who conforms to the agreement. Well, honestly, 10% is not a fair price considering all the trouble that a person will undergo for representing these two at the bank. If a prospective victim will tnot be very careful, it could mean the loss of his time, money, effort and even life.