The old “I left my money in a taxi” ploy
Oh, this poor person! It’s a good thing that he/she didn’t lose his/her mobile phone or laptop as well. Otherwise, how could he/she send me this heart-rending cry for help?
Fortunately, I know that Adobe’s HR department will take this as seriously as I do. Let’s hope the Hotel doesn’t seize his/her bag before someone pays the bill! Maybe we should hook this person up with the widow of a deposed dictator or someone like that.
If for some reason this request for money sounds plausible, try to contact your friend via phone. Alternatively verify with other friends that he/she is indeed overseas. If the situation can’t be verified, don’t reply to the message; simply delete it.
From: “adobe staff”
Date: May 21, 2008 6:18:15 PM PDT
To: email hidden; JavaScript is required
Subject: EMERGENCY !!! (I NEED YOUR URGENT HELP)How are you doing today? I am sorry i didn’t inform you about my traveling to Africa for a program ,the program is taking place in three major countries in Africa which is Ghana , South Africa and Nigeria . It has been a very sad and bad moment for me, the present condition that i found myself is very hard for me to explain.
I am really stranded in Nigeria because I forgot my little bag in the Taxi where my money, passport, documents and other valuable things were kept on my way to the Hotel am staying, I am facing a hard time here because i have no money on me. I am now owning a hotel bill of $1550 and they wanted me to pay the bill soon else they will have to seize my bag and hand me over to the Hotel Management.
I need this help from you urgently to help me back home, I need you to help me with the hotel bill and i will also need $1600 to feed and help myself back home so please can you help me with a sum of $3,500 to sort out my problems here? I need this help so much and on time because i am in a terrible and tight situation here, I don’t even have money to feed myself for a day which means i had been starving so please understand how urgent i needed your help.