In a few days, I am leaving for Nigeria.
I have been wondering if I should take my laptop with me or if it would be better to leave it at home? In my mind, Nigeria is full of hackers who can steal things effortlessly from your computers just by looking at it!
Then I received an email and it changed the way I look at Nigeria and Nigerians.
Yesterday I received a "different" spam message from alicesary2(at)gmail.com. It made me aware about the tough jobs poor email-hackers in Nigeria have to do.
Sending countless emails to people who don't believe in their sad-crying stories, about being stranded in foreign lands needing emergency money or widows of millionaires wishing your help in getting at their millions, must be very tough and job-satisfaction must be low, apart from the natural pangs of guilty-consciousness guy for duping poor sods who believe in fairy tales.
OK guys, next time I put your message in the dump-box, I won't curse you, I will smile and think about your tough lives! Here is the message I received from Alice Sary:
Hello Dear,
Since you aren't falling for my African romance scam, let me be up front with you. Because I am actually a Nigerian man, you owe me something. I am entitled to reparations from the rest of the world, including you, due to the misdeeds of my forefathers who sold their family members and neighbours into slavery.
I am also entitled to handouts since my nation is rife with corruption and graft and has no hope of ever creating a decent civilization for itself. Since you have not sufficiently helped us, that is your fault, not ours.
Most of all, you owe me for all of your unfounded prejudice against us.So start paying up now, by Western Union. I will accept $12,000 USD from you over a one year period in monthly instalments of $1000 USD.
Otherwise I will emigrate to your country and never cease to be a social problem for you. A word to the wise is sufficient.
Regards,
"Alice Sary", as good a name as any
And here is my answer to poor little Alice Sary:
Dear Alice,
Reading your email brought tears to my eyes, I cried so much that my wife thought that I would go blind.
When I stop crying, I will use my imagination to think about how I can help you and countless talented Nigerians like you.
In the mean time, you have all my sympathy and best wishes,
Your admirer
XyZdetc