419er fears unsolicited intergalactic email

Thanks very much to reader Daniel O'Donovan for forwarding this Friday livener - a short but illuminating 419 email which demonstrates why, when attempting to negotiate a $9.5m transfer deal, it's better to talk by phone: Dear Sir, I am a solicitor and I am the personal attorney to late Mr Alex Lee. I am writing you to …

[Jon Pain]

Phone 'em

Has anybody tried phoning the number?

Also, bit of a giveaway as a Nigerian Scam, having a Nigerian Phone Number!

[Alec Harkness]

"discurse vivdly"?

Receiving unsolicited intergalactic email certainly makes me want to dis and curse vividly, on the phone or otherwise

[gareth]

maybe

someone could make a revese chargce call with 9.5m$ im sure they will accept the charges

[Anonymous John]

Looks genuine to me.

A real 419er would call himself Barrister E. Kone, Esq.

I'll get my spacesuit.

[Anonymous Coward]

Eric Kone

of the koneheads?

[stephen meadows]

So Amusing

I just rang the chap and had a long conversation with him and have agreed to meet him at the Crowne Plaza in Nairobi next Wednesday!!

[Steve]

Its all mine

Well I am very upset, the number now has a 'fault'! Please can you all stop calling so i can claim my share of the loot! ;)

[John Chadwick]

Lets hope it wasn't a premium rate number then.

And, anyone want to bet when it will be.

[Jacob Reid]

phone number

Seen the number? + 23 417 238 107.

Funny that if that was 1 number different, it would have been +23 419...

[Cap'n wotsit]

@Jacob

I *think* you mean 2 numbers...

[Jacob Reid]

@Cap'n

No, I meant 1 number as in changing 1 character, not 1 number as in adding 1 to one of the numbers.

[Stratman]

@ Cap'n wotsit

If one was to strictly apply your implied algorithm then it would be 2 million numbers different.