Klarinet Archive - Posting 000905.txt from 2003/08

From: ormondtoby@-----.net (Ormondtoby Montoya)
Subj: RE: [kl] Watch out for this scam
Date: Sat, 30 Aug 2003 19:52:36 -0400

This is one of the oldest con games around. There are many versions of
it.

It is used by con artists at shopping centers on weekends: "My bank is
closed today, but I must buy an expensive medicine today because I need
the medicine today...."

Another version, called the "Spanish Prisoner", set its sights higher
and deals in tens of thousands dollars. It's left over from the days
when political prisoners were more common. The con artist's wealthy
brother is trapped in a prison in Spain because of anti-Franco political
beliefs, and he can buy his way out of prison if only you will use your
American bank account to negotiate a check for him, for which service he
will gratefully allow you to keep $5,000 for yourself, he's so wealthy
that he an afford it and he will be grateful to you because Americans
*understand* what freedom is..... and he will invite you to his palazzo
/ castle / whatever on the Mediterranean shore after he is free...."

Other related con games involve finding a valuable object lying on the
sidewalk, but the other fellow must catch a flight at the airport
because his mother is dying in Missouri, and so if you will give him,
say, 20% share of what it's worth....

Sometimes it is astounding how ridiculous these stories can be, and yet
people fall for it.

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