Syber Blog

The US Financial Crisis-Nigerian Email Scam Parody

It’s been a tough week to be a tech blogger. Between the financial crisis and tonight’s Presidential Debate, it’s been hard to gather much attention for comparatively mundane news like the launch of a new website that tracks the Internet’s biggest drama queens and kings. But alas, finally an Internet twist on the major news of the past week: a parody of the notorious Nigerian email scam emails, set to the tune of the $700 billion bailout that is currently being negotiated by lawmakers in Washington.

The email has been making its way around the Web over the past 24 hours, with it officially reaching a tipping point this afternoon when it reached my Dad’s inbox. Here’s the full text:

From: Henry Paulson
Date: 9/23/2008
Subject: Urgent transaction – need your help

Bright Greetings Dear American:

I need to ask you to support an urgent and important business relationship with a transfer of funds of great magnitude.

I am Ministry of Treasury of the Republic of America. My country has had a crisis that has caused the need for a large transfer of funds of 700 billion dollars US. If you would assist me in this transfer, it would be most profitable to you.

I am working with renowned Mr. Phil Gram, lobbyist for UBS, who will be my replacement as Ministry of Treasury in January. As a Senator, you may know him as the leader of the American banking deregulation movement in the 1990s. This transactin is 100% safe.

This is a matter of great urgency. We need a blank check. We need the funds as quickly as possible. We cannot directly transfer these funds in the names of our close friends because we are constantly under surveillance. My family lawyer advised me that I should look for reliable and trustworthy person who will act as a next of kin so the funds can be transferred.

Please reply with all of your bank account, IRA and college fund account numbers and those of your children and grandchildren towallstreetbailout (at) treasury (dot) gov so that we transfer your commission for this transaction. After I receive you’re information, I will respond with detailed information about safeguards that will be used to protect the funds.

Wonderful salutations to you cherish friend from Republic of America.

Yours Faithfully,
Minister of Treasury Paulson

With that, may we suggest Comedy Central’s Indecision 2008 Presidential Debate Drinking Game for tonight?

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