The wonders of the internet

I got an email yesterday responding to Pitt's ad selling an 8. There hadn't been a lot of action from this, so I was very excited about any inquiry. Just a short little note asking for a price on "the item." I shot off a quick, helpful reply and hoped for some interest. What I got back this afternoon was laughable.

Basically, I got a scam attempt back. Reading the email, it's obvious that whoever put this together has no idea what a racing shell looks like or what the process is like for buying one. I also don't think English is his (her?) first language, given the several spelling errors. See below.

Jay,

Thanks for your email and update on the bottom price($13,000). Finally, it was accepted by my client and he has directed us to issue payment to you. I would need your assurance that the property whose payment we would start processing is in a good condition as the only view our client had of the boat was on the internet and this purchase is hinged on his personal judgement of what the property's state and output would be like,in comparison to models of its category.

Meanwhile,he made out a certified cashiers check of($20,000) before he travelled for a conference, for a previous boat and its shipment charges etc,but it was unfortunately sold. The amount on the check he deposited for the boat is bigger than what should be paid to you now, so the check is now meant for the total expenses which includes the purchase of your boat, its pick up from its present location and the shipping charges/other necessary shipping arrangement.

However he has instructed us to carry on with this transaction. So when payment gets to you, you're required to deduct the cost of your boat ($12,000) and send the balance of ($8,000) to my client shipping agent to enable him offsett shipping charges/arrangements. once the transaction is concluded. My client shipping agent will be coming for the pick up of the boat from its present location, on an access to a prepaid shipper for shipment and also conclude other necessary shipping arrangement. So you dont have to bother yourself about the pick up and shipping of boat,while title papers and other necessary documets will be sent by you via fedex courier . Please Confirm this and provide your,
(1) Name
(2) Contact address
(3)and contact phone number(s)
for check payment to be delivered to you via regular mail. I hope that everything is clear to you.

Kind Regards

John Stead.

Andy Anderson wrote about this in a previous issue of Rowing News and his article was a real scream, as always. I'm wondering if I should just send back a picture of my a**. The simple fact that people fall for this only reinforces my low view of most of the human race.

Also, my mother thoughtfully forwarded this very troubling email about a wave of animal cruelty sweeping westward across the country the last three weeks.

A wave of animal cruelty has the World Wildlife Federation
up in arms.  On Christmas Eve, a hound dog was found bleeding
and in critical condition.  It later died of its wounds.
On the first day of this new year a Lion was
found viciously mauled. A week later, a Bengal tiger was
discovered horribly beaten. While the lion only had fresh
wounds, the tiger appears to have been suffering regular
beatings for years. Just seven days after that a horse,
a colt, was found battered. People at the scene said it
kept muttering something about not getting enough protection.
Hours ago Denver authorities found another horse,
a bronco, wandering the streets.  The horse was not
physically injured, but quite dazed and confused. When asked
about the incident, the hapless horse said "I was at home
and everything was fine. I was about to feed my pet snake
and he started choking and screaming about some sort of
terrible towel following it around. " Rumor is that the
next victim will be some sort of bird. A Seahawk. All of
the victims report trying to peek behind a giant steel
curtain shortly before their incidents.

I give this warning to all animals out there. Peek behind
a steel curtain, get hit by THE BUS.

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