It is truly humbling, I thought as I scrolled through my email junk folder. What is this appeal that pushes dying wealthy women from around the world to contact me with offers of large sums of money?
That was my thought as I read through letters last week, letters that my email server had concluded were spam and not worthy of my consideration. The server has a cold heart, apparently, because the pleas can be gut wrenching. Like this one:
Dearest in the Lord,
With all due respect and humanity, I was forced to write in the humanitarian field.
I am a widow Mrs. Mary Benedict aging long-term sick (cancer). Are Currently admitted to a private hospital. I have some funds I inherited from my husband, Benjamin Benedict, who later died in a car accident. When my husband was alive he deposited the sum of € 3,500.000 ((Three Million Five Hundred Thousand Euro) in the bank. Currently, this money is still in the bank.
My doctor Told me it would not last for a long time due to my cancer problem. I need someone very honest and God-fearing or an organization that can use these funds for the work of God My late husband taught que this fund shouldnt be used for charitable purposes, such as building schools, houses of orphanages, hospitals, etc.
I took this decision because I do not have any child that will inherit this fund and I want God to be merciful to me and accept my soul. With God all things are possible. Please, if you would be able to use these funds for God’s work, kindly reply.
I want you to send me the Following information Referred below.
There can be no doubt that Mrs. Mary Benedict is showing the signs of “aging long term-sick (cancer)” because she is definitely a little confused. She signs off the note as Sister Mary Benedict, which seems curious for a married woman, but I suppose someone with a “cancer problem” should be forgiven if she gets minor details wrong and makes the odd typo.
Mrs. Benedict isn’t as forthcoming about her illness as some of the other recent senders, which have come from women with endometrial cancer, lung cancer and even blood cancer. Her letter caught my attention, though, because she refers to the totally believable sum of 3,500,000 Euros when others come in much higher, often 10,000,000 Euros, and are obvious scams. The rich women who are dying of cancer must be a close-knit group with which my name somehow resonates. I suppose they have shared my email address with hospital visitors, too, because not all the offers come from wealthy widows. Consider this one, which must be legitimate because the sender knows enough to refer to himself as Alex Williams Esq. The addition of “Esq.” to his name verifies the validity of his message.
On behalf of the Trustees and Executor of the estate of Late Mr. Edwin Freeman, I once again try to notify you as my earlier letter was returned undelivered. I hereby attempt to reach you again by this same email address on the WILL. I wish to notify you that late Mr. Edwin Freeman made you a beneficiary to his WILL. He left the sum of Five Million One Hundred Thousand Dollars (USD$5,100.000.00) to you in the codicil and last testament to his will.
This may sound strange and unbelievable to you, but it is real and true. Being a widely traveled man, he must have been in contact with you in the past or simply you were nominated to him by one of his numerous friends abroad who wished you good. Mr. Edwin Freeman until his death was a member of the Helicopter Society and the Institute of Electronic & Electrical Engineers. He was a very dedicated Christian who loved to give out. His great philanthropy earned him numerous awards during his lifetime.
Late Mr. Edwin Freeman died on the 16th day of February 2013 at the age of 90 years and his WILL is now ready for execution. According to him, this money is to support his Christian activities (May his soul rest with the Lord) and to help the poor and needy.
Please if I reach you as I am hopeful, endeavor to get back to me as soon as possible to enable me conclude my job. I hope to hear from you in no distant date.
Yours in His service,
Alex Williams Esq.
I could offer more proof that my good name is held in high esteem, like the messages that are concerned with my not having received packages I did not order, or one that asks for a copy of my passport so the International Monetary Fund Committee can release my “tagged diplomatic luggage 122” and deliver it to my door.
This is a generous and giving world I live in.
Lorne Eckersley is the publisher of the Creston Valley Advance.