This arrived at REGIONAL not too long ago, on the fax machine, no less!

(I have kept the haphazard spelling, bizarre grammar and weird spacing as-is, but the original was in ALL CAPITAL LETTERS. I’m not posting something in all caps. Just…no.)

From: Charles Taylor (JNR).
Telephone: +255 768 369 224
FAX +27 865 140 721

Greetings:

May I use this opportunity to introduce myself to you my name is Charles Taylor (JNR) I am the son of former president of Liberia. A country in West Africa, my father who is currently being held against his will by the United Nations for alleged offences of war crimes.
He is currently facing court trial in the Hague in Netherlands. My father is a good man who tried to do so much for our people Liberians.
I am contacting you with the believe that we will develop a cordial business relationship which will be beneficial to both of us. My father gave me your contact when I visited him on the 19th of November 2009. He said that he have a lot of confidence and trust in your personality.
My father keep the sum of (one hundred and seventy seven million United States dollars) $177.million USD. In a banks security vault under the name of his friend a foreigner from your country. As the next of kin to the deposit to avoid any trace. This friend of my father died on 25th July 2009 in a motor accident.
My father directed me to use this money for investment purposes specifically in your country.
I promise to give you 30% of the total funds for your assistance and 10% of the profit after tax for five years.

I am currently in a refugee camp here in Tanzania and I have made contact with the bank manager of the bank where my father deposited the funds. I have also inspected the funds and confirm that it is still with them. I will give you all the details on how we will claim these funds on receipt of you response.

I have the whole documents for the deposit. I therefore seek your assistance in transferring this funds out of Tanzania.

Best Regards,

Charles Taylor (JNR)

Note: please send all you’re contact information through my above fax numbers, as soon as I receive your contact informations I will send all the details on how we are going to conclude this transaction.

You see so many of these things coming in via email, it’s almost a treat to get one on the fax machine; it’s like playing the original Doom or drinking one of those Throwback sodas with the real sugar.

Anyway, I’ve only got three things to say about this:

1. Even if this was real, which it’s not, Charles Taylor is not someone you want to get involved with. Ever.
2. Chuckie Taylor (son of aforementioned warlord) is currently serving a 97-year prison term in the United States. He’s not in a refugee camp, and he’s certainly not in Tanzania.
3. How many refugee camps have fax machines, anyway? I guess they’ve upgraded. Weird.

Oh, well. Just another document for the round file.*

* That’s the trash can to you an’ me!