blevkog

For whatever reason, this blog receives a couple of hits a month from various countries in Africa. There would be nothing really curious about that if it weren't for the fact that usually those hits are referred here by a web search for the key words "Peggy Draper". Seriously, I would lie about George Bush without batting an eye, but not about the link count or quality of this most blest of sites. Now, as you may know, I have written about the one-time Halifax School Board member a number of times as she has fallen from the lofty heights of respectable member of the community through quiet bankruptcy to ultimately learning the hard way that you actually have to show up to the occasional Board meeting or risk getting punted (and most importantly, not paid.)

Now I think I understand why we're getting those hits from Africa, and a noble cause it is, too. In order to defend our right to Nigerian-Minister-in-exile-scam-free email, she has turned the tables on them and is playing the same game. Thus, thousands of African businessmen and women receive the following email:

Halifax Regional Municiplality, Nova Scotia Canada

Attention: The President/CEO

Dear Sir,

Confidential Business Proposal

Having consulted with my colleagues and based on the information gathered from the Nova Scotia Board of Education, I have the privilege to request your assistance to transfer the sum of $47,500,000.00 (forty seven million, five hundred thousand United States dollars) into your accounts. The above sum resulted from an over-invoiced contract, executed, commissioned and paid for about five years (5) ago by the province's Industrial Expansion Fund. This action was however intentional and since then the fund has been in a suspense account at The Bank of Nova Scotia.

We are now ready to transfer the fund overseas and that is where you come in. It is important to inform you that as civil servants, we are forbidden to operate a foreign account; that is why we require your assistance. The total sum will be shared as follows: 70% for us, 25% for you and 5% for local and international expenses incidental to the transfer.

The transfer is risk free on both sides. I am a Board Member with the Halfiax Regional Municipality School Board (HRMSB). If you find this proposal acceptable, we shall require the following documents:
(a) your banker's name, telephone, account and fax numbers.
(b) your private telephone and fax numbers — for confidentiality and easy communication.
(c) your letter-headed paper stamped and signed.
Alternatively we will furnish you with the text of what to type into your letter-headed paper, along with a breakdown explaining, comprehensively what we require of you. The business will take us thirty (30) working days to accomplish.
Please reply urgently.
Best regards
Peggy Draper

After receiving such a solicitation, what is a person to do? Well apparently use google to find some of the earlier articles in which I have impugned Peggy Draper's good name and thereby uncover the ruse, having discovered that Ms. Draper might be a small-time huckster and charletan, possible soon to be known as the Half-Million Dollar Woman.

I honestly am not sure if we here at the blev have provided a service, saving someone from losing their money or if we've removed a brave defender of our emailing rights.

Ahh, the blade of justice has many nasty little edges, and no real handle. It's an absolute bitch to swing.

Posted by kevvyd on Wednesday, May 17, 2006 at 12:07 PM | Permalink