Western Union Writes

The great thing about having a secret identity is that people are always contacting you with opportunities to make money. This one arrived today:

From: Alisa Donna [Add to Address Book]
To: cujo359@youknowhere.net.invalid
Subject: Contact Western Union For Your Payment.
Date: Jan 15, 2009 9:15 PM

I have a new email address!

You can now email me at: donna.alisa@nowhere.com.invalid

Welcome to Western Union Send Money Worldwide. Welcome to Western UnionSend Money Worldwide. Attention: Beneficiary ; There is an issue with the WESTERN UNION MONEY TRANSFER in the amount of $800.000.00 USD Eight Hundred Thousand united state dollars directed in cash credited to file KTU/9023118308 at the owner of this email address. The INTERNATIONALMONETARY FUND contacted us for your compensation a couple of hours ago due to your allocated security code. They said that they choose to send it to an email address instead of a name. We are unable to complete a transfer directed at an email address, so we require some more information in order to complete this transfer. FULL NAME: FULL CONTACT ADDRESS: MOBILE PHONE NUMBER: OCCUPATION: MARITAL STATUS AND AGE: In order to resolve this problem,please try to send your information via Western Union Solicitors Fund verification Department; ( western_unionagency@nowhere.com.invalid ) As soon as this information is received,and you have complied with the requirements of payment of the western union charges €175, payment will be made to your nominated bank account or at the counter directly from The Western Union Transfering Bank.

Note: That this is not one of those west African scams that all they are after is to rip you off your money and at the end you will not receive your funds, but note that this is no scam and is directly from the. Management of Western Union Money Transfer United Kingdom Head Office and our Motto is To Serve You Better. Contact us on our website on www.westernunion.com also note that you would be responsible for any payment that is needed for the transfer of your funds into your nominated bank account or at the OFFICE. DISPATCHED THIS DAY . Sincerely, www.westernunion.com ( MAURICE KENNEDY ESQ . )

Despite the fact that this obviously isn't a west African scam, I'm still just ever so slightly suspicious. After all, it makes all sorts of sense that someone would try to send me a mail order to an e-mail address that I hadn't given to them. It's just that, if someone were trying to transfer $800k to me, I'd probably know about it. I've obviously been deeply involved in international financial matters lately, but that's still more change than I typically have in my trousers. You'd think someone would have called.

Besides, I don't know anyone named Donna Alisa, and so why would she be telling me she has a new e-mail address?

Who are these people? Do they work for the Treasury Department?

NOTE: Need I remind you that, in all likelihood, none of the people whose names appear in this e-mail are actually responsible for it? That's why I've deleted e-mail addresses.