Earlier this morning, I recieved this lovely email:
"Hi,
My name is Valentin. I am student and I live with my mother in small Russian town. My mother have problem with eyes and can not see.
I work very hard to buy things of primary necessities for us, but my salary is very small because my studies still not finished.
During last months prices for gas, oil and electricity became very high and we can not use it to heat our home anymore. The winter coming and weather very cold here already. We do not know what to do and we very afraid.
The only way for us of heating our home is to use portable wood burning stove which give heat with burning wood. We have many wood in our region, therefore this stove will heat our home all winter for minimal charges. But we cannot buy this stove in our local market because my salary is very small.
Thanks to free internet in our library and library computer I finded several addreses and decided to ask for help.
2007-12-04 06:38:45 · 33 answers · asked by ♂ Equibrilium ♀ 4 in Entertainment & Music ➔ Polls & Surveys
May be you have any old portable stove which you don't use any more, I will be very grateful to you if you donate it for us and organize delivery its to our address. The weight of such stove is about 60-100kg- they are diffeent.
Please let me know if you can help and I will give you our home address.
Valentin.
Russia.
valyav@mailrus.ru "
2007-12-04 06:39:34 · update #1
What do you think? Should I send them one of my 20 stoves, and a bag of peanuts to tie them over until they actually find something to cook?
2007-12-04 06:41:24 · update #2
You should donate money to me instead -- I haven't gone grocery shopping in ages. :-)
2007-12-04 06:42:22 · answer #1 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 1⤋
It's a scam. What he'll do is he'll ask you to send some technology of monetary value along with the stove, and make you buy it with your credit card, promising reimbursement with a check. But upon receiving the check, it will bounce and you will be out of the items, money, and will have to pay the shipping.
They do this with artists selling their art online as well, mostly they're from Africa, so I'd bet this is also African-based, taking place in Russia.
Look up Nigerian Email Scam.
*Edit*
Apparently, this scam works in a way in which the scammer files a lawsuit against you and plants evidence, for example, that you are soliciting sex with young children, etc.
2007-12-04 06:46:05 · answer #2 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
34 p.c. of Russian families have a minimum of one automobile, on an identical time as 3 p.c. - even countless. between Muscovites and Petersburgers automobile share bigger - 40 two p.c. In 2007 he became into overseas on trip left 9.4 million Russian vacationers. the quantity of the Russian vacationers leaving overseas, will in keeping with annum improve by using 13 %-15 %. playstation I commonly exercising habitual in many cities of Russia. In just about all places over the final 5 years has superior the lives of actual human beings.
2016-10-10 05:57:19 · answer #3 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
Only if you have money to throw away. Anything coming from Russia / Africa is a 99.999% sure scam. People like you are making these people very rich. Do you really think a "poor Russian" would have a computer and internet service?!? Maybe her compter is wood burning too?
Want to donate money? Send it to the women's breast cancer fund here in the US !
BTW, they don't have free internet there.
2007-12-04 06:45:46 · answer #4 · answered by Vinegar Taster 7 · 1⤊ 0⤋
From Russia With Love
2007-12-04 06:43:18 · answer #5 · answered by Charles V 2 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Don't fall for it sweetheart, this is one big scam. You sound as though you are a very caring person, and if you really feel a desire to help others, I'm sure you could find genuine people closer to your home who would appreciate any help you could offer. God bless you.
2007-12-04 06:52:44 · answer #6 · answered by Tammy 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Snopes.com. Make it your best friend. This website will tell you about all scam emails from the past and in the present. Here's the link to the explanation for the Russian request.
http://www.snopes.com/inboxer/scams/valentin.asp
2007-12-04 06:46:10 · answer #7 · answered by J to the R 2 · 1⤊ 0⤋
I have recieved this same e-mail three times each one with a different name at the end. This is a scam I promise you dont send them anything
2007-12-04 06:41:27 · answer #8 · answered by shorty937222000 4 · 5⤊ 0⤋
How did this person find your address at the library? I wouldn't have even opened up that mail! It reeks of scam!
2007-12-04 06:42:36 · answer #9 · answered by noonecanne 7 · 3⤊ 0⤋
I hate to tell you this but it is a bulk scam message that seeks the vulnerability of kind people like yourself. As much as you would like to help, this is not legitimate.
2007-12-04 06:43:07 · answer #10 · answered by Vera C 6 · 2⤊ 0⤋
there was just an article on yahoo the other day on how people send out emails to random people like the one above in order to get them to send them money.
2007-12-04 06:41:21 · answer #11 · answered by Shellular Kellular 6 · 4⤊ 0⤋