Ta Lots, Love You, Shaz

My sister’s email address was hacked and a message was sent to all her contacts.  No one was fooled for a moment that the message came from her. I know her too well to suppose her to be on an impromptu visit to the Ukraine, although she did once pay me an impromptu visit a couple of years ago – not me as such, but my well-able-to-fill-in-a-form husband.  She was applying for a grant and the form was pages long and he knows his way around a form.  Despite his expert advice, her application for the grant was turned down.

Here’s the letter as it appeared in my inbox.  I’m not infringing on any copyright laws because it was delivered to me by email.  I have resisted the urge to correct the spelling, grammar or punctuation.

I really hope you get this quickly. I could not inform anyone about our trip, because it was impromptu. we had to be in Ukraine for a program. The program was successful, but our journey has turned sour. we misplaced our wallet and Mobile on our way back to the hotel we lodge in after we went for sight seeing. The wallet contained all the valuables we had. Now our passport is in custody of the hotel management pending when we make payment.

I am sorry if i am inconveniencing you, but i have only very few people to run to now. i will be indeed very grateful if i can get a short term loan from you.this will enable me sort our hotel bills and get my sorry self back home. I will really appreciate whatever you can afford in assisting me with. I promise to refund it in full as soon as soon as I return. let me know if you can be of any assistance. Please, let me know soonest.

Thanks so much.

Sharon

I couldn’t resist!  The creative writer in me just had to write the letter the scammer should have sent that might have convinced them it was genuine.  I’ve mentioned horses quite a lot because my sister has lots of them.  She loves networking with anyone with links to equine assisted therapy.  The Boss man is her hubby Malc – she sometimes does things without telling Malc.  Signing a letter as “Sharon” is a real giveaway – she is Shaz!

My revised version:-

erMy revised

Anyone out there willing to rescue me?  Just off the cuff I decided to take a trip to the Ukraine.  Even the Boss man doesn’t know where I am.  Equine assisted therapy is just getting started over here and they are bursting with new ideas.  I had a good time networking and sharing good practice. The trouble is I have lost my purse and my mobile phone.  The place I’m staying is getting all shirty because I can’t pay the bill.  They’re holding my passport to ransom.  I know, I know…stupid woman and all that.

I know it’s asking a lot BUT I will be forever grateful and promise to muck out stables for a long time, if you have stables, if you can loan me some money.  Just enough to pay the bill and get my passport back and come home – a few thousand pounds should cover it.  Ha Ha Ha. You could do a whip round at the pub on my behalf! Seriously, I will pay you back as soon as I can.  I will also give you free horse riding lessons but if you fall off I can't be held accountable.

Ta lots

Love you

Shaz