Well it looks like I and perhaps other flute makers could be busy for awhile. From the letter below which I just received in my email, it looks like the Republic of Togo will soon become the world center of Irish Flute playing, or maybe just owning, assuming us makers decide to follow through with this. Terry, did you also get this? I wonder what other types of businesses are located on “rue de klimax”. Finally, I ponder what they mean by “souring agent”. Oiling the flutes with vinegar perhaps? Casey
Here was the message I received: “I am Mr. Richard Vivor , the Managing Director/ CEO of Universal Trading Company Limited , established in the year 1987 which is located at 78 rue de klimax ,Lome-Republic of Togo, Republic of Togo .
We want to use this opportunity to let you know that we are accredited commission agent to Government, Organization, Companies and Individuals on contract allocation to foreign Companies around the Globe.
And we have been contracted by the Government of the Republic of Togo to source for them a competent supplier of any of the following items:- Irish Flutes etc
This requirement is needed now and we are acting as a souring agent on commission basis, Please, if you find yourself capable to supply any of above products, kindly reply back to us with your offer.”
The story I heard was that http://www.cafetogo.ie/ with it’s culturally authentic cuisine has been pulling the Togolese diaspora in for years.
The policy of trad only over the sound system has resulted in the current tune frenzy back home
Alas no, Casey. I guess I must have failed the stringent quality control requirements. Fortunately, I can console myself with a lucrative contract offered me by a new friend in Nigeria!
These attempted scams actually offer us an illuminating comparison in life styles, don’t they. We flute makers work hard, and we don’t get obscenely rich, but it’s good work, uplifting work and we are regularly rewarded by the nice things people say about our efforts. I don’t know if these scammers get rich, I can’t imagine there are enough suckers to achieve that. But even if they do, there can’t be much in it to nurture the spirit.
Not to condone and it’s probably no accident these
are coming from
the third world. I’m afraid nurturing the spirit
may be a luxury under the circumstances.
Granted, excepting you wonder if these scammers, with obvious connection to the Internet and distribution lists and software are closer to the top end of society than being part of the underpriveleged masses.
Well, consider…what does it cost these days for poor people,
or several poor people collectively,
to get a used computer and internet access?
As a financial investment. Or access at
a school or a library?
When I was in India from 72-74, I saw two
TV sets, black and white, both in stores.
A crowd of people were around them watching
India play the UK in a soccer match.
I went back in 86 and there were color TVs
everywhere. Utter hovels with TV antennaes.
My impression is that, in the third world, computers
are following in the path of TV sets. Not for
the absolutely impoverished but for people
well below the middle class.
Question: Why are the scams coming from the third world,
often from people with poor English?
The easiest person to scam is a scammer. I have 72 flutes worth $75 each. They will all retail for $500. I will sell them on credit if the buyer sends me $2 each as a down payment. Send this message back in reply.
Because being intelligent enough to operate and program computers is not limited to the first world. There are a whole lot of very intelligent people out there without any better ways to put their talents to use than to use them to try and get the wealthier among us to part with their money.
If you go to the third world it can be pretty appalling what the poor will do to try to get your money. With the Internet they no longer have to wait for you to come to them.
It has not been established that the scammers in question are indeed from the third world. Nor is it clear that the majority of such scams (there are many variants) originate from the third world. Nor that they are particularly talented or intelligent given that this is, in all probability, another simple case of copycatting. Nor that underprivileged intelligent and talented individuals, but having computer and Internet access, would likely resort to white collar crime as the primary means for a reasonable subsistence.
Not sure who these people are, but they appear to disagree
with you. They are just concerned with the Nigerian scam.
They write: "The majority of NAFF is still perpetrated by Nigerians,
but no longer initially from Nigeria. A minimum of
23,740 perpetrate their crime from 52 other countries and at least
250,000 from Nigeria.’ p. 5
‘In Nigeria there are too many 419 rings and 419ers to enumerate
and quantify loss to victims.’ p. 10
(Note that they intentionally leave Nigeria itself out of the tables
to which you refer (p.9), apparently because they take it
as given that most scams come from there.)
these assertions imply that the vast majority of instances of this scam,
which I take it is the most prevalent, come from Nigeria,
though it is happening from Nigerians elsewhere too.
Which certainly would support the already plausible
conclusion that the large majority of other scam messages with an
address in the third world originate there, too.
What does third world really mean anymore these days anyway? I’ve been to some third world countries and witnessed life being lived more luxuriously than in my own home town. I also saw some pretty bad slums, too, but I’ve also seen “houses” built of blankets and palm fronds in the bushes along the freeway in my home town.
In any case, all over the globe exist intelligent, underemployed people looking for an easy way to make money.
According to the stats you provide, more than 9 out of 10 instances
of the nigerian scam come from nigeria (250,000 inside,
23,740 outside). A significant number of the nigerian
scams from outside nigeria come from Ghana. So the scam originated
in the third world and well over 9 out of 10 instances still come
from the third world. So, as far as this scam is concerned (it’s the
most prevalent and there’s no reason not to take it
as representative),
the third world is mostly responsible.
I take your point that not all of these are coming from
the third world.
Well, in India there are syndicates that buy children
in impoverished villages, maim them, and put them
on the streets to beg. You see them on street corners,
their limbs artistically corkscrewed. Millions of people suffer
from chronic hunger. The economy is growing, but
vast numbers of people are living in circumstances
most Americans can’t imagine.
Third world means we have been living on rice and pulses but recently there wasn’t enough pulses for daily protein needs. And tomorrow there will be nothing. We can’t go back home (to the village) because the generational landlords will hound us for back rent they claim goes back to my grandparent’s time. They have records of all that and they can take my daughters if I challenge them.
Third world means there are more of us in this sort of situation then there are rich people.