Technology in Society

I got this email recently. Again my site was confused for the E.G.C. school.

Subject: transfere from usa to alex egypt    From: ola dear sir madam i have 3 kids 13 11 and 8 all of them are boys we have just moved to egypt alexandria comming from usa we are all egyptian please let me know how do i apply for them and how much would i pay knowing that they speak english and no arabic language knowledge thank you best regards \ ola

I got the following email the other day. It reads as follows:

From: Dr. D, Alexandria, Egypt
DEAR M/S
KINDLY YOU 'R REQUESTED TO INFORM US WHEN THE RESULTS OF
JUNIOR 2 WILL BE ISSUED ?
THANKS W/ REGARDS
DR. ...

In this case, you have a "Doctor" who thought that my web site is the official web site of the E.G.C. school in Alexandria, and is asking when the mid-term exam results are to be announced!

Not only that, but the "Doctor" also searched my web site for those results, even using the Latin character transliteration of the Arabic term النتيجة !

Here is an another example. A university student from the Far East studying in England send me this.

Apparently s/he was searching for "Toby Huff" in Google, landing on this site, then searched on "Toby Huff contact details". She then mistook me for Oxford University!

Actually, I do not agree with Huff's views, and published Dr. George Saliba's rebuttal of Toby Huff!

Subject: Dr Toby Huff/Rise of Early Modern Science/White Supremacy Agenda

I write in reference to Toby Huff outlining of the early modern science in your course text books on Macolm Oster book on the history of science

Here is another email from a large offshore drilling company.

Dear Sir/Madam,

I need to know your opening hours, especially on friday and saturday.
what time is the bibliotheca open throughout weekdays and weekends?

Another case where my site is confused with the Library of Alexandria.

The first reads as follows:

From: N, Alexandria, Egypti'm a student in the arab academy for science and techologe and i wanna search about " classification of communication link" according to communication media " air , under water , .."2- function " TV , broadcast , ........"3- operating frequencyand i wish u will reply

This university student, trying to do some research, confused my site for the Library of Alexandria, because of my web page on that library.

Here is an email I got today:

The pilot to my water heater has shut off for no reason. It won't stay lit, even when I attempt to light it. The type is a Kenmore Mixer 6.Please get back to me asap, and tell me if this is a serious problem or if it is a minor detail that can be fixed at home.Thank you for your time,Fernando D.

Probably because of my post on Fixing a Sears Kenmore Water Softner.

Yet another advanced fee fraud, with an educational assistance twist as well as a religious tone.

From: Kimbowa Faisal <greeneking2076@yahoo.co.uk> Subject: Feedback: Request for academic assistance  I greet you in the name of God. The most gracious, the most merciful. Peace, mercy and the blessings of God be upon you.  I humbly request you kindly to allow me introduce and tell you all about me. I am called Kimbowa Faisal. I am a Rwandan boy by nationality, 20 years of age. I am an orphan on both sides.  I have no parents, sisters or brothers, neither the family. All my family and parent’s families were killed during the war of genocide in Rwanda in 1994.  I was in the bush for almost 6 months. I thank God for the prayers answered that I am still alive. May be the killers knew that I was also killed by other people since they could not see me any more, so they took all my parent’s belonging such as land, houses, live stock and other house hold properties. So they shared each and everything of my parent’s belongings. They killed 4 elder brothers of mine, 3 sisters plus all the parents and all the line from which my parents came from. I knew all the people who killed my families and when the war was over, I had to go into refugee camp and I spent there almost 4 months. After burying my family, I had nothing to do rather than returning to the camp. By then the investigation for those who participated in the genocide had not yet started. Life wasn’t easy for me and I was being hunted like an animal in the bush so that I could be killed also, this was due to the fact that the evidence and witness could be hidden and removed forever. Day and night I could be hunted to be killed by the killers of my family. I had to escape from the camp to the capital city in Kigali town since no one knew about me at all to look for refugee. When I reached into the city, I came across a Good Samaritan man, who took me back to school and I joined senior 1. I used to stay with him since 1994. By the time I completed senior 4, this good Samaritan died of  a motor accident. I was made an orphan once again. Since then I have never got another person to care and cater for me. The last words I remembers, I last heard from him clearly when he was admitted in the hospital was that, I remember him telling me that “ I have been a religious person so committed to God, I had each and everything which made me live like the way I wished that is why I felt and managed to help you after I heard all  what happened to you and your family members too, always take my words and putting into considerations because I know better than  you think or know. Before he died he told me that  when i grow up and I  become a man I should  never make a revenge, I should leave this in the hands of God, HE is the creator of each and everything, HE gives to those HE wants to give and removes from those HE wants to remove from. I straggled hard and I completed secondary educational course and I passed the national examinations well with a grade of Satisfaction and currently I am studying at Kigali Institute of Science, Technology and management, KIST. In the faculty of management, department of Finance.  Though, I try as much as possible to sponsor myself, I find it very difficulty to raise my tuition fees, getting also accommodation fees is hard for me since I live in a  slum house where there is no electricity. I am found of doing my revision on candles and some times on what they call in English helicane Lamp which uses paraffin as its fuel to burn, and because of this I am now suffering from eyes because this kind of a lamp has a lot of smoke and Doctors are advising me to go for medical eye examinations   and treatment and I have to put on glasses but all seem to be in vain since I have failed to raise the money for treatment, also getting scholastic materials is hard for me. Next year, I will be in third year and remaining with only one year, that I could complete my academic program so that I could be awarded a Degree in Business Administration, BBA. So far I have current cumulative average of 68% in the class. My performance would have increased to more than this but I don’t attend the classes regularly. It is like 38 % to 45% that I attend the classes. Most of the time I am found of going to look for small jobs, which could raise my tuition fees, accomodation fees, medical fees, restoraunt fess and scholastic materials.  If I happen to be attending classes regularly, I could not get the money to pay for myself as tuition fees and other scholastic needs, that's why you find that my performance in class is not good at all.  Getting some thing to eat or drink is also hard for me; at times I could eat once a day and at times not at all. No one cares about me at all; every thing is on my shoulder. Had it been that I could get some one to sponsor me for only these two years, I would be able to complete my education program with a DISTINCTION of at least 80% to 87%.  Throughout the day, I am up and down looking for where I can dig in people’s garden, looking after cattle (cows) in bush, washing some people’s toilets, slashing in compounds, sweeping along side the road, and a times as a night watchman so that at the end of the day, they could pay me some money, which money I could use to collect for my tuition fees, therefore, you find that going to classes  becoming hard for me.  But you find that time for going to classes regularly I spend it looking for jobs to help me and at the end of the day, you find that I am so tired and have to look for what have been taught on that very day.This is how I am surviving and living, no one cares about me, but I am proud of my-self since I am still living as a human being. Everything is on my shoulder, but I thank God. Currently, the only  problem I am facing which makes me not concentrate in revision is that of the eyes, I have failed to raise the money for medical treatment. I am living in every un comfortable life any human being has ever experienced, but I thank God for all HE has been doing for me all along. When I inquired from medical doctors about my treatment, they told me that all along it would take me about $ 75 US as medical fees, but I have no where to get this money from. No one cares about me and in Africa when you are a dependant; most of the time people see or consider you as a problem or a burden in the society that’s why I have to employ all my energy I have, so that I could see the light of the day the next time. Though I have many problems and needs I  avoid myself being a beggar for each and every day. I am really starving to the extent that a times I could spend 2 to  3 days without  having some thing to eat or drink and I have no one around me to whom I can seek or make a call to, when I am in deed.  I humbly request you kindly to help me raise the money for the next academic year  2006 registration  worthy $ 40 only. I have tried all my level best to raise this money, but all in vain. Please for God’s seek, help me and pay for me this money for academic registration only, because if I happen not to register in time, I could be discountinued from studies completely. For the seek of other needs, I will keep on looking for them slowly by slowly but when having hope that I have registered for academic year 2006. I will more grateful if my request is put into into your considerations and any assistance accorded to is highly appreciated and may God reward you handsomely.  May God keep you firm and alive. Convey my best wishes to all around you and the companion that you talk with most especially your family. I am indeed grateful to you and may God reward you handsomely.  Peace, mercy and the blessings of God be upon you. I wish you success in each and every thing you are doing. I am looking forward to hear from you soon N.B: Any assistance accorded to me can be sent to me through WESTERN UNION., and you send me the following information which can help me receive the money, like money transfer control number (MTCN) and Test Question and it's answer and lastly the sender's names and address. My mailling address is: Kimbowa Faisal. C/o CEM-KIST/KHI B.P. 5175 Kigali. Rwanda. Your faithfully, kimbowa Faisal. Kigali Rwanda  

 Here is another religiously laced scam email.

From: assetou sako <assetousakolamiine@yahoo.ca> Subject: Feedback: I GREETING YOU IN THE NAME OF ALMIGHT GOD , Attn: I GREETING YOU IN THE NAME OF ALMIGHT GOD , Dearest, I do recognised the surprise this letter will bring to you, most especially as it comes from a stranger.I am Madam assetou sako lamine. We are from Guinea Bissau. I am married to Dr Ahmed lamine who was a wealthy cocoa merchant in Ivory Coast for years before he died in the year 2004. We were married for eleven years without a child. He died after a brief illness that lasted for only two weeks. Before his death we were both faithful Muslim. Since his death I decided not to remarry or get a child outside my matrimonial home which the holly Quaran is against. When my late husband was alive he deposited the sum of ($ 2 .5 Million U.S. Dollars) with the Security company here in Abidjan Presently, the fund is still with the Security company. Recently, my Doctor told me that I have serious sickness which is cancer problem. The one that disturbs me most is my stroke sickness.Having known my condition I decided to donate this fund to a Islamic institution or individual that will utilize this money the way I am going to instruct herein. I want a Islamic Or a good Christain that will use this fund for orphanages, widows, propagating the word of Almighty Allah and to endeavour that the house of Almighty maintained. The holy Quaran  and holy Bible made us to understand that Blessed is the hand that gives. I took this decision because I don't have  any child that will inherit this money and my husband relatives are idol worshiper not Muslim  not even christian and I don't want my husband's efforts to be used by unbelievers.I don't want a situation where this money will be used in an ungodly way.This is why I am taking this decision. I am not afraid of death hence I know where I am going. I know that I am going to be in the bosom of the mighty Allah. As stated in the holly Quaran (Surah xxxvi Yasin) Thou wariest only him who followeth the reminder and fearieth the beneficent in secret to him bear Tiding of forgives and a rich reward. I don't need any telephone communication in this regard because of my health hence the presence of my husband's relatives around me always. I don't want them to know about this development. With Almighty Allah all things are possible. As soon as I receive your reply I shall give you the contact of the security company here in Abidjan.I want you and the Islamic institution  or christian to always pray for me because the Almighty Allah is my shepherd. My happiness is that I lived a life of a worthy Believer. Whoever that Wants to serve the Almighty Allah must serve him in spirit and Truth. Please always be prayerful all through your life.Contact me on the above e_mail address for more information, any delay in your reply  will give me room in Searching another Islamic or christian and individual for this same purpose. Please assure me that you will act accordingly as I Stated herein. Hoping to receive your reply.Thanks.Until I hear from you, my dreams will rest squarely on your shoulders May the Almighty Allah continue to guide and protect you Amin. Regards. Madam assetou sako lamine.  

The Advance Fee Fraud scammers often prey on the religious feelings of their victims.Here are some examples.