# I received a rather lovely but strange email today **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [September 10, 2021, 1:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-received-a-rather-lovely-but-strange-email-today/950415 "2021-09-10T01:42:22Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Princhester](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/3e96dc/32.png) [@Princhester](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Princhester)\ **Post date:** [September 10, 2021, 1:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-received-a-rather-lovely-but-strange-email-today/950415/1 "2021-09-10T01:42:22Z")
> _"Dear Friend_ > _I write to you in hopes we can become friends. How making this invitation make sense is honestly hard at this time. There is so much about this invitation I can’t imagine working out. But in my beautiful insanity I see us working this out. A logical man would fear responding; an overly sensible one would pick at the uncertainties and choose not to reply. Friendship is not supposed to make sense. When most irrational, is when it’s real! My Name is Wilma and I’m from Sweden._ > _I’ll look forward to your response._ > _Yours, Wilma."_ It’s pretty obviously spam but there is no obvious scam setup, at least based on the face of this email. I suppose it’s likely to be a “dating” scam where someone pretends to form a relationship with someone then hits them up for money. But I have to say, it’s so well written. Wonder if @Mangetout, our resident email scam expert, knows this one… ---
**Author:** ![running\_coach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/running_coach/32/15836_2.png) [@running\_coach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/running_coach)\ **Post date:** [September 10, 2021, 1:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-received-a-rather-lovely-but-strange-email-today/950415/2 "2021-09-10T01:44:07Z")
She’s gonna want money. ---
**Author:** ![Princhester](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/3e96dc/32.png) [@Princhester](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Princhester)\ **Post date:** [September 10, 2021, 1:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-received-a-rather-lovely-but-strange-email-today/950415/3 "2021-09-10T01:47:56Z")
Yep. The line “A logical man would fear responding; an overly sensible one would pick at the uncertainties and choose not to reply.” is so good. It has to be a quote but I can’t seem to find it on a google search. Either that or we have a new Shakespeare earning a living with email scams. ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_Bravo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_bravo/32/493_2.png) [@Johnny\_Bravo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_Bravo)\ **Post date:** [September 10, 2021, 1:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-received-a-rather-lovely-but-strange-email-today/950415/4 "2021-09-10T01:51:49Z")
It could be a quote run through Google translate once or twice. ---
**Author:** ![Folly](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/folly/32/3219_2.png) [@Folly](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Folly)\ **Post date:** [September 10, 2021, 1:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-received-a-rather-lovely-but-strange-email-today/950415/5 "2021-09-10T01:52:48Z")
Seems a little backwards. The sensible one would fear responding. The logical one would pick at the uncertainties. ---
**Author:** ![ThelmaLou](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thelmalou/32/390_2.png) [@ThelmaLou](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ThelmaLou)\ **Post date:** [September 10, 2021, 2:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-received-a-rather-lovely-but-strange-email-today/950415/6 "2021-09-10T02:05:02Z")
Good grief, it’s not **that** well-written. 🙄 > [@Johnny\_Bravo](#): > > It could be a quote run through Google translate once or twice. This. And it’s really from a guy in Nigeria. ---
**Author:** ![DavidNRockies](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/davidnrockies/32/6279_2.png) [@DavidNRockies](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DavidNRockies)\ **Post date:** [September 10, 2021, 2:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-received-a-rather-lovely-but-strange-email-today/950415/7 "2021-09-10T02:11:44Z")
I honestly don’t know what you’re hesitation is about. I think I’m in love. ---
**Author:** ![Princhester](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/3e96dc/32.png) [@Princhester](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Princhester)\ **Post date:** [September 10, 2021, 2:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-received-a-rather-lovely-but-strange-email-today/950415/8 "2021-09-10T02:17:53Z")
> [@ThelmaLou](#): > > Good grief, it’s not **that** well-written You have to judge it in context. The average spam along these lines is “I is a AfriCan princess. I’m beautiful very. I hope you can give help to me.” ---
**Author:** ![TheGunIsMightierThanThePen](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thegunismightierthanthepen/32/2981_2.png) [@TheGunIsMightierThanThePen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TheGunIsMightierThanThePen)\ **Post date:** [September 10, 2021, 2:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-received-a-rather-lovely-but-strange-email-today/950415/9 "2021-09-10T02:27:08Z")
The way he/she addresses you as a generic _“Dear Friend”_ instead of using your real name certainly strikes me as one of the telltale signs of a scam. I’ve had my fair share of scam emails that include very similar introductions (none of which I’ve responded to, needless to say). Bottom line is: are you _really_ that desperately lacking in social intimacy that you’d be willing to entertain this person’s overtures? If so, sure, knock yourself out. If I were you, I’d ask them to transfer a couple million $$$ to my bank account before I continue the conversation 😆 ---
**Author:** ![ThelmaLou](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thelmalou/32/390_2.png) [@ThelmaLou](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ThelmaLou)\ **Post date:** [September 10, 2021, 2:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-received-a-rather-lovely-but-strange-email-today/950415/10 "2021-09-10T02:28:05Z")
> [@Princhester](#): > > You have to judge it in context. No I don’t. My standards don’t depend on context. > [@Princhester](#): > > The average spam along these lines is “I is a AfriCan princess. I’m beautiful very. I hope you can give help to me.” I’m well aware. ---
**Author:** ![Princhester](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/3e96dc/32.png) [@Princhester](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Princhester)\ **Post date:** [September 10, 2021, 2:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-received-a-rather-lovely-but-strange-email-today/950415/11 "2021-09-10T02:51:32Z")
> [@TheGunIsMightierThanThePen](#): > > Bottom line is: are you _really_ that desperately lacking in social intimacy that you’d be willing to entertain this person’s overtures? If so, sure, knock yourself out. Well I was going to, but I’m not prepared to converse with someone who doesn’t come up to **ThelmaLou** ’s inflexible standards. I might get sniffed at. ---
**Author:** ![ThelmaLou](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thelmalou/32/390_2.png) [@ThelmaLou](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ThelmaLou)\ **Post date:** [September 10, 2021, 3:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-received-a-rather-lovely-but-strange-email-today/950415/12 "2021-09-10T03:41:33Z")
You’ll thank me later. ---
**Author:** ![Gatopescado](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gatopescado/32/5711_2.png) [@Gatopescado](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gatopescado)\ **Post date:** [September 10, 2021, 3:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-received-a-rather-lovely-but-strange-email-today/950415/13 "2021-09-10T03:48:39Z")
I get about 10 of these a day. With Booby pictures attached. All from ‘Russian Single Women’. Sometimes the pictures don’t even match. Hey, not like I’m asking for them. ---
**Author:** ![Siam\_Sam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/d78d45/32.png) [@Siam\_Sam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Siam_Sam)\ **Post date:** [September 10, 2021, 4:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-received-a-rather-lovely-but-strange-email-today/950415/14 "2021-09-10T04:21:31Z")
Sounds like the Nigerians have been persevering in their English lessons. Sort of. ---
**Author:** ![Monty](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/monty/32/47_2.png) [@Monty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Monty)\ **Post date:** [September 10, 2021, 4:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-received-a-rather-lovely-but-strange-email-today/950415/15 "2021-09-10T04:32:47Z")
Is the level of English in Nigeria really as bad as the stereotypical “Nigerian E-mail Scam” E-mails? ---
**Author:** ![Siam\_Sam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/d78d45/32.png) [@Siam\_Sam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Siam_Sam)\ **Post date:** [September 10, 2021, 4:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-received-a-rather-lovely-but-strange-email-today/950415/16 "2021-09-10T04:34:08Z")
I’ve actually received a few. Yes, it often is. And really all caps. ---
**Author:** ![Princhester](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/3e96dc/32.png) [@Princhester](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Princhester)\ **Post date:** [September 10, 2021, 4:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-received-a-rather-lovely-but-strange-email-today/950415/17 "2021-09-10T04:41:05Z")
Now look here! Where’s my booby pictures, dammit! Actually I suspect the booby picture bearing emails get zapped by our anti spam software, but the plain text ones have more of a chance of getting through. ---
**Author:** ![Princhester](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/3e96dc/32.png) [@Princhester](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Princhester)\ **Post date:** [September 10, 2021, 4:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-received-a-rather-lovely-but-strange-email-today/950415/18 "2021-09-10T04:42:20Z")
I’m sure it varies. But the few Nigerians I’ve actually met have spoken excellent English. ---
**Author:** ![Acierocolotl](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/acierocolotl/32/6241_2.png) [@Acierocolotl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Acierocolotl)\ **Post date:** [September 10, 2021, 4:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-received-a-rather-lovely-but-strange-email-today/950415/19 "2021-09-10T04:45:50Z")
I’d totally respond to it. I’d do it from a burner account, mind you, but I’d do it. Sure, it’s most likely a scam or spam or whatever, but it doesn’t mean it still can’t be fun. ---
**Author:** ![markn\_1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f9ae1b/32.png) [@markn\_1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/markn_1)\ **Post date:** [September 10, 2021, 5:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-received-a-rather-lovely-but-strange-email-today/950415/20 "2021-09-10T05:45:20Z")
If you do respond to it, definitely tell “Wilma” that your name is Fred. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-received-a-rather-lovely-but-strange-email-today/950415.md?page=2)