Request for Assistance - Strictly Confidential

Well, hi there! Thanks for clicking by today. Coffee's hot and there's a new tray of virtual muffins, doughnuts and assorted pastries for your pleasure. Say...I don't know how this fellow found me but I wanted to share his letter with you. It claims to be from Dr. Bakare Tunde - yup, that's his picture above. Dr. Tunde is a Nigerian Pentecostal pastor and political activist. He has received national and international attention for his televangelism, which has sometimes been critical of the Nigerian government.

You don't suppose he'd send this letter to just anyone, would he? He obviously needs my help in a bad way. Well actually it's his cousin who needs help. Read this and see if you aren't touched by it...

Dear Mr. Sir,

I am Dr. Bakare Tunde, the cousin of Nigerian Astronaut, Air Force Major Abacha Tunde. He was the first African in space when he made a secret flight to the Salyut 6 space station in 1979. He was on a later Soviet space flight, Soyuz T-16Z to the secret Soviet military space station Salyut 8T in 1989. He was stranded there in 1990 when the Soviet Union was dissolved. His other Soviet crew members returned to earth on the Soyuz T-16Z, but his place was taken up by return cargo.

There have been occasional Progrez supply flights to keep him going since that time. He is in good humor, but wants to come home.

In the 14-years since he has been on the station, he has accumulated flight pay and interest amounting to almost $15,000,000 American Dollars. This is held in a trust at the Lagos National Savings and Trust Association. If we can obtain access to this money, we can place a down payment with the Russian Space Authorities for a Soyuz return flight to bring him back to Earth. I am told this will cost $3,000,000 American Dollars. In order to access the his trust fund we need your assistance.

Consequently, my colleagues and I are willing to transfer the total amount to your account or subsequent disbursement, since we as civil servants are prohibited by the Code of Conduct Bureau (Civil Service Laws) from opening and/ or operating foreign accounts in our names.

Needless to say, the trust reposed on you at this juncture is enormous. In return, we have agreed to offer you 20 percent of the transferred sum, while 10 percent shall be set aside for incidental expenses (internal and external) between the parties in the course of the transaction. You will be mandated to remit the balance 70 percent to other accounts in due course.

Kindly expedite action as we are behind schedule to enable us include downpayment in this financial quarter.

Please acknowledge the receipt of this message via my direct number 234 (0) 9-234-2220 only.

Yours Sincerely,

Dr. Bakare Tunde

Boy, we learn something everyday, don't we? I wasn't aware that Nigeria had Astronauts but then what do I know, eh?

Wait...let's back up a little. He was stranded in the space station in 1990 but he went up there in 1989. Dr. Tunde says he's been there 14 years. This is 2012 and according to my reckoning that would be 23 years, wouldn't it? Oh, I know...some emails take longer to arrive than others, huh? Now, where did I put my bank book? I may need a new one to hold the full 15,000,000 USD. Of course, I have to give back 70% of that but $4,500,000 (20% plus 10% expenses) will still buy a lot of coffee, eh? Even if you drink it at Starbucks!

See ya, eh!

Bob