I received this request in my e-mail this morning. I’m wondering how many kind, considerate and unsuspecting people – especially older citizens – may fall for it. Please do not do as she asks. If you get such an e-mail, report it to your local police or to CBS Channel 4 Denver.
Linda Bicknell <catsmeowflowers@msn.com>
I hope this finds you well. I need a favor from you.
I need you to get a Google-play gift card for a friend who is down with cancer of the Liver, it’s her birthday today and I promised to get it for her, but I can’t do this now because I’m currently out of town and all my effort purchasing it online proved abortive.. Can you get it from any store around you for me? I’ll reimburse you upon my arrival. Please let me know if you can handle this so I can tell you the amount and how to get them to me.
Thanks, and make it a great day!
Regards,
Linda
A: Note that this e-mail is not addressed to anyone in particular
B. I need a favor – great! From someone you don’t even know
C. Google-play gift card – so it can be used anywhere – or to get cash back
D. Promised to get a gift card from someone with liver cancer – wouldn’t money be better used to pay a medical bill?
E: Always – the requestor is out of town – Try Nigeria…
F: Of course you can’t purchase a gift card on-line. That’s like borrowing money from Peter to pay Paul!
G. “Any store around you?” Sure. No problem. I’ll just run right down to King Soopers…
H. “Reimburse you upon my arrival” – who is this person and where are they arriving from? And more importantly “When?”
I. Of course I’ll let her know if I can do this so she can tell me the amount. Why can’t she tell me the amount now? And when she’s coming back? Oh, and how to get “them” to me? Is she expecting me to buy more than one card?