Hitting the Big Time

This is an email I recently received from a lawyer in "West Africa."

ANTENTION Bolder Law,

I am Barrister Pike Akosombo(Esq),currently representing a big oil servicing company in my country Lome-Togo in West Africa.My late client, Peter Law, who expatriate in my country,with his wife and their one child lost their lives in World trade center bombing on the 11th of sep. 2001. Beforehis death, my deceased client deposited two boxes containing 10m MILLION United Sates Dollars with a Security Company in Lome-Togo.here He accumulated this money from an onshore engineering award. I decided to search for any foreigner that has the same surname with my late client in repatriating the consignment since I found it unsuccessful to find a true relative to him. I want you to quickly file in for claim before the security company will declare the consignment unserviceable.

The said money was packed in cash in two boxes, the boxes was not
opened,and he declared it as containing just family valuables of classified documents and he paid a high price for the special diplomatic service of deposit here (a category of deposit in which a customers consignmentis never opened for inspection).As you have the same surname with the decease, this is why I am writing to you so that I will assist you claim this consignment. I will prepare every documentation that will assist your claim. The consignment will be released to you within 7 working days after you havefiled in for claims. I will like you to acknowledge the receipt of this e-mail as soon as possible, Please you also include your telephone and fax number for easy communication.

Sincerely,
Pike Akosombo.(Esq)

I heard a story on NPR a while back about this group of people who just messes around with the sender's of these emails. They reply and send them on wild goose chases, telling them money is waiting for them at Western Union, or some other place. I wonder if anyone has decided to do the same to Frank Azar - the PI lawyer who always advertises on TV at 4 a.m. (not that I'd personally know....) - in Denver. You could call him up, tell him you huffed a bunch of Vioxx or got hit by a wasted movie star in Aspen, and listen to the drool drip over the phone.