The Boston Diaries

The ongoing saga of a programmer who doesn't live in Boston, nor does he even like Boston, but yet named his weblog/journal “The Boston Diaries.”

Go figure.

Wednesday, July 22, 2015

Going … going … gone

60% of my fav links from 10 yrs ago are 404. I wonder if Library of Congress expects 60% of their collection to go up in smoke every decade.

Bret Victor

I've been afraid of searching all past links on my blog to see how many are dead or no longer point to the page I linked to. Several years ago I replaced the link on my very first post and I'm sad to say, the link on my second post is now dead (and the page it now leads to is nothing more than a missing image—sigh). Actually, it's quite painful going through the first month and seeing just how many links are now dead.

An interesting take on the Nigerian 419 scam

From
"Samuel Motsuenyane"<volunteer@cfur.ca>
To
undisclosed-recipients:;
Subject
ARE YOU DEAD OR ALIVE?
Date
Wed, 22 Jul 2015 20:11:18 +0100

Attention: Dear Customer,

We need to confirm that this is Truth Before the bank will Release Your Funds to one Jennifer Scott. This Office was contacted by one Jennifer Scott, From Canada Who Claim to be Your Partner she Promise to finalize everything regarding your Claim as Your Next Of Kin. she said that you were Involved In A car Accident Last year December 20014 and Die without providing a death certificate. We need to confirm that you are truly dead before we can Release the Fund to her.

We Believed That You are Dead But As a Public Office We need a Proof for Record Purposes Before We Can Release the Funds To her, Therefore, Your Silent is a Clear Proof That you Are Dead. Note we will commence On the Release of your Funds To your Next Of Kin from next week if we do not hear from you, May your Soul Rest in Perfect Peace Amen.

Regards

Mr. Samuel Motsuenyane

Director Debt reconciliation Department

First National Bank Os South Africa(FNB BANK)

Now this is an interesting take on the Nigerian 419 scam. I'm thinking that if I were to reply, I'd get email back saying that in order to receive the funds that would have otherwise gone to “Jennifer Scott,” I'll have to prove that I am alive. And then there will be some fee I have to pay to some bureaucratic department to get some form or other, and then some bribe or other fee, then some other fee and so on and so on.

Well played. A nice step up from the normal millions in some account in some random country from some random magistrate in some random country.

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