Thanks very much to reader Daniel O'Donovan for forwarding this Friday livener - a short but illuminating 419 email which demonstrates why, when attempting to negotiate a $9.5m transfer deal, it's better to talk by phone:

Dear Sir,

I am a solicitor and I am the personal attorney to late Mr Alex Lee. I am writing you to receive this funds 9.5m$ before it is seized by the bank where the funds is deposited.

Due to intergalactic and unsolicited email. I will advise that we discurse vivdly on phone. Please write me your phone number for more discursion. (eric111kone@yahoo.com) or call me + 23 417 238 107.

Best Regards, E. Kone, Esq

Unsolicited intergalactic email is, we presume, the kind of extraterrestrial spam offering "Princess Leia topless exclusive!", "PHOTON DRIVE AT INCREDIBLE 10% DISCOUNT" or "Martians - Is girl happy with girth of your seven manhoods?", which regularly clogs inboxes across the known universe. ®

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