Scam Psychology: Invoking the "Just-in-Case-It's-True" Worry

Received the text below by email from a friend. I found myself laughing at it since the first part with the story of Sir Alexander Fleming is patently untrue as Wikipedia points out in the section of the entry under personal life; so too does Snopes.com. (A few weeks ago my wife and I were out walking and went right by the Lochiel farmstead where Fleming was born. It's very pretty countryside but there's no evidence of Churchills ever being in the area. And what does Irish luck have to do with Scotland, anyway?) It's innocent enough but illustrates how susceptible we can be since I also found myself feeling compelled to carry out the instruction to send on the email! In fact, this post is just that - all of you my readers and friends have now received it and I should be receiving my wish any moment now. The psychology is the same employed by those infamous Nigerian fraudsters who say they need someone to unlock some money by giving over bank details or paying some fees - we know it's not true but just suppose it isn't, we'd be missing out.

Irish Luck - Remember to send it back!

I want this back. It DOES work.

His name was Fleming, and he was a poor Scottish farmer. One day, while trying to make a living for his family, he heard a cry for help coming from a nearby bog. He dropped his tools

and ran to the bog.

There, mired to his waist in black muck, was a terrified boy, screaming and struggling to free himself. Farmer Fleming saved the lad from what could have been a slow and terrifying death.

The next day, a fancy carriage pulled up to the Scotsman's sparse surroundings. An elegantly dressed nobleman stepped out and introduced himself as the father of the boy Farmer Fleming had saved.

'I want to repay you,' said the nobleman. 'You saved my son's life.'

'No, I can't accept payment for what I did,' the Scottish farmer replied waving off the offer. At that moment, the farmer's own son came to the door of the family hovel.

'Is that your son?' the nobleman asked.

'Yes,' the farmer replied proudly.

'I'll make you a deal. Let me provide him with the level of education my own son will enjoy If the lad is anything like his father, he'll no doubt grow to be a man we both will be proud of.' And that he did.

Farmer Fleming's son attended the very best schools and in time, graduated from St. Mary's Hospital Medical School in London, and went on to become known throughout the world as the noted Sir Alexander Fleming, the discoverer of Penicillin.

Years afterward, the same nobleman's son who was saved from the bog was stricken with pneumonia.

What saved his life this time? Penicillin.

The name of the nobleman? Lord Randolph Churchill .. His son's name?

Sir Winston Churchill.

Someone once said: What goes around comes around.

Work like you don't need the money.

Love like you've never been hurt.

Dance like nobody's watching.

Sing like nobody's listening.

Live like it's Heaven on Earth.

It's National Friendship Week. Send this to everyone you consider A FRIEND.

Pass this on, and brighten some one's day.

AN IRISH FRIENDSHIP WISH: You had better send this back!! Good Luck!

I hope it works...

May there always be work for your hands to do;

May your purse always hold a coin or two;

May the sun always shine on your windowpane;

May a rainbow be certain to follow each rain;

May the hand of a friend always be near you;

May God fill your heart with gladness to cheer you.

and may you be in heaven a half hour before the devil knows you're dead.

OK, this is what you have to do.... Send this to all of your friends.

But - you HAVE to send this within 1 hour from when you open it!

Now.....Make A wish!! I hope you made your wish!

Now then, if you send to:

1 person --- your wish will be granted in 1 year

3 people --- 6 months

5 people --- 3 months

6 people --- 1 month

7 people --- 2 weeks

8 people --- 1 week

9 people --- 5 days

10 people --- 3 days

12 people --- 2 days

15 people --- 1 day

20 people --- 3 hours

If you delete this after you read it, you will have 1 year of bad luck!

But, if you send it to 2 of your friends, you will automatically have 3 years good luck!!!

What did I wish for, you ask? A modest, by modern standards, billion dollars CAD. Will let you know how it turns out.