Anyone from Africa?

[AlanAnderson]

Hi,

Is there anyone out there based in Malawi?

I sometimes feel like the only Access or Excel programmer around

Regards

Alan

 

[Fifty2One]

I am not from Africa, but somehow I have a distant relative from an African country who is some how related to deposed royalty. According to a recent email, if I help the family financially to secure legal assistance in Nigeria, they can recover their fortune and make me rich with an inheritance that they somehow traced to me.
Based on genealogy, genetics, logic and common sense I am a little skeptical of the story to say the least.

 

[AlanAnderson]

Hi Fifty,

All I can say is BEWARE!!!

Look up "Nigerian Scam" on the web.

This type of thing is big, big business over there.

Think of it this way, when did you ever genuinely get given something of value from a stranger? Alternatively, why would anyone be looking for ways of giving away money to strangers.

Not only do these scams cost you money but there have been several instances where gullible people have been conned into going across there and have been kidnapped and/or murdered.

Please check this on the web before even replying to the emails.

Regards

Alan

 

[ColinEssex]

I didn't realise Malawi was that progressive. Why do we have to send aid money there? Or is it yet another recipient of our money who laugh at us for sending it for free, like India.

Col

 

[Alansidman]

Has Sheldon Cooper moved to Africa and not told CBS?

 

[AlanAnderson]

Hi David,

All I can say is Malawi is one of the poorest nations on the planet.

THis is not one of those nations that builds atomic bombs, spends billions on arms, send space ships into orbit and then relies on others to send aid for medical and educational needs.

This place has almost no natural resources and relies almost entirely on agriculture and very limited foreign aid to survive.

Just because some of the people here (less than 10%) have computers doesn't mean the place doesn't need all the help it can get.

Regards

Alan

 

[Vassago]

Hi Fifty,

All I can say is BEWARE!!!

Look up "Nigerian Scam" on the web.

This type of thing is big, big business over there.

Think of it this way, when did you ever genuinely get given something of value from a stranger? Alternatively, why would anyone be looking for ways of giving away money to strangers.

Not only do these scams cost you money but there have been several instances where gullible people have been conned into going across there and have been kidnapped and/or murdered.

Please check this on the web before even replying to the emails.

Regards

Alan

I assume his post was made to be humorous. Sadly, I have had people I know fall for Nigerian scams. They don't fall for the financial ones, they fall for the romantic ones. One of my friends was an extremely depressed and lonely person, so when someone reached out to him pretending to be a cute woman from California doing aid work in Nigeria, he jumped on the opportunity to correspond. Naturally, it started turning into a charity case. He ended up sending over $3000 before I realized what had happened and informed him of these scams. I hated to break his heart, but better that than continue losing money on false pretenses. These scam artists are becoming increasingly cruel.

 

[Lightwave]

I must admit I think they are getting a lot cannier at trying to rip you off.

I put in an advert for a room to let in Edinburgh.

I got a personal message back from a young female who indicated that she was from Ghana worked for the UN and would like to rent the room. She went on to explain that she was very affectionate and single.

The e-mail had exemplarly grammar was consistent and accurate response to the room for rent advert.

The warning signs were of course - I had no need to know that she was single. I had no need for the picture of the girl and the UN don't have any offices in Edinburgh. I replied out of interest.

She then said she would like to move over but could she pay with a £10,000 pound cheque. I was to send her back a cheque of £9,500.

I think it's still quite easy to spot when you are being taken for a ride. Good grammar or otherwise

 

[ColinEssex]

Just because some of the people here (less than 10%) have computers doesn't mean the place doesn't need all the help it can get.

Regards

Alan

Perhaps that is the reason you feel you are the only Access / Excel programmer.
Not much call for it in the desert I suppose. From what you say, getting free food is more important.

Col

 

[Vassago]

Perhaps that is the reason you feel you are the only Access / Excel programmer.
Not much call for it in the desert I suppose. From what you say, getting free food is more important.

Col

Watch yourself.

 

[Fifty2One]

Hey Alan

That was sort of a joking/ice breaker post from me. Seriously though, the scammers must be catching some people or they would be moving onto another method of defrauding people and separating them from their money.

We have done a lot of work in various remote places, none in Malawi yet, but it does give a lot of appreciation to the term in a lot of license agreements "where technology exists" when you are trying to work in an area or country where the technology does not exist.
I think a lot of the persons who have been at this for years would enjoy getting some more mileage on some older vintage single core machines and earlier versions of software, even if it was purely for the nostalgic feeling.

Hi Fifty,

All I can say is BEWARE!!!

Look up "Nigerian Scam" on the web.

This type of thing is big, big business over there.

Think of it this way, when did you ever genuinely get given something of value from a stranger? Alternatively, why would anyone be looking for ways of giving away money to strangers.

Not only do these scams cost you money but there have been several instances where gullible people have been conned into going across there and have been kidnapped and/or murdered.

Please check this on the web before even replying to the emails.

Regards

Alan

 

[AlanAnderson]

Hi Fifty,

Sorry about the pontificating. You are right - they still catch hundreds of people every year that appears in the press. Probably thousands more who are too ashamed to admit it.

Regarding the nostalgia issue - I doubt that it would last out the power blackouts, the poor and slow internet, the problems of always having to cope with the lowest common denominator, the inadequate service levels and the lack of a local "support structure" - ie other Access Programmers etc.

Whenever I visit first world countries I'm like a kid in a candy store when I get the chance to play on the internet there.

Was very amused whilst in the Uk last time. There was a half hour power outage and the locals were in a panic.

They calmed down when I explained that for us it occurs almost every day and that outages for 2 or more DAYS are not uncommon.

We compensate by having generators, inverters (my home office has 2 inverters with 4 big truck batteries so I can keep on working.

Regards

Alan

 

[ColinEssex]

Watch yourself.

Now what. Have I said an untruth? Was I swearing? Personal attack on another member? Was I racist?

I'd appreciate an explanation of your warning please.

Col

 

[Fifty2One]

For remote field work we run 24-12-9-6 volt (make sure you are sure which recepticle you are trying to plug into) so we can avoid the lossy invert up to 120/240 only to plug in appliances which have transformers that bring it back down to 24-12-9 or 6 volt. Often there is no grid or the grid is too sketchy to trust.

It is amazing how short city people's tolerence is to 'no power' situations and even more intolerent to 'no wifi' in so called 'developed' countries. Makes them more like dependent countries...

Hi Fifty,

Sorry about the pontificating. You are right - they still catch hundreds of people every year that appears in the press. Probably thousands more who are too ashamed to admit it.

Regarding the nostalgia issue - I doubt that it would last out the power blackouts, the poor and slow internet, the problems of always having to cope with the lowest common denominator, the inadequate service levels and the lack of a local "support structure" - ie other Access Programmers etc.

Whenever I visit first world countries I'm like a kid in a candy store when I get the chance to play on the internet there.

Was very amused whilst in the Uk last time. There was a half hour power outage and the locals were in a panic.

They calmed down when I explained that for us it occurs almost every day and that outages for 2 or more DAYS are not uncommon.

We compensate by having generators, inverters (my home office has 2 inverters with 4 big truck batteries so I can keep on working.

Regards

Alan

 

[ColinEssex]

Still waiting for a reply Vass.

Although I may well be waiting months going by past experiences of mods providing a reply.

Don't worry though, I never forget so I'll keep reminding you.

Col

 

[Brianwarnock]

Col, I would guess that it is the inclusion of the word "free", I found it unnecessary and offensive.

Brian

 

[rodmc]

I must admit I think they are getting a lot cannier at trying to rip you off.

I put in an advert for a room to let in Edinburgh.

I got a personal message back from a young female who indicated that she was from Ghana worked for the UN and would like to rent the room. She went on to explain that she was very affectionate and single.

The e-mail had exemplarly grammar was consistent and accurate response to the room for rent advert.

The warning signs were of course - I had no need to know that she was single. I had no need for the picture of the girl and the UN don't have any offices in Edinburgh. I replied out of interest.

She then said she would like to move over but could she pay with a £10,000 pound cheque. I was to send her back a cheque of £9,500.

I think it's still quite easy to spot when you are being taken for a ride. Good grammar or otherwise

Damn it, rumbled again

 

[rodmc]

Still waiting for a reply Vass.

Although I may well be waiting months going by past experiences of mods providing a reply.

Don't worry though, I never forget so I'll keep reminding you.

Col

you were out of order mate, accept it and move on

 

[ColinEssex]

I didn't realise they pay for the food, my apologies.

Col

 

[dan-cat]

Don't worry though, I never forget so I'll keep reminding you.

Col

Do you keep a spreadsheet?