A web-based dating firm called "Date Online" invites me to meet Lisa, a resident of London. Let's find out if Herbie Buttplugg has the right stuff.

Conventions within the thread:

E-mails from the fraudsters are in black.
E-mails from me (Herbie Buttplugg) are in italicized green.
Red X's represent characters that have been changed to protect personal info.
Comments from me are in bold black.

The game commences with the scammer's initial e-mail.

[ Mar. 12, 2006 ]

From: date online <meet-her2006@xxxxxxxxxx.com>
Subject: meet lisa
Date: Sun, 12 Mar 2006 12:17:36 +0000

Date Online,a web based dating company invites you to meet with Lisa ,who is 5 feet 8 inches tall,23 years old and resides in london.She has a Bachelors degree in Economics from Oxford University; she is a finance expert with Microsoft(the United Kingdom); she is also a free lance financial consultant with Sony systems,Royal Dutch Shell,General Motors(USA) and Al Faroud construction company(Saudi Arabia). She has worked with some major finance speculators such as George Soros. Lisa is worth over 60 million pounds, which her late Dad bequeathed to her. She would like to meet with caring male friends from Europe or the United states. Interested persons should send their details to: dateonline2006@xxxxxxxxxx.co.uk

You may be the lucky one to tangle with this rare beauty!

How can I turn this opportunity away? Bachelors degree in economics from Oxford (WOW!), finance expert with Microsoft (WOW!), freelance financial consultant with Sony systems, Royal Dutch Shell, General Motors and Al Faroud construction company (WOW!), and a friend of George Soros (Oops. Well, not everyone's perfect).

From: Herbie Buttplugg <buttplugg@xxxxxxxxxx.com>
To: dateonline2006@xxxxxxxxxx.co.uk, meet-her2006@xxxxxxxxxx.com
Date: Mar 12, 2006 12:47 PM
Subject: Re: meet lisa

To whom it may concern:

My name is Herbert Butplugg. I am responding to your email earlier today about an English girl named Lisa from England. I assume that you got my email address from the Randy Singles Agency.

I'm 34 years old and single. I own my own home and I am a part-time actor. I live in Sarasota, Florida, USA. I am interested in Lisa.

If you require more details, please let me know.

Sincerely yours,

Herb

From: DATE ONLINE
To: Herbie Buttplugg
Date: Mar 17, 2006 2:49 PM
Subject: CONGRATULATIONS!!!

Date online wishes to congratulate you for being the lucky one to be chosen among thousands of suitors who wish to meet with lisa.

Date online wishes to inform you that there are basic requirements needed, for you to meet Lisa.

They are:
Your recent pictures,
Your social security number,
Your bank details, and
Your health records.

            

As lucky as Herbie is to be the chosen one of thousands of suitors to meet Lisa, and as cute as she is, I just can't see this game going anywhere and I pull the plug (no pun intended).

Game failed.