They just want to help... but what are they helping themselves to?

I got this e-mail today and just wanted to pound my head on the keyboard. It initiated a determination to speak out against these sorts of things and so I have created this blog where I can drop stupid e-mails and obvious scams that I am sent.

The following e-mail is an obvious effort at identity theft that seems to want to find someone that does not think Africa has banks. Tugging on heartstrings and trying to make the reader think that there is a way to help someone, then sinking in a hook for the greedy with a "name your own price!" angle that just leaves me shaking my head.

Now, before you think that I am saying anyone that falls for these are stupid, I'm not. There are all sorts of reasons why someone might be taken in by an e-mail like this, which is why I decided to put these online. If I can point out to even one senior citizen or hard working single parent or anyone else that these e-mails are scams and out to rip them off then I will consider my time to be well spent.

As for the e-mail that initiated this...

I want to help

Hello ,
I'm a facilities engineer with an oil company, who has great interest in charity, cos that were i grow up when parents die in gastly motor accident in africa, right now I'm on-shore in one of our facilities (oil rig) which makes me indispensable at the moment, but as it is I have a client who is ready to make a cheque payment for me, so it's a matter of you receiving it on my behalf, cashing the cheque and sending down the remainder to another beneficiary in Africa,Meanwhile you will have 10% for any amount u cash , I would have sent it to the African but they don't have the facility to cash the cheque over there. That's the way it is, send me your mailing address and how you want your name to appear on it. I'll be looking forward to your response as soon as I can get them as time is not on my side. pls get back to me if you can do this with the following info
Name :
address:
city:
state:
zip:
country:
And as a matter of fact how much will you want to be help with
Regards
jenny

Anyone that has to ask you for your personally identifiable information is not worthy of a reply. If they don't know you already they don't need to know what they are asking. If you get this e-mail, or any variation of it, trash it.