Most people hate spam – don’t they? I don’t mean the processed meat product called Spam, although I understand that it’s not nearly as popular a snack these days as it used to be. I’m referring to the daily diet (in my case) of “spam” which finds its way into my emails. By far the most prolific of my spam emails come from a country called Burkina Faso (or Fiasco, as I say to myself for fun); in truth, until I started to receive the spam, I had never even heard of the landlocked West African country (geography has never been my forte). My email address must be on a list that is constantly doing the rounds of the opportunists living in that poor country; the strange thing is that, although the names change and the amounts vary, the basic story is the same – the author has been maltreated, a rich relative has died tragically in an accident (probably murder) and it is impossible for the abused to receive the inheritance without my help (my bank account details in return for half of the $28,000,000!).

I am often addressed as “Dearest One” or “God Elect” (my favourite) and, even more comical are the names of the senders. These are just a few of the ones I remember – Janet Warlord (a regular), Captain Jessie Balsam and Miss Tapioka (I hope she gets her just desserts).

To date I haven’t been tempted to partake of the offers but I have visited BBC NEWS online and genned up on West African geography and political affairs; I note that Burkina Faso means “land of honest men”!

Just came in:-

Hi Friend My Name is EricK Rhama Benson, I am a banker by
profession. I hail from Burkina Faso , West Africa. My
reason for contacting you is to transfer an abandoned $5.5M
(Five Million  Hundred United States Dollars to your
account 40/percent will be your share.
The owner of this fund died since on July,2004. with his
Next Of Kin. I want to present you to the bank as the Next
of Kin/beneficiary of this fund.
Further details of the transaction shall be forwarded to you
as soon as I receive your return mail indicating your
interest.feel free to contact me through this email below
this drrha123456@voila.fr my number +22664424661
your full name  and your  phone number only.

Thanks
From Dr EricK Rhama Benson

Burkina Faso country profile – Overview

A poor country even by West African standards, landlocked Burkina Faso has suffered from recurring droughts and, until the 1980s, military coups.

A popular uprising forced long-term leader Blaise Compaore from office in October 2014.

An interim administration was put in place for a year, after which elections are to be held.

Burkina Faso has significant reserves of gold, but cotton is the economic mainstay for many Burkinabes.

This industry is vulnerable to changes in world prices.

A former French colony, it gained independence as Upper Volta in 1960. Since independence, the military has on several occasions intervened during times of crisis.

In 1983 Capt Thomas Sankara seized power and adopted radical left-wing policies.

He renamed the country Burkina Faso, which translates as “land of honest men”.

In 1987 Mr Sankara was overthrown and killed in a coup by his erstwhile colleague Blaise Compaore, who went on to re-introduce a multi-party system.

Burkina Faso has faced domestic and external concern over the state of its economy and human rights, and allegations that it was involved in the smuggling of diamonds by rebels in Sierra Leone.

Troubles in neighbouring Ivory Coast have raised tensions, with Ivory Coast accusing its northern neighbour of backing rebels in the north and Burkina Faso accusing Ivory Coast of mistreating expatriate Burkinabes.