weemba@garnet.berkeley.edu (Obnoxious Math Grad Student) (05/27/88)
I am planning on signing and sending the enclosed to:
Postal Inspector
Lincoln NE 68505
I am concerned, though, whether this is opening up a bigger and poss-
ibly more dangerous can of worms than it is worth. Opinions and flames
welcome.
(And yes, I know I don't know how to write a proper business letter.)
I hear that JJ sent things over the ARPANET mailing lists. I suspect
that he's risking DoD problems with that.
ucbvax!garnet!weemba Matthew P Wiener/Brahms Gang/Berkeley CA 94720
27 May 1988
Dear Postal Inspector:
I am a user of USENET, a world-wide distributed (that is, there is no
formal controlling authority or company running it, and no designated
contact persons) computer network bulletin system with an estimated
30-100 thousand users. We were inundated, this past week, with the
following message [the :-( and :-) are electronic "frowny" and "smiley"
faces, meant to help convey emotion via computer]:
Poor College Student needs Your Help!! :-(
Hi. I just finished my junior year in college, and now I'm
faced with a major problem. I can't afford to pay for my senior
year. I've tried everything. I can't get any more student loans,
I don't qualify for any more scholarships, and my parents are as
broke as am I. So as you can see, I've got a major problem. But
as far as I can see, there is only one solution, to go forward.
I've come along way, and there is no chance in hell that I'm going
to drop out now! I'm not a quiter, and I'm not going to give up.
But here is why I'm telling you all this. I want to ask a favor of every
one out here on the net. If each of you would just send me a one
dollar bill, I will be able to finish college and go on with my life.
I'm sure a dollar is not much to any of you, but just think how it
could change a person's life. I'd really like to encourage all of you
to help me out, I've no other place to go, no other doors to knock
on. I'm counting on all of you to help me! (PLEASE!)
If you would like to help a poor boy out, please send $1 (you can
of course send more if you want!! :-)
Jay-Jay's College Fund
PO BOX 5631
Lincoln, NE 68505
PS. Please don't flame me for posting this to so many conferences,
I really am in dire need of help, and if any of you were as desparate
as I am, you just might resort to the same thing I am.
It is unknown if this is a legitimate appeal or not. I have seen someone
state that he has corresponded (electronically) with this Jay-Jay user
before, and that he had gotten the impression that he was anything but a
"poor college student"--he would brag about his BMW, for example. Jay-Jay
may have been lying, the one forwarding the message may have been lying
etc--it is very difficult to determine over electronic networks just
what's out there. Indeed, "Jay-Jay" could very well be a pseudonym.
Jay-Jay accessed USENET via:
Portal Communications Company
19720 Auburn Drive
Cupertino, CA 95014
Phone: (408) 973-9111
The contact person there is (or was) John Little. After receiving numer-
ous complaints, Portal removed the Jay-Jay account.
I am frankly ignorant of laws regarding fraud and telecommunications,
but I do know they exist concerning the mails. Can you determine if
the above is a sincere or fraudulent?
Thank you.
Yours sincerely,
Matthew P Wiener
UCB Math Dept
Berkeley CA 94720