I am Mr. Steve's brother and didn't even know it!

I received the email below this morning. I get messages like this all the time. I have to wonder who writes and distributes them and why. The writer of this one has determined that I am the surviving brother of Mr. Steve. It's worth reading only because it's so outrageous and hilarious. (note: the photo is the first one that appears in a Google Images search under the search term "barrister.")

Dear Sir/Madam,

Please kindly accept my apology for sending unsolicited mail to you I believe you are a highly respected personality considering the fact that I sourced your profile from a human resource profile database on your country. Though, I do not know to what extent you are familiar with events.

Well, I am Barrister Weekon Perelman, a Solicitor. I am the Personal Attorney to Mr.Steve , who used to work with SIAMRAK Company Limited in Bangkok Thailand . On the 21st of April 2004, his wife and their three children were involved in a car accident along Sukhumvit Express Road.

Unfortunately, they all lost their lives in the event of the accident. Since then I have made several enquiries to your Embassy to locate any of my client's relatives, this has also proved unsuccessful. After these several unsuccessful attempts, I decided to trace his relatives over the Internet to locate any member of his family, hence, I contacted you to assist in repatriating the money left behind by my client in a Bank here in Thailand. Particularly the Bank where the deceased deposited the US$35 Million (Thirty Five Million United States Dollars only).

Consequently, this Bank issued me a notice to provide the Next of Kin claim to the US$35 Million (Thirty Five Million United States Dollars only) in their custody within the next ten official working days. Since you are the only Next of Kin to be found, the fund will be transferred to your account by the Finance House. I guarantee that this will be executed under a legitimate arrangement that will protect you from any breach of the law. You are needed as a next of kin to inherit your brother left fund.

Best regards .
Barrister Weekon Perelman (Esq).