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What must Frank Abagnale Jr. — the conman made famous by the film ‘Catch Me If You Can’ — think of the wannabe email fraudsters who fill up my mail box with spam day after day? With cunning, Mr Abagnale managed to con millions of dollars worth of checks by posing as a pilot, doctor and lawyer. What could be said of the allegedly named Abdur Rahim, Desmond Koffi, Kabirou Boubacar, Fatima Taha… whose tactics can only be described as stupid? Someone obviously did some research, linking my email address to my faith, for these emails always begin with Salam or Assalamu alaikum, but greed, desperation or just plain stupidity ensures that they will never be successful — unless the recipient happens to be stupid too.

Stupid, because who could possibly believe that they would be contacted three times a day every day of the week by a complete stranger who has discovered funds in a bank account that they would like to share with me? Was a person inclined to commit bank fraud and not worry themselves with all of their assets being frozen pending investigations under the Terrorism Act, I should think the receipt of a single email might sway them slightly, even if the over-the-top use of big words made it seem like something of a charade. But to receive three emails a day, from three different names with basically the same plot? Could anyone possibly fall for this idiocy?

I’m not so naïve that I didn’t realise that there are people about who have no fear about the consequence of their actions; the daily news makes this perfectly clear. But that people could be so stupid? We live and learn. Welcome to the reign of the stupid conman.