Anthony Gustav Morris

Anthony G Morris - Composer - Author - and so on.

"SPAM! Three Melodramas from my InBox" - Melodrama for Orchestra and Actor/s

Composer: Anthony Gustav Morris

Ref: AGM-2010-10-01
17 minutes, 3 movements
January 2010
Status: Draft Score available
Melodramas for Actor/Narrators and Symphony Orchestra
I receive a lot of spam mail. Some days I get 10 or more, some days none at all.

Mostly these messages follow 3 main themes as far as content is concerned. There is apparently a whole industry behind sending these things out. Wikipedia has an article or two on the origins of this type of advance-fee-fraud and it seems to still draw in many victims. Driven by the basic human emotions of greed, sympathy and well, yes, it’s mainly greed, people really think they can invest a small amount and walk away with millions of dollars.

I decided to make an average text of the main three types of spam mail. This was mainly to avoid a class-action from Nigerian spammers who may claim copyright. I set these to a dramatic film music type orchestral score with a narration from an actor who has the opportunity to act out each of the characters depicted in the mails.

The Nigerian Lawyer, the unemployed russian son of a seriously ill mother, the sick person who has inherited millions and wants to plant these abroad because he is dying of every disease known to man but can still obviously manage to send literally millions of emails.

This has the effect of humanising as well as ridiculing the characters to a degree.

It is therefore not only educational but the pieces are designed to invite discussion on the subject of online fraud and associated human failings.


This following text from the piece is copyright as is the concept behind this work. It is protected by international copyright law and registered to protect against plagiarism..


I - The Business Proposition


Urgent business proposal Attention President C E O!
I am a chief internal auditor at American Express Bank of South Africa AMEX S.A.
I am writing to seek your cooperation over a business deal In my department I discovered an abandoned sum Of Thirty five point seven Million U.S. Dollars This money is in an account that belongs to one of our foreign customers HE IS DEAD!
He died along with his entire family, in a plane crash that took place in Kenya.
We have been expecting his next of kin or business associate to come and claim his money, it can not be released unless some body applies for it now. unfortunately, all his supposed next of kin or relations they died, so did he, in the plane crash leaving nobody behind to make the claim.
Therefore, the request for your assistance and maximum cooperation as a foreign citizen is highly needed to release these funds.
I would like us to share this money mutually on two equal halves me and you.
That means fifty percent to you and fifty percent to me.
I think this is a fair business proposition!
I would like you at this point to understand that this is privileged information and must be strictly confidential!
Finally, be assured that this transaction attracts no risk on both sides as every thing has been carefully perfected as the transaction is expected to be completed within fourteen days and the money released into your account.
In the mean time our discussions shall be via my above email in order to keep to the outlined security measures as no voice communication will be entertained for security reasons Thank you in advance for your understanding whilst looking forward to your earliest response.
Thank you and God bless, you sincerely!
Your friend.
Mathew.

Copyright © 2009 Anthony Gustav Morris - agm digital arts GmbH - www.agmdigital.com
II - The God Fearing Friend

My Dearest Friend!
I had to contact you after praying about my situation.
May God touch you heart to put me in prayer as you read my message and I pray for his forgiveness.
I know he is merciful and he never forgets his people.
I have recently been diagnosed with cancer and diabetes this has affected my hearing and to an extent my speech I am an old man living with AIDS HIV for a long time.
And I know that this all has no cure therefore I will not be living long with this painful condition!
I want to donate what I have to the needy!
Twenty Five Million U.S.Dollars!
YES!
Twenty five Million U S Dollars for charity work!
Due to my strong religious background I have been touched to donate what I have inherited from my late father to charity.
Through you for the good work of humanity, rather than allow my brothers to use my father's hard earned money inappropriately!
I ask you to help especially orphans and widows, and the less privileged in society.
I know we have never met but my mind tells me to do this.
And I hope you will act sincerely for the good of God.
Presently I can not answer telephone calls because I don't want my brothers to know about this project and I have been restricted by my doctor from taking telephone calls because I deserve all the rest I can get.
I am now too weak to do many things my self because of my condition.
I would appreciate your utmost secrecy in this matter until the task is carried out.
As I don't want any thing that will damage this last wish.
Please send me your full name and address Occupation.
Telephone number, your cell phone number Your Gender.
A copy of your passport and some other identity papers.
I await your reply!
GOD BLESS YOU!

©2009 Anthony G Morris - agm digital arts GmbH - www.agmdigital.com - all rights reserved

III - The Russian Mother

My name is Nikolai.
I live with my mother in the city of Kaluga in Russia My mother is an invalid,
She can't see because she is blind.
We are also very poor and have no money, my Mother receives a very small pension but it is not enough for her medication.
I don't know what to do, the winter is coming and outside it will be minus thirty degrees Celsius.
I am very afraid the temperature at home will be very cold and we will not survive.
I prayed for guidance.
Thanks to the free internet access at our local library.
Where it is also very cold.
I found several email addresses and I decided to write to you.
With a prayer in my heart I ask you please for a small help.
If possible.
Could you please send me an electric water boiler?
Canned and dried food Vitamins, medicine for colds and any hygiene products.
How ever please!
If you would like to send some money?
This may be the best way to help us buy these things Please write back and I can tell you where to send the money, remember my Mother is very sick!
May God bless you!
Thank you for your time!

©2009 Anthony Gustav Morris - agm digital arts GmbH - all rights reserved
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