ANGELS AND CON-ARTISTS MAKE GOOD BEDFELLOWS


I'm going to share a little drama that's been going on in my life for a while. I'm going to bury it in a long post, so hopefully the people I am writing about will get bored and not see themselves in this entry. Or who cares if they do? Not sure who or what I'm protecting anymore.

This is not intended to be a personal affront on anybody. It's more a story of archetypes. The Angel archetype (people who really truly want to reveal Light in the world) and the Scam Artist.

How do you know who you're dealing with? Sometimes you can't use your head. You have to rely on your intuition. I am also finding that people -- good people. people in my immediate social circle in positions of authority -- will prey on the "Angel" to their own benefit. Empty promises to get what they want for their own personal and immediate gain.

I get so excited by the occasional post on my blog. Will some anonymous person out there be moved into action? Inspired to pull a few bucks out of their wallet? Inclined to want to make a difference for the orphans in Malawi? Will I meet some good-hearted souls who can help infuse new energy to this cause?

We all have our own things going on and most of us truly believe our resources are scarce, so I totally understand why this isn't a slam dunk. But I get so frustrated when I put good energy toward making a difference in the world and I get preyed on instead. Look at this letter I just got the other day. I saw this on Oprah -- big rings out of Nigeria scamming Americans for money. While I am honored to be deemed an "honest and trust-wealthy person", I am offended that "Mrs. Betty Nkosi" would prey on people like me. Scary thing is, some Angels really are gullable enough to want to help. Of course, i suspect a thread of greed in the would-be Angel's motivation. More on that in a minute.

#SCAM ALERT# #BAD KARMA ALERT# SCAM ALERT##BAD KARMA ALERT# BELOW:

13 PARKTOWN
BREE, JHB SOUTH AFRICA.
OUR FAMILY PRIVATE EMAIL ADDRESS IS
nkosineedhelp@yahoo.com
PHONE 27-73-311-43-38

ATTN.


My name is MRS, BETTY NKOSI, the wife of MR. ZUMA NKOSI of Zimbabwe. This might be a surprise to you about where I got your contact address. I got your contact from the internet, while searching for an honest and trust wealthy person, who will assist me to implement this transaction and act as my late husband proxy business partner.

During the current war against the farmers in Zimbabwe from the supports of our President Robert Mugabe to claim all the white-owned farms to his party members and his followers, he ordered all white farmers to surrender all their farms to his party members and his followers.

My husband is one of the best farmers in our country and because he did not support Mugabe's ideas, Mugabe's supporters invaded my husband's farm and burnt everything in the farm, killing my husband and made away with a lot of items in my Husband's farm. Before his death, my Husband had deposited with one of the Security Company in Johannesburg, South Africa the sum of US$ 22,000,000 (TWENTY-TWO MILLION U .S DOLLARS ONLY)) with our son name CHARLES NKOSI and made every documents with his name both the certificate of depository.

Then After the death of my Husband, we decided to move to the Republic of South Africa where he had deposited the money in the Security Company as valuables. So, I decided to contact overseas partner that will assist me to move this money out of South Africa because as asylum seekers we are not allowed to operate any bank account within South Africa. We have agreed to offer you 30% of the total sum for your assistance, 5% will be mapped out for any expenses that may be incurred in the course of this transaction and 60% will be for me and my son to invest in your country.

All I want you to do is to indicate your interest and wait for the next line of action. You can contact me on the above E-MAIL with your personal contact details .Note that this transaction is 100% risk free and absolutely confidential. We advice you to contact us through our private email address; nkosineedhelp@yahoo.com

Thanks
Regards,

MRS, BETTY NKOSI

--------
This goes on all the time. I'm reading an article today in the New York Times about real estate scams in New York. They send you a picture of your rental (Wow! great place! and only $500/month!) and you go to the Manhattan address only to find a steakhouse or something. They got your deposit. You got scammed.

The article says that this specific scam was created in Turkey. "A great percentage of the scammers are coming from Turkey, Nigeria or Benin, a small country in West Africa. These are enterprises."

On the Oprah show, they showed the crackdown on one of these scam rings. These guys are living large -- beautiful mansions, amazing cars. It makes me sick to think they are preying on good people who really want to make a difference.

Here's where it gets really personal. I believe my good friend was just scammed by her boyfriend, a 29-year old guy from Turkey named Khan (of all things). I was there when they met. They've been dating for more than a year. Then all of the sudden, he needed an emergency heart transplant. I had already started "Fundraising Malawi". I think that may have inspired them to do some of their own fundraising to get Khan on the wait list for a heart transplant.

I always had a hard time with it. Horrible as it is, it's not a charity case. I could understand if they asked for a loan with some promise to pay it back after the heart transplant. But they didn't do that. They wanted the "no stress" plan. You know, his heart couldn't take the burden. He even quit his job and moved in with my friend. In a very short time, my friend raised $25K for him. He did nothing but pressure her to ask her friends for money.

I gave $75 and never apologized for my lack of generosity. I just never believed him, deep down. I believe my friend completely let herself be scammed. When I confronted her on it, she said, no way. He gets out of breath when he climbs the stairs. If he were lying, then he'd really be putting on a good act.

I hope she doesn't read my blog. I don't know how to tell her that I think she fell hook, line and sinker. And now, she is complicit in a crime. Her friends gave $25K to a big racket. Where is the money?

She just sent this note to us -

Dear friend,

This overdue email is to thank you and share my appreciation and gratitude to all of you and to life itself.

The following is a summary of what happened to Khan since he left for Turkey in March 07:

Khan's mother took him to a renowned energy healer, specialized in heart disease. The healer gave Khan 4 days of intensive energy treatment. After the treatment, Khan went to an Istanbul's hospital for a full check-up. The results came back positive - no heart condition.

The following week, Khan's entered the hospital where he was first diagnosed in Ankara. The same team of doctors who diagnosed him in August 2006, examined him for 3 days and had no explanation for the 93% improvement of this heart. The energy healing worked. In other words, Khan doesn't need a heart transplant any longer. Doctors have no explanation for Khan's healing. This is what people call a miracle.

The most important thing is that Khan is healed and can go on with his life like any 29-year old. He has chosen to take himself out of the heart transplant waiting list.

Given a new chance at life, Khan has decided to move back to Turkey in the next couple of months to be with his family.

On my end, I chose to end our relationship. I am obviously happy and relieved by Khan's healing and know that all that happened is for the best.

I hope you will forgive me - and Khan - for not having been in communication for the past several weeks while we were getting respective life back together.

Life is full of surprises.

Much love, light and appreciation.

---

It's so easy to see in hindsight. For me anyway. It's like watching the Sixth Sense the second time. I want my friend to look the lie in the eye. I don't think she can. It's too big. Where did the money go? If not for the heart transplant, then shouldn't he pay it back to his generous donors?

You can keep my $75, Khan. I never believed you anyway. And, karmically, you have way bigger things to worry about now.

So, that's a big story; a huge drama that's really not my business, but has been very painful to watch. I do have the same sort of thing going on around my own cause though. Some "dangling carrots" if you will. Do X for me and I'll make a donation to your charity. And I jump around like a puppy thinking that I might get a donation for Raising Malawi as soon as I do X.

And I do X, and nothing. People think "charity" is the same thing as "optional" or "free". Like somehow they don't have to keep good on their word. It ticks me off.

Especially because the common demoninator in all this drama in my life is me. I'm obviously going about this all wrong. I'm talking to some of the wrong people. I'm not trusting that a noble, worthy cause is big enough on its own to inspire donations. I'm dreaming up the next (red) campaign....b/c people can't give unless they believe they're getting something back.

Shit. I don't know anymore. Maybe it's true. Maybe the world is just too full of selfishness to think Angel consciousness can win on its own merit. I'm feeling defeated and I don't know what to do.