ABOUT THE SPEAKER
James Veitch - Comedian and writer
For James Veitch, a British writer and comedian with a mischievous side, spam emails proved the perfect opening to have some fun, playing the scammers at their own game.

Why you should listen

Packed full of Nigerian princes, can't miss investment opportunities and eligible Russian brides, James Veitch's correspondence with email spammers leads to surprising, bizarre and usually hilarious results. Out of this experiment came his first book, Dot Con. In 2014, his first solo comedy show The Fundamental Interconnectedness of Everyone with an Internet Connection, premiered at the Edinburgh Fringe to wide acclaim. His second show, Genius Bar, focussed on his time working for Apple, chronicles his attempts to fix his relationship using the same troubleshooting techniques he’d been using to fix iMacs, iPhones and iPods. He is currently writing his third show and preparing to tour the UK. 

He lives in London with his full body pillow.

More profile about the speaker
James Veitch | Speaker | TED.com
TEDGlobal>Geneva

James Veitch: This is what happens when you reply to spam email

James Veitch: Isto é o que ocorre cando respondes un correo lixo

Filmed:
55,851,315 views

Correos electrónicos sospeitosos: bonos de seguros sen reclamar, caixas fortes con diamantes incrustados, amigos próximos illados nun país estranxeiro. Xorden nas nosas caixas de entrada e o procedemento estándar é eliminalos nada máis velos. Pero que ocorre cando respondes? Sigue o escritor e comediante James Veitch na narración dun divertido intercambio de varias semanas cun remitente de correo lixo que lle propuxo compartir un súper negocio.
- Comedian and writer
For James Veitch, a British writer and comedian with a mischievous side, spam emails proved the perfect opening to have some fun, playing the scammers at their own game. Full bio

Double-click the English transcript below to play the video.

00:12
A few years ago,
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Hai algúns anos,
00:13
I got one of those spam emails.
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chegoume un deses correos lixo.
00:17
And it managed
to get through my spam filter.
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Conseguiu pasar os meus
filtros de correos lixo.
00:19
I'm not quite sure how,
but it turned up in my inbox,
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Non sei moi ben como o fixo
pero apareceu na caixa de entrada,
00:22
and it was from a guy
called Solomon Odonkoh.
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era dun tipo chamado
Solomon Odonkoh.
00:24
(Laughter)
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(Risos)
Xa sei.
00:26
I know.
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00:27
(Laughter)
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(Risos)
00:28
It went like this:
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Era algo así,
00:29
it said, "Hello James Veitch,
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dicía: "Ola, James Veitch,
00:31
I have an interesting business proposal
I want to share with you, Solomon."
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Teño unha boa proposta de negocios
para compartir contigo, Solomon."
00:36
Now, my hand was kind of hovering
on the delete button, right?
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Ben, a miña man andaba pairando
no botón de borrar, vale?
00:39
I was looking at my phone.
I thought, I could just delete this.
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Eu miraba o teléfono.
Pensei que podería eliminalo.
00:42
Or I could do what I think
we've all always wanted to do.
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Ou podería facer o que penso
que todos quixemos facer sempre.
00:46
(Laughter)
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(Risos)
E dixen "Solomon,
o teu correo intrígame."
00:50
And I said, "Solomon,
Your email intrigues me."
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00:52
(Laughter)
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(Risos)
00:55
(Applause)
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(Aplausos)
01:00
And the game was afoot.
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E o xogo púxose en marcha.
01:05
He said, "Dear James Veitch,
We shall be shipping Gold to you."
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Dixo "Querido James Veitch,
Imos enviarche Ouro."
01:08
(Laughter)
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(Risos)
01:10
"You will earn 10%
of any gold you distributes."
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"Vas gañar un 10 %
do ouro que distribúe."
01:13
(Laughter)
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(Risos)
01:15
So I knew I was dealing
with a professional.
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Entón, decateime de que estaba tratando
cun profesional.
01:17
(Laughter)
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(Risos)
01:22
I said, "How much is it worth?"
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Dixen "Canto custa?"
01:25
He said, "We will start
with smaller quantity," --
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Dixo "Comezaremos
cunha cantidade máis pequena"
01:27
I was like, aww --
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-e eu, ahhh-
01:28
and then he said, "of 25 kgs.
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e logo el dixo, "de 25 kg.
01:31
(Laughter)
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(Risos)
01:34
The worth should be about $2.5 million."
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O valor debería andar polos 2,5 millóns."
01:39
I said, "Solomon, if we're
going to do it, let's go big.
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Dixen "Solomon, se o imos facer,
fagámolo ao grande.
01:42
(Applause)
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(Aplauso)
01:50
I can handle it.
How much gold do you have?"
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Podo manexalo.
Cando ouro tes?"
01:54
(Laughter)
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(Risos)
01:57
He said, "It is not a matter
of how much gold I have,
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Dixo "Non é cuestión
de canto ouro teño,
02:00
what matters is
your capability of handling.
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o que importa é a túa capacidade
para manexalo.
02:02
We can start with 50 kgs
as trial shipment."
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Podemos comezar con 50 kg
como envío de proba."
02:04
I said, "50 kgs?
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Eu dixen "50 kg?
02:06
There's no point doing this at all
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Non ten sentido facer iso
02:08
unless you're shipping
at least a metric ton."
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a non ser que envíes
polo menos unha tonelada."
02:10
(Laughter)
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(Risos)
02:11
(Applause)
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(Aplausos)
02:15
He said, "What do you do for a living?"
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Dixo "A que te dedicas?"
02:17
(Laughter)
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(Risos)
02:20
I said, "I'm a hedge fund
executive bank manager."
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Dixen "Son director executivo
de investimentos dun banco."
02:22
(Laughter)
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(Risos)
02:27
This isn't the first time
I've shipped bullion, my friend,
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Esta non é a primeira vez
que vexo lingotes, colega,
02:29
no no no.
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non, non, non.
02:32
Then I started to panic.
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Entón entrei en pánico.
02:34
I was like, "Where are you based?"
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E eu "Onde te localizas?"
02:35
I don't know about you,
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Non sei nada de ti,
02:37
but I think if we're going
via the postal service,
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pero eu penso que se imos
usar o servizo postal,
02:39
it ought to be signed for.
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debería ir asinado.
02:40
That's a lot of gold."
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É moito ouro."
02:42
He said, "It will not be easy
to convince my company
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Dixo "Non vai ser fácil
convencer a miña compañía
02:45
to do larger quantity shipment."
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para facer o envío
dunha cantidade tan grande."
02:46
I said, "Solomon, I'm completely
with you on this one.
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Dixen "Solomon, estou totalmente
contigo nisto.
02:49
I'm putting together a visual for you
to take into the board meeting.
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Estou montando unha presentación
para levares á reunión do consello.
02:52
Hold tight."
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Mantente firme."
02:54
(Laughter)
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(Risos)
03:01
This is what I sent Solomon.
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Isto foi o que lle mandei ao Solomon.
03:03
(Laughter)
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(Risos)
03:05
(Applause)
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(Aplausos)
03:11
I don't know if we have
any statisticians in the house,
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Non sei se temos estatísticos por aquí
03:14
but there's definitely something going on.
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pero definitivamente está a ocorrer algo.
03:16
(Laughter)
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(Risos)
03:19
I said, "Solomon, attached to this email
you'll find a helpful chart.
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Dixen "Solomon, agregado a este correo
vas atopar un gráfico útil.
03:23
I've had one of my assistants
run the numbers.
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Puxen un dos meus asistentes
a botar contas.
03:25
(Laughter)
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(Risos)
03:27
We're ready for shipping
as much gold as possible."
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Estamos preparados para o envío
de tanto ouro como for posible."
03:30
There's always a moment where they try
to tug your heartstrings,
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Sempre hai un momento onde algo
che chega ao corazón,
03:33
and this was it for Solomon.
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e isto foi demasiado para Solomon.
03:34
He said, "I will be so much happy
if the deal goes well,
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Dixo "Serei moi feliz
se o trato vai ben,
03:37
because I'm going to get
a very good commission as well."
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porque terei tamén
unha moi boa comisión."
E dixen "Iso está xenial,
en que vas gastar a túa parte?
03:40
And I said, "That's amazing,
What are you going to spend your cut on?"
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E dixo "en propiedades inmobiliarias, e ti?"
03:43
And he said, "On RealEstate,
what about you?"
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Pensei niso durante bastante tempo.
03:46
I thought about it for a long time.
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03:50
And I said, "One word;
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E dixen "Unha palabra:
Hummus."
03:53
Hummus."
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03:54
(Laughter)
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(Risos)
04:00
"It's going places.
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"Vai chegar lonxe.
04:01
(Laughter)
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(Risos)
04:03
I was in Sainsbury's the other day
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Estaba en Sainsbury's o outro día
04:05
and there were like
30 different varieties.
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e había unhas 30 variedades diferentes.
04:07
Also you can cut up carrots,
and you can dip them.
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Ademais, podes cortar paus de
cenoria e untalos nel.
04:10
Have you ever done that, Solomon?"
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Fixéchelo algunha vez, Solomon?"
04:11
(Laughter)
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(Risos)
04:14
He said, "I have to go bed now."
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Dixo "Teño que ir para a cama."
04:16
(Laughter)
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(Risos)
04:18
(Applause)
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(Aplausos)
04:21
"Till morrow.
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"Ata mañá.
04:24
Have sweet dream."
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Que durmas ben."
04:25
I didn't know what to say!
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Eu non sabía que dicir!
04:27
I said, "Bonsoir
my golden nugget, bonsoir."
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Dixen "Bonsoir,
miña pebida dourada, bonsoir."
04:30
(Laughter)
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(Risos)
04:33
Guys, you have to understand,
this had been going for, like, weeks,
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Xente, tedes que entender,
levabamos semanas con isto.
04:36
albeit hitherto the greatest
weeks of my life,
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A pesar de seren as mellores
semanas da miña vida,
tiña que paralo.
04:38
but I had to knock it on the head.
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Estábaseme indo das mans.
04:40
It was getting a bit out of hand.
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Os amigos dicíanme "James,
vés tomar algo?"
04:41
Friends were saying, "James,
do you want to come for a drink?"
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E eu "Non podo, estou agardando
un correo sobre ouro."
04:44
I was like, "I can't, I'm expecting
an email about some gold."
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Así que decidín que tiña
que paralo.
04:47
So I figured I had
to knock it on the head.
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Tiña que levalo
a un final absurdo.
Así que inventei un plan.
04:50
I had to take it
to a ridiculous conclusion.
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Dixen "Solomon, estou
preocupado pola seguridade.
04:52
So I concocted a plan.
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04:53
I said, "Solomon,
I'm concerned about security.
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Cando intercambiemos correos,
04:55
When we email each other,
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04:56
we need to use a code."
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temos que usar un código."
05:00
And he agreed.
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E el estivo de acordo.
05:01
(Laughter)
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(Risos)
05:03
I said, "Solomon, I spent all night
coming up with this code
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Dixen "Solomon, pasei a noite
elaborando este código,
05:06
we need to use
in all further correspondence:
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temos que usalo
en toda a correspondencia:
05:08
Lawyer: Gummy Bear.
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Avogado: osiño de goma.
05:13
Bank: Cream Egg.
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Banco: ovo de chocolate.
05:16
Legal: Fizzy Cola Bottle.
Claim: Peanut M&Ms.
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Legal: botella de cola efervescente.
Concesión: M&M de cacahuete.
05:18
Documents: Jelly Beans.
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Documentos: caramelos de froitas.
Western Union: lagarto
xigante de goma."
05:20
Western Union: A Giant Gummy Lizard."
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05:22
(Laughter)
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(Risos)
05:24
I knew these were all words
they use, right?
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Eu sabía que estas son
palabras que se usan, non?
05:26
I said, "Please call me Kitkat
in all further correspondence."
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Dixen "Por favor, chámame Kitkat
en toda a nosa correspondencia."
05:30
(Laughter)
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(Risos)
05:36
I didn't hear back.
I thought, I've gone too far.
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Non recibín resposta.
Pensei: fun demasiado lonxe.
05:38
I've gone too far.
So I had to backpedal a little.
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Fun demasiado lonxe.
Así que tiven que recuar un pouco.
05:40
I said, "Solomon, Is the deal still on?
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Dixen "Solomon, o trato
aínda está en pé?
05:44
KitKat."
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Kitkat."
05:45
(Laughter)
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(Risos)
05:46
Because you have to be consistent.
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Porque hai que ser coherente.
05:51
Then I did get an email back from him.
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Entón chegoume un correo del.
05:53
He said, "The Business is on
and I am trying to blah blah blah ..."
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Dixo "O negocio está en marcha
e estou intentando bla, bla, bla..."
Dixen "Tío, tes que usar o código!"
05:56
I said, "Dude, you have to use the code!"
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06:01
What followed is the greatest email
I've ever received.
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O seguinte foi o mellor correo
que xamais recibín.
06:04
(Laughter)
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(Risos)
06:07
I'm not joking, this is what
turned up in my inbox.
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Non estou de broma, isto é o que
apareceu na miña caixa de entrada.
06:10
This was a good day.
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Foi un bo día.
06:13
"The business is on.
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"O negocio está en marcha.
06:16
I am trying to raise the balance
for the Gummy Bear --
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Estou intentando subir a balanza
para o osiño de goma
06:18
(Laughter)
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(Risos)
06:23
so he can submit all the needed
Fizzy Cola Bottle Jelly Beans
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para que el poida enviar todas as
botellas de cola efervescente e caramelos de froita
06:26
to the Creme Egg,
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ao ovo de chocolate
06:29
for the Peanut M&Ms process to start.
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para que o proceso M&M
de cacahuete comece.
06:32
(Laughter)
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(Risos)
06:33
Send 1,500 pounds
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Envía 1.500 libras
06:36
via a Giant Gummy Lizard."
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a través dun lagarto xigante de goma."
06:38
(Applause)
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(Aplauso)
06:49
And that was so much fun, right,
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E iso foi tan divertido
06:51
that it got me thinking:
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que me fixo pensar:
06:53
like, what would happen if I just spent
as much time as could
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que ocorrería se eu gastase
o maior tempo posible
06:56
replying to as many
scam emails as I could?
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contestando tantos
correos lixo como puider?
07:00
And that's what I've been doing
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E iso é o que estiven facendo
07:03
for three years
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durante tres anos
07:05
on your behalf.
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no voso beneficio.
07:06
(Laughter)
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(Risos)
07:08
(Applause)
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(Aplauso)
07:12
Crazy stuff happens when you start
replying to scam emails.
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Pasan cousas tolas cando comezas
a contestar correos fraudulentos.
07:14
It's really difficult,
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É moi difícil,
07:16
and I highly recommend we do it.
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e eu recomendo moito que o fagamos.
07:17
I don't think what I'm doing is mean.
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Non creo que o que fago sexa malo.
07:19
There are a lot of people
who do mean things to scammers.
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Hai moita xente que lles fai
cousas malas aos estafadores.
07:22
All I'm doing is wasting their time.
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Todo o que eu fago é facerlles
perder o tempo.
07:26
And I think any time
they're spending with me
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E penso que todo o tempo
que perdan comigo
07:29
is time they're not spending
scamming vulnerable adults
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é tempo que non gastan
estafando adultos vulnerables
07:31
out of their savings, right?
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1373
para deixalos sen aforros, non?
07:33
And if you're going to do this --
and I highly recommend you do --
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E se ti vas facer isto,
e eu recoméndoo moito,
07:37
get yourself a pseudonymous email address.
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consigue un enderezo de correo
cun pseudónimo.
07:39
Don't use your own email address.
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Non uses o teu propio
enderezo de correo.
07:40
That's what I was doing at the start
and it was a nightmare.
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Iso é o que eu fixen ao comezo
e foi un pesadelo.
Espertaba pola mañá e
tiña miles de correos
07:43
I'd wake up in the morning
and have a thousand emails
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sobre alongamentos de pene,
07:46
about penis enlargements,
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só un deles era unha resposta lexítima
07:47
only one of which
was a legitimate response --
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07:49
(Laughter)
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(Risos)
a unha pregunta médica que eu tiña.
07:51
to a medical question I had.
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07:53
But I'll tell you what, though, guys,
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Pero teño que dicirvos, xente,
07:55
I'll tell you what: any day is a good day,
any day is a good day
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teño que dicirvos que calquera día é
un bo día, calquera día é un bo día
07:58
if you receive an email
that begins like this:
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se recibides un correo
que comeza así:
08:01
(Laughter)
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2814
(Risos)
08:04
"I AM WINNIE MANDELA,
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1793
"SON WINNIE MANDELA,
08:07
THE SECOND WIFE OF NELSON MANDELA
THE FORMER SOUTH AFRICAN PRESIDENT."
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3294
A SEGUNDA ESPOSA DE NELSON MANDELA
O EX PRESIDENTE DE ÁFRICA DO SUR."
08:10
I was like, oh! -- that Winnie Mandela.
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E eu, oh! Esa Winnie Mandela.
08:12
(Laughter)
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480339
1081
(Risos)
08:13
I know so many.
179
481444
1150
Coñezo tantas.
08:15
"I NEED TO TRANSFER 45 MILLION DOLLARS
OUT OF THE COUNTRY
180
483546
3056
"PRECISO TRANSFERIR 45 MILLÓNS
DE DÓLARES FÓRA DO PAÍS
08:18
BECAUSE OF MY HUSBAND
NELSON MANDELA'S HEALTH CONDITION."
181
486626
2770
A CAUSA DO ESTADO DE SAÚDE
DO MEU MARIDO, NELSON MANDELA."
08:21
Let that sink in.
182
489420
1159
Pensade nisto.
08:23
She sent me this, which is hysterical.
183
491864
2640
Ela mandoume isto, que é graciosísimo.
08:26
(Laughter)
184
494528
2947
(Risos)
08:29
And this.
185
497499
1159
E isto.
08:30
And this looks fairly legitimate,
this is a letter of authorization.
186
498682
3199
E isto parece bastante lexítimo,
é unha carta de autorización.
08:33
But to be honest, if there's nothing
written on it, it's just a shape!
187
501905
3389
pero para ser sincero, se non hai nada
escrito, é só unha forma!
08:37
(Laughter)
188
505318
1853
(Risos)
08:39
I said, "Winnie,
I'm really sorry to hear of this.
189
507651
2342
Dixen "Winnie, sinto moito oír isto
08:42
Given that Nelson died three months ago,
190
510017
1993
dado que Nelson morreu hai tres meses.
Eu diría que o seu estado de saúde
é bastante serio."
08:44
I'd describe his health condition
as fairly serious."
191
512034
2586
08:46
(Laughter)
192
514644
2814
(Risos)
08:49
That's the worst health condition
you can have, not being alive.
193
517482
3519
Ese é o peor estado de saúde que
podes ter, non estar vivo.
08:55
She said, "KINDLY COMPLY
WITH MY BANKERS INSTRUCTIONS.
194
523373
2771
Ela dixo "POR FAVOR CUMPRA COAS
INSTRUCIÓNS DO MEU BANQUEIRO.
08:58
ONE LOVE."
195
526168
1158
UN AMOR."
08:59
(Laughter)
196
527350
1952
(Risos)
09:02
I said, "Of course. NO WOMAN, NO CRY."
197
530325
1818
Eu dixen "Claro. NON, MULLER,
NON CHORES."
09:04
(Laughter)
198
532167
3504
(Risos)
09:07
(Applause)
199
535695
3496
(Aplausos)
09:12
She said, "MY BANKER WILL NEED
TRANSFER OF 3000 DOLLARS. ONE LOVE."
200
540701
3151
Ela dixo "O MEU BANQUEIRO PRECISARÁ
UNHA TRANSFERENCIA DE 3000
DÓLARES. UN AMOR."
09:15
(Laughter)
201
543876
2134
(Risos)
09:20
I said, "no problemo.
202
548010
1969
Dixen "Non hai problema.
09:24
I SHOT THE SHERIFF."
203
552422
1271
DISPAREILLE AO SHERIF."
09:29
[ (BUT I DID NOT SHOOT THE DEPUTY) ]
204
557813
1880
[(MAIS NON AO AXUDANTE)]
09:31
(Laughter)
205
559717
1025
(Risos)
09:32
Thank you.
206
560766
1152
Grazas
09:33
(Applause)
207
561942
13263
(Aplausos)
Translated by Carme Paz
Reviewed by Borja Rey Seoane

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ABOUT THE SPEAKER
James Veitch - Comedian and writer
For James Veitch, a British writer and comedian with a mischievous side, spam emails proved the perfect opening to have some fun, playing the scammers at their own game.

Why you should listen

Packed full of Nigerian princes, can't miss investment opportunities and eligible Russian brides, James Veitch's correspondence with email spammers leads to surprising, bizarre and usually hilarious results. Out of this experiment came his first book, Dot Con. In 2014, his first solo comedy show The Fundamental Interconnectedness of Everyone with an Internet Connection, premiered at the Edinburgh Fringe to wide acclaim. His second show, Genius Bar, focussed on his time working for Apple, chronicles his attempts to fix his relationship using the same troubleshooting techniques he’d been using to fix iMacs, iPhones and iPods. He is currently writing his third show and preparing to tour the UK. 

He lives in London with his full body pillow.

More profile about the speaker
James Veitch | Speaker | TED.com