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

Filmed:
55,851,315 views

Suspicious emails: unclaimed insurance bonds, diamond-encrusted safe deposit boxes, close friends marooned in a foreign country. They pop up in our inboxes, and standard procedure is to delete on sight. But what happens when you reply? Follow along as writer and comedian James Veitch narrates a hilarious, weeks-long exchange with a spammer who offered to cut him in on a hot deal.
- 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.

Il y a quelques années,
00:12
A few years ago,
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00:13
I got one of those spam emails.
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j'ai reçu un de ces pourriels.
Il est étrangement parvenu à se faufiler
00:17
And it managed
to get through my spam filter.
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dans ma boîte de réception
00:19
I'm not quite sure how,
but it turned up in my inbox,
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sans se faire intercepter par
mon filtre à pourriel.
00:22
and it was from a guy
called Solomon Odonkoh.
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Le courriel était d'un certain
Solomon Odonkoh.
00:24
(Laughter)
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(Rires)
00:26
I know.
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Ouais.
00:27
(Laughter)
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(Rires)
00:28
It went like this:
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Voici ce qu'il disait:
00:29
it said, "Hello James Veitch,
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« Bonjour James Veitch,
00:31
I have an interesting business proposal
I want to share with you, Solomon."
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J'ai une proposition d'affaires pour vous.
Solomon. »
Et bien sûr, ma main avait envie
d'appuyer sur supprimer.
00:36
Now, my hand was kind of hovering
on the delete button, right?
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Je me disais que je pourrais
simplement le supprimer.
00:39
I was looking at my phone.
I thought, I could just delete this.
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Ou que je pourrais faire ce qu'on
a tous eu envie de faire.
00:42
Or I could do what I think
we've all always wanted to do.
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00:46
(Laughter)
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(Rires)
J'ai répondu:
« Solomon, votre message m'intrigue. »
00:50
And I said, "Solomon,
Your email intrigues me."
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00:52
(Laughter)
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(Rires)
00:55
(Applause)
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(Applaudissements)
01:00
And the game was afoot.
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Et c'est ainsi que la partie a commencée.
01:05
He said, "Dear James Veitch,
We shall be shipping Gold to you."
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Il dit: «Cher James Veitch,
nous allons vous expédier de l'or.»
01:08
(Laughter)
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(Rires)
01:10
"You will earn 10%
of any gold you distributes."
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« Vous récolterez 10% de l'or
que vous distriburez. »
01:13
(Laughter)
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(Rires)
Et là je savais que
01:15
So I knew I was dealing
with a professional.
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je faisais affaire à un professionnel.
01:17
(Laughter)
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(Rires)
01:22
I said, "How much is it worth?"
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J'ai dis: « Combien ça vaut? »
Il a dit: «Nous commencerons
par une petite quantité...»
01:25
He said, "We will start
with smaller quantity," --
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01:27
I was like, aww --
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Je me disais, aww...
01:28
and then he said, "of 25 kgs.
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et il ajouta: «...de 25 Kg.
01:31
(Laughter)
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(Rires)
La valeur est de plus ou moins
2,5 millions de dollars.»
01:34
The worth should be about $2.5 million."
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J'ai dit: « Solomon, si nous nous lançons,
n'allons-y pas de main morte.
01:39
I said, "Solomon, if we're
going to do it, let's go big.
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01:42
(Applause)
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(Applaudissements)
01:50
I can handle it.
How much gold do you have?"
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Je suis capable de gérer.
Combien d'or as-tu en tout?»
01:54
(Laughter)
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(Rires)
Il a dit: «Peu importe la quantité,
01:57
He said, "It is not a matter
of how much gold I have,
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l'important c'est que vous soyez
capable de gérer.
02:00
what matters is
your capability of handling.
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Commençons avec un échantillon de 50kg. »
02:02
We can start with 50 kgs
as trial shipment."
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02:04
I said, "50 kgs?
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J'ai dit: «50 Kg!?
02:06
There's no point doing this at all
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Ça ne vaut pas la peine
de partir en affaires
02:08
unless you're shipping
at least a metric ton."
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à moins d'expédier
au moins une tonne! »
02:10
(Laughter)
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(Rires)
02:11
(Applause)
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(Applaudissements)
Il répondit: « Que faites-vous
dans la vie? »
02:15
He said, "What do you do for a living?"
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02:17
(Laughter)
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(Rires)
02:20
I said, "I'm a hedge fund
executive bank manager."
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J'ai dit: «Je suis Directeur exécutif de
banque en gestion de fonds de couverture.»
02:22
(Laughter)
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(Rires)
Crois-moi, mon ami,
02:27
This isn't the first time
I've shipped bullion, my friend,
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ce n'est pas mon premier rodéo.
02:29
no no no.
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Là, j'ai paniqué un peu.
02:32
Then I started to panic.
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J'ai demandé: « Où êtes-vous situé?
02:34
I was like, "Where are you based?"
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Je ne sais pas ce que vous en pensez,
02:35
I don't know about you,
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02:37
but I think if we're going
via the postal service,
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mais si nous sommes pour
utiliser les services postaux,
02:39
it ought to be signed for.
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mieux vaut s'assurer.
02:40
That's a lot of gold."
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Ça fait beaucoup d'or»
Il dit « Ça ne sera pas facile
de convaincre
02:42
He said, "It will not be easy
to convince my company
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mes partenaires d'expédier
en plus grande quantité. »
02:45
to do larger quantity shipment."
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02:46
I said, "Solomon, I'm completely
with you on this one.
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J'ai dit: « Je suis totalement d'accord.
02:49
I'm putting together a visual for you
to take into the board meeting.
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Je vais préparer un tableau représentatif
que vous pourrez présenter
à votre prochaine réunion du conseil.
02:52
Hold tight."
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02:54
(Laughter)
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(Rires)
Regardez ce que je lui ai envoyé.
03:01
This is what I sent Solomon.
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03:03
(Laughter)
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(Rires)
03:05
(Applause)
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(Applaudissements)
J'ignore s'il y a des statisticiens
ici dans la salle,
03:11
I don't know if we have
any statisticians in the house,
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03:14
but there's definitely something going on.
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mais nous tenons définitivement
quelque chose ici.
03:16
(Laughter)
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(Rires)
03:19
I said, "Solomon, attached to this email
you'll find a helpful chart.
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J'ai dit: « Solomon, vous trouverez
ci-joint un diagramme représentatif.
J'ai demandé à un de mes assistants
de faire les calculs.
03:23
I've had one of my assistants
run the numbers.
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03:25
(Laughter)
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(Rires)
Nous sommes prêts à expédier
autant de marchandise que possible. »
03:27
We're ready for shipping
as much gold as possible."
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Il y a toujours ce moment
où ils tentent de toucher
03:30
There's always a moment where they try
to tug your heartstrings,
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vos cordes sensibles, comme Solomon ici:
03:33
and this was it for Solomon.
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« Je serais si ravi que tout
se passe bien car j'aurai aussi
03:34
He said, "I will be so much happy
if the deal goes well,
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03:37
because I'm going to get
a very good commission as well."
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une très bonne commission »
J'ai dit: « C'est fabuleux! Où allez-vous
investir votre part? »
03:40
And I said, "That's amazing,
What are you going to spend your cut on?"
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Il dit: « Dans l'immobilier, et vous? »
03:43
And he said, "On RealEstate,
what about you?"
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03:46
I thought about it for a long time.
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J'y ai songé longtemps.
03:50
And I said, "One word;
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Et j'ai dit: « Un mot:
Hummus. »
03:53
Hummus."
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03:54
(Laughter)
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(Rires)
« L'hummus sera bientôt partout.
04:00
"It's going places.
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04:01
(Laughter)
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(Rires)
J'étais à l'épicerie l'autre jour et
04:03
I was in Sainsbury's the other day
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04:05
and there were like
30 different varieties.
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j'en ai vu une trentaine de variétés!
04:07
Also you can cut up carrots,
and you can dip them.
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On peut même y tremper nos carottes!
04:10
Have you ever done that, Solomon?"
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Avez-vous déjà fais ça, Solomon? »
04:11
(Laughter)
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(Rires)
Il a dit:
« Bon je crois que je vais aller dormir. »
04:14
He said, "I have to go bed now."
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04:16
(Laughter)
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(Rires)
(Applaudissements)
04:18
(Applause)
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« À demain.
04:21
"Till morrow.
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Faites de beaux rêves. »
04:24
Have sweet dream."
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Je ne savais pas quoi dire!
04:25
I didn't know what to say!
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04:27
I said, "Bonsoir
my golden nugget, bonsoir."
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J'ai dit:
«Bonsoir petite croquette en or, bonsoir!»
04:30
(Laughter)
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(Rires)
Vous devez comprendre que
ça durait depuis des semaines.
04:33
Guys, you have to understand,
this had been going for, like, weeks,
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Oui, les plus belles de ma vie,
mais je devais y mettre fin.
04:36
albeit hitherto the greatest
weeks of my life,
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C'était rendu hors de contrôle.
04:38
but I had to knock it on the head.
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Mes amis m'appellaient
pour m'inviter à sortir
04:40
It was getting a bit out of hand.
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04:41
Friends were saying, "James,
do you want to come for a drink?"
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et je leur disais:
« Nah, je ne peux pas, j'attend
un courriel concernant de l'or»
04:44
I was like, "I can't, I'm expecting
an email about some gold."
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Alors je me suis dit que
je devais y mettre fin,
04:47
So I figured I had
to knock it on the head.
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de manière ridicule.
J'ai donc concocté un plan.
04:50
I had to take it
to a ridiculous conclusion.
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J'ai dit: « Solomon, la sécurité
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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de nos conversations me préoccupe.
Dorénavant, utilisons des codes
lors de nos échanges.
04:55
When we email each other,
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04:56
we need to use a code."
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Il accepta.
05:00
And he agreed.
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(Rires)
05:01
(Laughter)
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J'ai dit:
« Solomon, j'ai passé toute la nuit à
05:03
I said, "Solomon, I spent all night
coming up with this code
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inventer ces codes. Nous devrons
les utiliser dorénavent.
05:06
we need to use
in all further correspondence:
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05:08
Lawyer: Gummy Bear.
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Avocat: sucre d'orge
Banque: réglisse rouge
Légal: fugde
05:13
Bank: Cream Egg.
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05:16
Legal: Fizzy Cola Bottle.
Claim: Peanut M&Ms.
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Déclaration: cigarette Popeye
05:18
Documents: Jelly Beans.
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Documents: Jelly Beans.
05:20
Western Union: A Giant Gummy Lizard."
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Western Union: HubbaBubba
05:22
(Laughter)
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(Rires)
05:24
I knew these were all words
they use, right?
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Je savais qu'il connaissait ces mots.
J'ai dit: « Désormais,
vous m'appelerez KitKat. »
05:26
I said, "Please call me Kitkat
in all further correspondence."
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05:30
(Laughter)
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(Rires)
Il n'a pas répondu.
Je n'ai pas eu des ses nouvelles,
je croyais que j'avais exagéré.
05:36
I didn't hear back.
I thought, I've gone too far.
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05:38
I've gone too far.
So I had to backpedal a little.
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Donc j'ai du revenir sur mes pas
et j'ai dit:
05:40
I said, "Solomon, Is the deal still on?
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« Écoutes, Solomon,
sommes-nous toujours en affaires?
05:44
KitKat."
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- KitKat. »
05:45
(Laughter)
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(Rires)
05:46
Because you have to be consistent.
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Parce qu'il faut bien être constant.
J'ai alors reçu sa réponse disant:
05:51
Then I did get an email back from him.
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« Oui, j'essaie de blablabla.. »
05:53
He said, "The Business is on
and I am trying to blah blah blah ..."
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« J'ai dis... »
« Mec! Utilises notre code! »
05:56
I said, "Dude, you have to use the code!"
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S'en est suivi le courriel
le plus drôle au monde.
06:01
What followed is the greatest email
I've ever received.
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06:04
(Laughter)
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(Rires)
06:07
I'm not joking, this is what
turned up in my inbox.
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Ce n'est pas une blague,
voici ce que j'ai reçu.
C'était une belle journée.
06:10
This was a good day.
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« Nous sommes en affaires. Il ne me reste
qu'à balancer le budget
06:13
"The business is on.
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06:16
I am trying to raise the balance
for the Gummy Bear --
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pour le sucre d'orge,
06:18
(Laughter)
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(Rires)
pour qu'il puisse soumettre
06:23
so he can submit all the needed
Fizzy Cola Bottle Jelly Beans
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les Jelly Beans Fudge
06:26
to the Creme Egg,
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à la réglisse rouge,
afin de soumettre les cigarettes Popeye.
06:29
for the Peanut M&Ms process to start.
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06:32
(Laughter)
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(Rires)
06:33
Send 1,500 pounds
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Envoyez-moi 1500$
06:36
via a Giant Gummy Lizard."
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via HubbaBubba.
06:38
(Applause)
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(Applaudissement)
06:49
And that was so much fun, right,
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C'était si amusant n'est-ce pas?
06:51
that it got me thinking:
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Je me suis mis à me demandé
ce qu'il arriverait si je passais
06:53
like, what would happen if I just spent
as much time as could
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le plus clair de mon temps
à répondre à autant de pourriels
06:56
replying to as many
scam emails as I could?
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de la sorte que possible.
07:00
And that's what I've been doing
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Et c'est ce que j'ai fais
lors des trois dernières années
07:03
for three years
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07:05
on your behalf.
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à votre place.
07:06
(Laughter)
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(Rires)
(Applaudissements)
07:08
(Applause)
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07:12
Crazy stuff happens when you start
replying to scam emails.
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Il se passe des trucs de fous quand
on se met à répondre à ces pourriels.
Ce n'est pas évident
07:14
It's really difficult,
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07:16
and I highly recommend we do it.
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et je le suggère fortement.
Je ne crois pas que ce soit méchant.
07:17
I don't think what I'm doing is mean.
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07:19
There are a lot of people
who do mean things to scammers.
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Beaucoup de gens font des méchancetés
aux fraudeurs.
07:22
All I'm doing is wasting their time.
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Je ne fais que les amener à
perdre leur temps. Le temps passé
avec moi est du temps qu'ils auraient
07:26
And I think any time
they're spending with me
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autrement passés à voler les économies
07:29
is time they're not spending
scamming vulnerable adults
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des gens vulnérables aux fraudes.
07:31
out of their savings, right?
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07:33
And if you're going to do this --
and I highly recommend you do --
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Si vous faites comme moi,
ce que je recommande fortement,
vous devriez utiliser une
fausse adresse email.
07:37
get yourself a pseudonymous email address.
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07:39
Don't use your own email address.
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N'utilisez pas la vôtre.
C'est ce que je faisais,
07:40
That's what I was doing at the start
and it was a nightmare.
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et c'est devenu un cauchemar.
Je me réveillais avec mille messages
07:43
I'd wake up in the morning
and have a thousand emails
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d'agrandissements de pénis,
07:46
about penis enlargements,
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et il n'y en avait qu'un de réel...
07:47
only one of which
was a legitimate response --
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(Rires)
07:49
(Laughter)
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par rapport à une question médicale
que j'avais.
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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Mais je vous jure, je vous jure
que n'importe quelle journée
07:55
I'll tell you what: any day is a good day,
any day is a good day
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s'annonce belle si vous recevez
07:58
if you receive an email
that begins like this:
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un email qui commence ainsi:
08:01
(Laughter)
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(Rires)
« JE SUIS WINNIE MALDELA,
08:04
"I AM WINNIE MANDELA,
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LA DEUXIÈME ÉPOUSE DE
NELSON MANDELA
08:07
THE SECOND WIFE OF NELSON MANDELA
THE FORMER SOUTH AFRICAN PRESIDENT."
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L'ANCIEN PRÉSIDENT DE L'AFRIQUE DU SUD. »
08:10
I was like, oh! -- that Winnie Mandela.
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Oh! cette Winnie Mandela!
08:12
(Laughter)
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(Rires)
08:13
I know so many.
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Il y en a tellement.
08:15
"I NEED TO TRANSFER 45 MILLION DOLLARS
OUT OF THE COUNTRY
180
483546
3056
« J'AI BESOIN DE TRANSFÉRER
45 MILLIONS DE DOLLARS EN
DEHORS DU PAYS CAR MON MARI EST EN
TRÈS MAUVAISE SANTÉ. »
08:18
BECAUSE OF MY HUSBAND
NELSON MANDELA'S HEALTH CONDITION."
181
486626
2770
Songez-y un peu.
08:21
Let that sink in.
182
489420
1159
08:23
She sent me this, which is hysterical.
183
491864
2640
Elle m'a aussi envoyé ça, c'est hilarant.
(Rires)
08:26
(Laughter)
184
494528
2947
08:29
And this.
185
497499
1159
Et ça.
Ça a presque l'air légitime,
08:30
And this looks fairly legitimate,
this is a letter of authorization.
186
498682
3199
c'est sa lettre d'authorisation.
Mais il n'y a rien écrit dessus...
08:33
But to be honest, if there's nothing
written on it, it's just a shape!
187
501905
3389
Ce n'est qu'une forme !
(Rires)
08:37
(Laughter)
188
505318
1853
J'ai répondu:
« Winnie, c'est une terrible nouvelle,
08:39
I said, "Winnie,
I'm really sorry to hear of this.
189
507651
2342
puisque que Nelson est décédé
il y a trois mois,
08:42
Given that Nelson died three months ago,
190
510017
1993
j'imagine qu'il est
dans un état assez sévère.
08:44
I'd describe his health condition
as fairly serious."
191
512034
2586
(Rires)
08:46
(Laughter)
192
514644
2814
Je ne pourrais imaginer pire condition.
08:49
That's the worst health condition
you can have, not being alive.
193
517482
3519
Elle dit: « VEUILLEZ SUIVRE
08:55
She said, "KINDLY COMPLY
WITH MY BANKERS INSTRUCTIONS.
194
523373
2771
LES INSTRUCTIONS DE MON BANQUIER.
ONE LOVE. »
08:58
ONE LOVE."
195
526168
1158
(Rires)
08:59
(Laughter)
196
527350
1952
J'ai dit: « Certainement.
NO WOMAN, NO CRY. »
09:02
I said, "Of course. NO WOMAN, NO CRY."
197
530325
1818
09:04
(Laughter)
198
532167
3504
(Rires)
(Applaudissements)
09:07
(Applause)
199
535695
3496
Elle dit: « VOUS DEVREZ
TRANSFÉRER 3000$
09:12
She said, "MY BANKER WILL NEED
TRANSFER OF 3000 DOLLARS. ONE LOVE."
200
540701
3151
À MON BANQUIER. ONE LOVE. »
(Rires)
09:15
(Laughter)
201
543876
2134
09:20
I said, "no problemo.
202
548010
1969
J'ai dit: « No problemo.
I SHOT THE SHERIFF. »
09:24
I SHOT THE SHERIFF."
203
552422
1271
(MAIS JE N'AI PAS TUÉ LE DÉPUTÉ.)
09:29
[ (BUT I DID NOT SHOOT THE DEPUTY) ]
204
557813
1880
(Rires)
09:31
(Laughter)
205
559717
1025
09:32
Thank you.
206
560766
1152
09:33
(Applause)
207
561942
13263
Merci.
Translated by Valérie Meunier
Reviewed by antonin valladeau

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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

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