What is mystery google and how do you use it?

The Mystery of the Folding Chair

• Email mystery: I run a theatre company called Folding Chair Classical Theatre. The company's email address is the first two words of its name, an at sign, and gmail dot com. For the last several years, I've been getting emails (maybe four a year) from people trying to order folding chairs. The wording of these emails is all very similar to each other, which makes me wonder if this is some kind of scam. But if so, what's the angle? I'm not worried about being scammed. It's just a puzzle that has been nagging at me for a long time. Here's some more info: every email is from some person with a very American sounding name: Jack Smith, Bob White, etc. And every single one includes a variation of the same sentence about credit cards. I do realize that if someone wants to order chairs, payment is a pretty natural thing to bring up. But the similarity of these emails is still kind of odd. I've replied to some of these folks, asking where they got my email address, and inevitably I get a one-word reply "google.com." The fact that they all reply EXACTLY that way is also odd. (When I ask for more information, like "What search terms did you use?" I don't hear back. I have tried being upfront -- "We're a theatre company. We don't sell chairs." -- and less informative. In either case, I don't hear back.) Despite the company name, my googlings have produced nothing that suggests we sell chairs. I have googled both the company and the email address. The links are all either to the company site, which is full of theatre stuff or to reviews of our shows. The one exception is a link to some kind of reverse-lookup service (you can see it if you look up the email address). The emails are all from normal looking addresses, like bobwhite at yahoo and edsmith2010 at gmail (I made those two up, but they're typical of the pattern). Here are some examples, each unique enough to seem like just random people and alike enough to puzzle me that maybe they're not random: 4/5/12 Hello Good Day, This is Martin XXXXX With regards to your Company i am sending this email Regards to order some (Folding Chairs) I will like to know the type and sizes you have in stock and get me the sales price of one so that i will tell you the quantity i will be ordering, and if you accept credit card as a form of payment. hope to read from you soon about my order request...... With Kind Regards. Martin XXXX ---- 10/24/11 My name is John XXXXX ..and this order is an individual order. and i like to make a purchase of a (Folding Chair) and i will be more happy if you can email me with the types and Prices that you have for sale as well........Please let me know if you do accept credit card as a form of payment, and that will be pick up at your location ....Hope to read back from you soon.. Kind Regards John XXXX ---- 8/24/11 Hello, How are you doing? Am Nick XXXX, I will like to Place an order for Folding tables and Chairs, Please Advise the types and cost you carry, Also advise the types of credit cards you accept for payment. Thank you, Nick. ---- 4/5/11 Customer Service My name is Phil XXXX And I would like to order some folding chairs so email me with the price Per chair and also advice whether you accept credit card as a method of payment Hope to hear from you. Thanks --- 11/15/10 Hello Sir/Madam, Greetings to you,well am Thomas XXXX and I am sending this order note in regards to purchase some Folding Chair, from your company. I will need your assistance of the models, sizes and price lists of the Folding Chair that you do have for sell. Actually I would like to know whether you accept credit card for payment.Hope to hear back from you soon. Thank You, Thomas XXXX. --- 1/11/10 Dear Sir/Madam My name is Terry XXXX and i will like to know wether u have Lightweight Black Folding Chair and also the brandstht u carry as well as the most cheapest instock.and if u do have this brand let me know the price Travel Chair 20.5in W x 21.0in D x 31.0in H . And also do u take credit card as payment as welll. I will be expecting a email from you. Thank you --- 1/22/09 Hello am Rendy I want to buy Triple Brace Steel Folding Chair which feartures are: High quality blow molded resin plastic folding chair Contoured seat and back for comfort Light weight for easy handling Stain resistant and perfect for easy setup and tear down So kindly tell me the quote of 100 pcs and I will make payment with my credit card information. Thank you. Rendy. --- 11/09/08 Hello Good Day This is Walker , With regards to your Company i am sending this email Regards to order some (folding chair) ,i will like to know the type and sizes you have in stock and get me the sales price of one so that i will tell you the quantity i will be ordering, and also if you accept credit card as a form of payment . God Bless . Walker. Walker XXXX,(Owner) XXXX And XXXX Ltd P.o. Box XXXX XXXX PA XXXX. --- 10/20/07 DEAR SIR / MADAM GOOD DAY...................AND HOW ARE YOU DOING? MY NAME IS STEVE XXXX AND I WILL LIKE TO KNOW IF YOU DO CARRY FOLDING CHAIR IN STOCK FOR SALE IF SO PLEASE EMAIL ME BACK WITH THE TYPE OF FOLDING CHAIRS YOU HAVE AND THE TOTAL COST OF EACH SO THAT I CAN ORDER SOME ALSO I WILL LIKE TO KNOW IF YOU DO ACCEPT CREDIT CARDS AS A FORM OF PAYMENT BECAUSE I WILL LIKE TO USE MY CREDIT CARD FOR THESE ORDER LOOKING FORWARD TO HEAR FROM YOU SOON WITH THE TYPE OF FOLDING CHAIRS YOU HAVE AND THE COST SO THAT WE CAN PROCEED WITH THE ORDER KIND REGARDS JACK XXXX ---

• Answer:

  The e-mails are coming from Nigeria or Ghana, trying to rope you in to an http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Advance-fee_fraud. If you (actually sold folding chairs and) fell for it, they would place a huge order and send you a phony check. I've seen a million of these.