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6) I also keep reporting the scammers who put their Yahoo Address but Collarme NEVER deletes them for this violation of the posting rules. So part of this mess is CM approving posts with yahoo addresses in them AND not deleting them even after they are notified.

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Date: Tue, 01 Oct 2002 08:58:12 -0400 (EST)
Subject: Re: Response
To: "DR DAVID EHIZOJIE"
Dr. Ehizojie,

Thank you for trusting me and giving me the opportunity to assist you with this business deal. I apologize if my reply to you is somewhat long winded, but in the spirit of trust I feel it is only fair that you know something about me and my motivations. Please bear with me.

You have asked for my phone and fax number, and say that internet discussions are not secure. In my case that probably isn't true. My fax number is 1-253-xxx-xxxx. [My efax.com number] Incoming faxes are encrypted and routed to my email. I have an answering service that I use for receiving telephone messages: 1-877-864-2700, extension xxx [My ureach.com number]. My email, of course, is [email protected], which I access securely. Currently, I'm traveling doing research, and don't have a fixed telephone number. I don't own a cell phone, and usually find myself in a different hotel or friend's house each night. Phone calls are therefore not secure for me. Thus, for next few weeks I have no fixed phone number, and you would do best to direct phone calls to my answering service. My address is:

Randolph Carter
137 Armitage Ave.
Arkham, MA 01972

Dr. Ehizojie, I work as an anthropological researcher with Miskatonic University, in Arkham. Recently, in the course of researching the belief systems of some obscure Polynesian cultures, I came across some fragmentary references to a god "Cthulhu." After more research, I found scattered references to Cthulhu in Egyptian, Mongolian, and several African cultures. I would ask you, since you are from Nigeria, if you're familiar with the name Cthulhu, possibly pronounced something like "Kloo-loo." If you are, I would appreciate it if you could send me any information.

My research eventually led me to a book held in the Miskatonic University library. "The Necronomicon" is a very old book, held in our rare books collection. It's locked in its very own cabinet, and the librarian is loathe to lend the key to anyone. Only my position as university researcher allowed me to convince him to let me peruse this tome. It's written in vulgar Latin, a translation of a more ancient Arabic book. The book contained several references to Cthulhu--in particular, in the odd couplet: "That is not dead which can eternal lie/And with strange aeons even death may die." The mythos described in the book implies that long ago, Cthulhu was banished--or thought killed--to the underwater city R'lyeh, where he lies dreaming, awaiting followers to summon him again to our world. The book also mentioned a peculiar chant, rendered into our alphabet as "Cthulhu fhtagn R'lyeh," used by his followers.

At this point, I had exhausted every reference at my disposal. But two weeks ago, I happened to travel to Innsmouth, MA, to do some research in the library there. There's a church there that seems to be an offshoot of some brand of Episcopalianism, called "The Order of Dagon." As I passed by, I heard from inside the church the selfsame chant I mentioned above. I waited outside for services to end, so that I could speak with some of the parishoners. Unfortunately, the few worshippers seem to have emerged from the back of the church. I tried to speak to the priest, but he was reticent to speak, claiming an engagement elsewhere. He locked up the church and shambled off to his car and sped away from the church. His appearance was odd--his eyebrows were nearly noexistant, and his eyes seemed oddly prodtruding and unblinking. Although not an old man, the skin about his neck was peculiarly wrinkled. He spoke with the trace of an accent I couldn't quite identify. Definitely a foreigner, but I couldn't quite identify his origin.

After this discovery, I began researching churches throughout this country, and found several others with names similar to "The Grand Mystic Order of Dagon." Apart from the names, I have found very little other information about them. Besides the one in Innsmouth I visited one in Kingsport and one in Norfolk, VA. I'm currently in Louisiana doing some research here on the Cthulhu or Dagon cult.

I think I've uncovered something quite interesting: a religion that appears to be active in today's society, but manages to slip almost wholly under the radar. My assisstant, Mr. Ward, is currently at work following up some leads with the "Church of Starry Wisdom" in Alexandria, VA. I think this is an incredible opportunity to study seldom seen belief modalities, and could result in my gaining tenure at Miskatonic University.

Unfortunately, Dr. Udo, the department chair, has tried to discourage me from this line of research. He has refused all department funding, and has tried to convince me to work on more traditional subjects. Thus, I have had to pay for travel for both myself and Mr. Ward out of my own pocket. I am currently on leave from the University and receiving no salary.

Thus, your kind offer of inclusion in this business deal could not come at a more fortuitous time. With the money I stand to receive, carrying my research forward should be no problem.

I hope you can see by my letter that I am an honest, motivated individual. Research is what drives me; not baser motives of greed. I have a small savings--about $30,000--that I am using for my research, a portion of which I would be willing to invest in this opportunity. If necessary, I'm willing to travel to Nigeria. I've never been there before, although as a graduate student I spent some time in Uganda and Rwanda.

Please excuse my long digression, but I feel it is important if we are to establish a measure of trust that you understand what an earnest individual I am, and what resources I have at my disposal. I promise you that future emails from me will be kept shorter and to the point.

What more do you require of me to move forward with this venture?

Thank you most sincerely for your time,
Randolph Carter