Hedgehog Readers, Beware the Newest Version of the "Nigerian 419" E-Mail Scam!

Law enforcement warns about a new version of the old Nigerian 419 e-mail scam, which is now threatening American taxpayers. Here is the e-mail that is spreading across the internet:

Dear American:
I am need to ask you to supporting an urgent secret legal business relationship with a transfer of funds of great magnitude. I am Ministery of the Treasury of the Republic of America. My country has had crisis that has caused the need for large transfer of funds of 700 billion dollars US. If you would assisting me in this transfer, it would be most profitable to you. I am working with Mr. Phil Gramm, lobbyist for UBS, who will be my replacements as Ministry of the Treasury in January. As a Senator,you may know him as the leader of the American banking deregulation movement in the 1990s. This transaction is 100% safe. This is a matter of great urgency. We need a blank check. We need the funds as quickly as possible. We cannot directly transfer these funds in the names of our close friends because we are constantly under surveillances. My family lawyer advised me that I should look for reliable and trustworthy person who will act as a next of kin so the funds can be transferred. Please reply with all of your bank account, IRA and college fund account numbers and those of your children and grandchildren towallstreetbailout@treasury.gov so that we may transfer your commission for this transaction. After I have receive that information, I will responded with detailed informations about safeguards that will be used to protect the funds.
Yours Faithfully Ministery of Treasury Paulson

Don't be fooled! Eternal vigilance is the price of preserving your pocketbook, and even that probably wouldn't help.

[Hat tip, Jim Webster, who forwarded it from Betty Christopher, the apparent author.]