How gullible do they think we are?

Zadok the Roman was gratified to receive this morning a letter from Lawrence Taylor, brother of deposed Liberian president and all-round bad-egg Charles Taylor. Unsurprisingly, Mr Taylor has $15.7m salted away in a 'private security vault' and is in need of a foreign partner to help launder this money in exchange for a 20% cut. Now, I'm not naturally of a suspicious nature, but this unforseen invitation to participate in this most irregular scheme did cause me to wonder - could this possibly be one of those 'Nigerian e-mail scams'? Thankfully Mr Taylor, as a sign of good will, has recognised that I might doubt his word and so he puts my mind at rest:

We in no way comply to any messages that even slightly exude resemblance to the notoriety of the Nigerian letters of fraud that have fleeced so many unsuspecting good meaning people throughout the western world and elsewhere. Think of all the sufferings such fraudulent acts have brought upon thousands of people who now live lives of paupers! Know that all such attempts have now been branded and spammed internationally so that such kinds of letters are forwarded to a police centre to be kept on file for immediateinvestigation (sic) by Interpol no less. You have been braded by our site also.Best way is lead an honest way of life from now on! Invested in your country under your close supervision and direction, 20% for your efforts and the balance 5% would be for all unforeseen incidental expenses that would be incurred in pursuit of this transaction to a successful conclusion.

Now isn't that reassuring! How could one not trust such a frank explaination?