A Damsel in distress

What a heart rending tale. I wonder who makes these up?

-------- Original Message --------
Subject: from bintou (15-Sep-2005 14:08)
From: bintou2000@yahoo.co.in
To: xxx@xxx.xxx

Dear Sir,
My name is Miss Bintou Shaban Samir i am from Sudan schooling in the University of Sudan as a Medical student but due to the death of my late Father Mahmoud Shaban Samir. I need your help, please kindly assist.me to rescure my late father's money in Islamic bank in Senegal west Africa. I went to senegal two times for this money since after the death of my parents, but could not be able to get the money transtered, according to the bank, that i should provide a capable account for transfering this money as i am NOT my late father. The worst part of it, that makes it to be urgent, is that one of the bankers informed me to get someone to assist me quickly transfer this money in his account other wise the bank official are planing to tamper the fund.
.My later father's name Shaban Samir Mahmoud, he died in an air crash on the 31st October 1999 in an Egyptian airline boeing 990 with other passengers on board. You can confirm this fact from the website which was aired by the BBCWORLDNEWS:<http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/americas/502503.stm>
Since his death, nothing is possible for me as the only daughter, my late mother divorce with my late father in 1996 and she later died in breast canser.
Sir, I am begging you to stand as next-of-kin to my late father as
indicated in the bank guide lines for this transfer. I now seek your permission in this regard.
so that the funds can be released and transfer to you, as all information are with me. The amount of the fund is (US$15,700,600.00) to be released in your favor as the beneficiary's next of kin, if not the members of the board of directors will utilise it for their personal aggrandisement. . Please acknowledge receipt of this message in acceptance of our mutual business endeavour by furnishing me with direct contact informations, for our personal contact and mutual trust in each other.
Upon your acceptance I shall send you my photo and contact, for more confidentiality and trust in each other as i shall trust you not to elope with this funds when it finally gets to your account. I shall be compensating you with 20 percent of the total money on final conclusion of this project for your good work, while mine portion i shall use in finishing my study and open maybe a clinic hospital with my future husband.
please endeavor to contact me immediately, this is a very clean clear transaction.
I await your response.
Sincerely.
Miss Bintou Shaban Samir