Autograph Request: Mistaken identity or a new scam?
December 29, 2009 | 3:07 pmUpdate (02/02/2010): It would seem from the comments that this was a legitimate request for an autograph! MAybe I’m more famous than I think? Original post continues:
A few days ago I got a surprising email asking for my autograph (full text below). Despite getting literally tens of visitors to this blog per day, I am by no means a celebrity, so this either there is some famous person with my name (so famous I’ve never heard of them), this person is just trying their luck sending hundreds of emails hoping to get a real one or two, or this is some new scam to get my signature and use it to steal my identity.
I’ve searched for the sender of the email (Lalit Kumar Bajaj), and I can only find a few comments on blog posts requesting autographs and not much more, but it could be very new, or could be the scammers (if they are scammers) are using multiple names.
I’d be interested to know if anyone else had got anything similar? The full text of the email follows (I presume Lalit doesn’t mind me publishing his address, since he has posted it to other blogs, but I’d be happy to remove it if requested). It really was in all caps, and really was bold!
DEAR SIR / MADAM ,
I HAVE THE HONOUR TO INTRODUCE MYSELF , I AM A SERIOUS COLLECTOR OF AUTOGRAPHED PHOTOGRAPH OF THE GREAT CELEBRITIES LIKE YOU.
IN THIS CONNECTION I WOULD FEEL HIGHLY OBLIGED IF YOU KINDLY SEND ME YOUR AUTOGRAPH FOR MY COLLECTION. I WILL NOT ONLY PRESERVE YOUR AUTOGRAPH BUT I WILL TAKE THESE FASCINATING HOBBIES AMONG YOUNGER GENERATION TO CREATE AN AWARENESS BY WAY OF EXHIBITION. MY NAME AND ADDRESS IS GIVEN HEREUNDER FOR YOUR KIND INFORMATION :
LALIT KUMAR BAJAJ
40 , STRAND ROAD
4TH FLOOR
KOLKATA – 700001 (INDIA)
MAY I THEN LOOK FORWARD TO YOUR USUAL KIND CO – OPERATION?
THANKING YOU IN ADVANCE.
VERY TRULY YOURS.
L.BAJAJ.
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I've had a few of these, but I get lots
Tim Hunt | February 2, 2010 | 1:49 pmI’ve had a few of these, but I get lots of autograph requests although puzzlingly the countries from which they emanate seem to change. Not many are Indian, most these days are from Russia with a steady trickle from the USA. They used to be mainly German. I don’t think they are scams, or not all of them. In the early days of fame, people used to write in with stamped addressed envelopes often enclosing International Postage Coupons, or dollar bills. The email people don’t do this, of course. I used to send out photos but gradually got fed up and now tend to direct everything into a spam trash can.
Best wishes,
Tim Hunt (Nobel laureate in Physiology or Medicine 2001)
Hi Tim At least there is a reasonable reason for people
Rob | February 2, 2010 | 1:51 pmHi Tim
At least there is a reasonable reason for people to want your autograph. There is absolutely no reason someone could want mine!
Dear Rob; Well regarding Mr Lalit Bajaj, I know that he
Autographs India | February 2, 2010 | 2:31 pmDear Rob;
Well regarding Mr Lalit Bajaj, I know that he is a stamp and collectibles dealer and also collects autographs.
He would have either mistaken you as a big celebrity or has great foresight that you will become one through your blog and your work!!
Anyways , for one I can tell you that this guy exists physically and he deals in stamps,coins etc and as far as my knowledge goes collects autographs.
With regard to Sir Tim Hunt, of course he is famous and he would have mailed him too.
Regards from India.
Thanks for the info. I look forward to my future
Rob | February 2, 2010 | 2:37 pmThanks for the info. I look forward to my future fame!