Whether rightly or wrongly attributed to 1860s circus owner Phineas T Barnum, the aphorism "There's a sucker born every minute" still holds and there are literally millions of people being swindled out of their life savings and everything they own because of greed and wanting something for which they did not work.

Sadly, although just a minute fraction of the total number, some of those people can be found in The Bahamas.

In years past, before the computer became so prevalent, the scams were executed through the post office, where people would physically mail their personal information to complete strangers, including bank account numbers. Today it is made easy through the use of the Internet and people continue to fall into the trap where they try to collect multi-million dollar lottery winnings, for which they bought no tickets, for the business and investment opportunities, or just helping to transfer money from one country to another.

But The Financial Intelligence Unit is warning Bahamian residents against disclosing personal banking information to unknown individuals or entities, as it has become known that people have had funds misappropriated from their bank accounts after providing their information over the Internet.

The following is a typical letter:

Dear friend,

As you read this, I don't want you to feel sorry for me, because, I believe everyone will die someday. My name is Steve Douglas; I am a merchant of Omani nationality but presently residing in London. I have been diagnosed with Esophageal cancer. It has defiled all forms of medical treatment, and right now I have only about a few months to live, according to medical experts.

I have not particularly lived my life so well, as I never really cared for anyone (not even myself) but my business. Though I am very rich, I was never generous, I was always hostile to people and only focused on my business as that was the only thing I cared for. But now I regret all this, as I now know that there is more to life than just wanting to have or make all the money in the world.

Now that God has called me, I have willed and given most of my property and assets to my immediate and extended family members as well as a few close friends. I want God to be merciful to me and accept my soul so, I have decided to give alms to charity organisations, as I want this to be one of the last good deeds I do on earth. So far, I have distributed money to some charity organisations in the Oman, Algeria and Malaysia.

Now that my health has deteriorated so badly, I cannot do this myself anymore. I once asked members of my family to close one of my accounts and distribute the money, which I have there to charity organisations in Bulgaria and Pakistan; they refused and kept the money to themselves. Hence, I do not trust them anymore, as they seem not to be contented with what I have left for them. The last of my money, which no one knows of, is the huge cash deposit of eighteen million dollars that I have with a security company in Europe. I will want you to help me collect this deposit and dispatch it to charity organisations. I have set aside 20 per cent for you and for your time.

God be with you.

Steve Douglas.

Bahamians have to show that they are different, that there is no reason to make Barnum's quote applicable here.