I have to "politely" disagree with Marigold, as she makes it seem that the old/elderly have diminished brain cells, and thus are less than par in the reasoning/intelligence department, and would therefore fall for these scams. Most truly elderly people would never even see an email scam, since most don't even have a computer.

True - some that play into the hands of these scumbags are elderly - but the majority are just ordinary people who see a way to make some easy and big bucks - probably quite under-educated - trusting and confident that this is the real thing - and just not wise to the ways of the world.