Though not everyone knows, as I was reminded last week. At the dentist’s, while reading every copy of Reader’s Digest since Clinton left office, I came across a story about an American man who fell for the con and lost a bushel of money.

Then a couple of days ago I got an email headed, “First Gay Society in Africa Needs Your Help.” My suspicion wrestled with my desire to help the gay cause. My curiosity jumped into the ring too, and laid suspicion out cold. I opened the email.

In it Edward Ola of Nigeria writes he’s the president of Afro Gay Movement, a burgeoning organization that seeks to register with the “Corporate Affairs Commission” so word of its existence and goals will spread to gays and non-gays around the country. Thus far it hasn’t been able to register, but now, oh now, yes now, there’s hope, in the person of an influential government official.

Ola writes the official wants $70,000 to see the registration through, which Ola acknowledges is hefty even by the usual standards of corruption. His group has raised $20,000. “The balance of 50,000 USD is what stands between our been (sic) registered. This is a passionate plea for you to be of assistance with the said amount.”

Mr. Ola, it doesn’t matter how passionate the plea, the day I have $50,000 is the day Nigeria is ruled by a yam.

He winds up his letter with, “We must let Nigerians and indeed Africans know that been (sic) gay is not a sin in itself and indulgence in it is by choice.” Oh, he’s good. He’s trying to get at the pursestrings via the heartstrings, scheming that American gays will melt at the thought of being able to help a fledgling gay rights movement abroad.

I’ve no doubt this is a sham, but I’m impressed by the attempt. Ola took the template of the Nigerian scam email and tailored it to a specific audience. Then he probably hunted for the addresses of out gays. This email might’ve been sent to the general public, but I bet Ola knows in that case he’d be risking not just getting caught, but a special-delivery punch in the nose.

Actually, there’s no reason to think this email went only to Americans. Ola could’ve put the touch on gays around the world. Unless Americans are simply considered the richest folk on the planet. Or the biggest patsies.

I wonder if Ola is actually gay. If not, the snake-oil salesman is laughing at gays here and there. If he is gay, he’s both a crook and a schnook, because one thing he gets right in his letter is that African gays have it rough and bilking people in their name isn’t likely to help.

From Egypt, where groups of men are arrested and tried for being gay, to Zimbabwe where President Mugabe calls gays “worse than dogs and pigs,” African gays need Ola’s help like the Sahara needs lifeguards.

If there’s a silver lining to this experience, it’s been a reminder that closeted folks on another continent can use the internet to find people like me. Now if only I could tell the Nigerian cops precisely where to find Mr. Ola.