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Our City Our Schools Our Sports Our Kids |
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Heads Up!
I believe it was P.T. Barnum of circus fame that stated, "There's a sucker born every minute!" I don't know if that statement is true but I do know that there is always someone who is dreaming up a new way to con the unsuspecting.
The Internet seems to be the preferred vehicle for a variety of scams, shams and hoaxes. Last week, I received an e-mail from an accountant who was with the Grand Bank of Africa. He wrote that his client whose name was Stauffer had been killed in an airplane crash along with his entire family. He was searching for his next of kin as there was an estate of $10 million dollars. The so-called accountant assumed that since we had the same last name, we could perhaps be the "next of kin" and split the estate with him. It was interesting that he proposed a split of 50 percent for him and 40 percent for us with 10 percent designated for unforeseen expenses. Naturally he guaranteed that this was legitimate. I don't think so!
I believe that if I had replied to this e-mail, there would have been a request for funds to expedite the transactions of this obvious fraud. I guess it was National Scam Week because another e-mail hit my
e-mail box announcing that my e-mail address had been entered in a promotions program and assigned a number that had been drawn in a lottery. I had won the "Thunderball Jackpot" for $2,743,986.13. Wow! I was rich and I didn't even know I had entered. I was also advised, "to keep this award strictly from public notice until my claim had been processed." Sorry Super Mario Champion Promotions of South Africa, I will not be claiming my prize money and you are now on my blocked spam list.
As I read these seemingly professional legitimate e-mail letters, I couldn't help but wonder how many people would be trusting enough to reply, actually believing they had inherited a windfall. Many of us received the e-mails stating the Bill Gates was giving away some of his fortune or that Walt Disney Company was testing a Microsoft program and the reward was a free trip to Disney World if e-mail addresses reached 13,000.
I wonder if the college crowd fell for the Miller Brewing Company free coupon for a six pack of beer for forwarding the e-mail to their friends?
I was especially interested in the e-mail from Victoria's Secret promising a $50 gift certificate if I would send my e-mail addresses for friends in rural areas. Why women in designated rural areas? Don't they know about buying lingerie?
It was difficult to resist the
e-mail promising a pair of cargo pants, a T-shirt, and a fisherman's hat from a Gap giveaway.
Did anyone receive the printable coupon for a free salad from McDonald's? It certainly seemed like the real thing until you tried to use it.
My favorite hoax is the promise of a case of champagne from Champagne@veure-Clicquot.fr if I would e-mail only ten people. That is the best deal of all. Too bad it is a sham as I would have been tempted to go for it! Who can resist happy bubbles!
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Sue Stauffer