Lately my in-box has been flooded with emails from all sorts of people who want to give me lots of money, and I mean millions. I’ve supposedly won contests and sweepstakes from all over the world. I’ve also been chosen to inherit millions of dollars because someone yearns to do one last good deed before, I assume, descending into the flames of hell.
When I first read these emails a little fantasy voice inside my head said, “Wouldn’t that be just swell!” Then milliseconds later reality reared its ugly head and hit me with “SCAM!”
Are there really people out there who believe by answering one of these emails, and giving all personal information, that suddenly they’d be living the high life? Sadly, I’m certain that people do; otherwise, why would scammers continue sending these emails?
The Internet is a wonderful tool, but it’s also a potential weapon of personal destruction.
Here’s an email I received earlier today:
Compliments of the day to you. By way of introduction, I am Ma Delun, Head, Operations Department of Bank Of China. I would respectfully request that you keep the contents of this mail confidential and respect the integrity of the information you come by as a result of this mail. I have a business proposal which I believe would be of interest to you. It concerns a deceased client and an estate he left behind, without naming a beneficiary to. If its in your interest to proceed with the transaction, please respond to this email account "delun.ma2005@yahoo.com.cn". I will give you a detailed account of the source and origin of the estate as well as the transaction proper. I anticipate your cooperation.
Regards,
Ma Delun
I Googled Ma Delun, and there is a Ma Delun who works as Deputy Governor for the Bank of China. Does he know about these emails?
And yesterday I received this one:
This is to inform you that you have been selected for a cash prize of £500.000,00 GBP. from British online programs you are advice to send your contact to fiduciary_wellermilla@live.com FULL NAMES, ADDRESS, PHONE NUMBER
Aaah, if sudden wealth were only that easy...
I think I’ll stick with buying lottery tickets.
When I first read these emails a little fantasy voice inside my head said, “Wouldn’t that be just swell!” Then milliseconds later reality reared its ugly head and hit me with “SCAM!”
Are there really people out there who believe by answering one of these emails, and giving all personal information, that suddenly they’d be living the high life? Sadly, I’m certain that people do; otherwise, why would scammers continue sending these emails?
The Internet is a wonderful tool, but it’s also a potential weapon of personal destruction.
Here’s an email I received earlier today:
Compliments of the day to you. By way of introduction, I am Ma Delun, Head, Operations Department of Bank Of China. I would respectfully request that you keep the contents of this mail confidential and respect the integrity of the information you come by as a result of this mail. I have a business proposal which I believe would be of interest to you. It concerns a deceased client and an estate he left behind, without naming a beneficiary to. If its in your interest to proceed with the transaction, please respond to this email account "delun.ma2005@yahoo.com.cn". I will give you a detailed account of the source and origin of the estate as well as the transaction proper. I anticipate your cooperation.
Regards,
Ma Delun
I Googled Ma Delun, and there is a Ma Delun who works as Deputy Governor for the Bank of China. Does he know about these emails?
And yesterday I received this one:
This is to inform you that you have been selected for a cash prize of £500.000,00 GBP. from British online programs you are advice to send your contact to fiduciary_wellermilla@live.com FULL NAMES, ADDRESS, PHONE NUMBER
Aaah, if sudden wealth were only that easy...
I think I’ll stick with buying lottery tickets.
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