I would imagine that if you mention the words ’spam’ and ‘email’ to most people, then they will associate those two words with something very much like this -
Or at least that’s what they would have you believe.
Have you ever wondered why spam email continues unabated, growing at an alarming rate, when just about everyone says they hate it?
Could it be because, secretly, 29% of the internet population has bought something pitched to them through junk mail?
Whilst publicly slating spam email, almost a third of internet users have found the following illegal, or at least slightly dubious, items via their inboxes -
- pirated software
- fake designer watches
- counterfeit designer clothes
- restricted drugs
- prescription medicines
- pornography
Have you ever purchased something through spam email and, if so, why?
Thanks to Kim Woodbridge for the inspiration for this post.
Paul Simon (not the singer) has been defiled.
Ouch!
As you read this, I don’t want you to feel sorry for me, because, I believe everyone will die someday. My name is Paul Simon an Offshore Oil Rig Engineer in Port Harcourt,Nigeria. I have been diagnosed with cancer of the Brain .It has defiled all forms of medical treatment, and right now I have only about a few months to live, according to medical experts…
The last of my money which no one knows of is the cash deposit of Six million dollars $6,000,000,00 that I have with a BANK in Port Harcourt South -South of Nigeria…
I have set aside 20% for you and for your time.
God be with you.
Mr. Paul Simon.
As you can tell, the cancer of the brain that he is suffering with has obviously affected his ability to write.
It has also led to him becoming a scammer… if you receive this email then do NOT reply as it is a con, designed to extract funds from you, rather than send them your way.
It’s been a long, long time coming but I have finally had another lottery win to add to the billions I already have.
This notification arrived just a few minutes ago -
CONGRATULATIONS!!!
Dear Winner,
The management of the United Kingdom National Online Free Lottery,formaly wishes to inform you that your email address won you 1,900,000.00GBP from the Month of July 2008 Multi-Email Draws.
Hence, we have given your winning cheque to a relaible security company here in UK for personal remittance to you. Your security code are-
NWSC-662721
Furthermore you are hereby advised to make contact with the processing officer Mr. Patrick Mayor to the security company to enable her continue with the process of delivery of your prize. Find below is their contact
details:
Mr. Patrick Mayor (Director Of Operations)
Tele: +44 70457 81738
E-mail Contact: patrickmayor@live.com
When contatinmg the Mr. Patrick Mayor, you are required to state your security codes and also fill the form herein:
::::::FILL AND RETURN::::::
1.Name in full———-
2.Address—————
3.Nationality———–
4.Age——————-
5.Occupation————
6.Sex ——————
7.Phone/Fax————-
8.Present Country——-
Upon the receipt of the above listed details the security company will immediately deliver your prize to you.
Yours Sincerely,
Uk. Lottery Management
Strange, though, that U.K. Lottery Management’s email address in the sender’s field is hank_pam@charter.net!!
Obviously, it goes without saying that I haven’t really won the lottery and that this is a typical email scam that would require me to pay money before never actually receiving my winnings.
The fact that the sender’s English and grammar are poor are another indication that this email is not quite genuine.
I remember that a Major Fadi Basem left me a huge amount of money last year after being killed in Iraq.
Having spent it all, I was delighted to hear from Hang Seng Bank again, through this email that says I have another inheritance to collect -
Good Day,
Let me start by introducing myself. I am Mr. Patrick K.W. Chan (Executive Director and Chief Financial Officer) of the Hang Seng Bank Ltd. I have an obscured business suggestion for you. Before the U.S and Iraqi war our client Gen. Abbas Radhi Ismail who was with the Iraqi forces and also businessman made a numbered fixed deposit for 18 calendar months, with a value of (Twenty Four million Five Hundred Thousand
United State Dollars only) in my branch. Upon maturity several notices was sent to him, even during the war which began in 2003. Again after the war has subsided, another notification was sent and still no response came from him. We later find out that the General along with his wife and only daughter had been killed during the war in a bomb blast that hit their home. After further investigation it was also discovered that Gen. Abbas Radhi Ismail did not declare any next of kin in his official papers including the paper work of his bank deposit. And he also confided in me the last time he was at my office that no one except me knew of his deposit in my bank. So, Twenty Four million Five Hundred Thousand United States Dollars is still
lying in my bank and no one will ever come forward to claim it. What bothers me most is that according to the laws of my country at the expiration of 5 years the funds will revert to the ownership of the Hong Kong Government if nobody applies to claim the funds. Against this backdrop, my suggestion to you is that I will like you as a foreigner to stand as the next of kin to Gen. Abbas Radhi Ismail so that you will be able to receive his funds.
MODALITIES:
I want you to know that I have had everything planned out so that we shall come out successful. I have an attorney that will prepare the necessary document that will back you up as the next of kin to Gen. Abbas Radhi Ismail, all that is required from you at this stage is for you to provide me with your Full Names and Address so that the attorney can commence his job. After you have been made the next of kin, the attorney
will also file in for claims on your behalf and secure the necessary approval and letter of probate in your favor for the move of the funds to an account that will be provided by you.There is no risk involved at all in
this matter, as we are going adopt a legalized method and the attorney will prepare all the necessary documents. Please endeavor to observe utmost discretion in all matters concerning this issue.Once the funds have been transferred to a nominated bank account we shall then share in the ratio of 70% for me, 30% for you. Should you be interested please send me the following:
1. Full names
2. Private phone/fax
3. Current
residential address
And I will prefer you reach me on my private email address below and finally after that I shall provide you with more details of this operation. Your earliest response to this letter will be appreciated.
Kind Regards
Mr. Patrick Chan.
E-mail:
hchan_88@yahoo.com.hk
- I only hope that the unexpected fees this time do not exceed the size of the inheritance as they did last year…
It must be getting on for a year since I last posted one of the scam emails I received so maybe now is about time for another.
Unfortunately, it’s not from my all time favourite psuedonym, the legendary Peggy Morrison but the drivel is just the same as ever….
BARCLAYS BANK LONDON-ENGLAND.
WESTERN UNION MONEY TRANSFER DEPT.
Locke King House, 2 Balfour Road Weybridge,
Manchester KT 13 8HE England, UK
Tel: +44 704-579-3682
Email: transferdepts@barclaysfinancialplc.com
Attn Dear Customer,
It’s our pleasure to inform you that we have been directed by the management
of this Western Union Money Transfer Branch Outlet here in London-England to
contact you via your email address regarding a payment duly deposited in
your favour as the beneficiary before we commence further processing on how
to transfer the said fund to you through the Legal Service of our affiliate
bank here in Europe.
Prior, to this notification payment circular development, there is an issue
with the Western Union Money Transfer in the amount of $10,000,000.00 USD
deposited in our care to release it to you upon your anticipated willingly
corporation of processing it legally as a new beneficiary.
Otherwise you are to receive your payment through the legal assistance of
our affiliate paying bank via a normal Online Bank to Bank Telegraphic Wire
Transfer method of which a New (Savings/Checking Online Bank Account) will
be open for you personally with your payment file allocation details at the
owner of this email address as follows (KTU/9023118308/03) as the owner of
this money with our affiliate paying bank in other for you to have a direct
legitimate access whenever you want to withdraw or transfer any amount out
from your said payment from the new online savings/checking account they
will be opening for you immediately you comply willingly to their terms of
service which will cost you nothing than the ALLOCATION REGISTRATION
PROCESSING FEES OF (392.00) Pounds only which you have to pay officially as
the true owner of this money.
Sequel to this little complication on this money was cause as a result of
your in complete identity/ information provided, We were just contacted by
the United Kingdom International Monetary Fund Rectification Head Unit
concerning your compensation a couple of hours ago due to your security
allocated code which was unable to reflect your other information’s We need
to complete a transfer directed at an email address that happens to be
yours, so we require that you kindly reconfirm back to our affiliate paying
bank that we be executing the transaction legitimately as a bank with the
following information of yours in order to complete this transfer in your
favour swiftly.
A).YOUR FULL NAME: (B).MOBILE PHONE NUMBER: (C).NATIONALITY AND AGE/SEX:
(D).CURRENT CONTACT ADDRESS IN FULL: (E).PRESENT OCCUPATION/POSITION HELD:
n order to resolve this problem and then effect your payment directly to you
via our affiliate paying bank that means your full corporation will be
required to this subject that matters, So please email our paying bank
immediately for the opening of your online account where your money will be
lodge in your favour.
As soon as this information is received from you correctly, and you are also
ready to comply legally with the requirements terms/service conduct of
payment of the Western Union local/international registration form fees
which will only cost you the sum of (392.00) GPD POUNDS STERLING only, then
payment will be made to your newly online bank account our affiliate paying
bank will be opening for you as soon as you pay for the official
registration of your money to be transfer or at the counter directly from
The Western Union Money Transferring Bank or Branch upon your willingness to
receive this payment.
I believe you are already aware of our legal registration/Mailing
transferring token fees procedures and service security terms, so you don’t
need to be worried about the genuinety of this very transaction provided you
are ready to comply with the direction that you have been given to follow
that will enable this branch finalise the official registration of your
payment now.
IMPORTANT NOTICE OF OUR TERMS/SERVICE MODALITIES GUIDELINES:
1). Your payment has been deposited already with our affiliate paying bank
who will be providing you a legal service as a bank without you paying any
money up-front for the opening of the new Online savings/checking account on
your name & particulars and upon the opening of the online a/c, your said
fund will be credited immediately before you can then have the legitimate
right as the owner of the a/c to transfer your money to any other private
account of your choice you may feel like transferring your money into
legitimately.
2). Note categorically that, it’s the responsibility and duty of this very
bank to provide you with every required relevant valid documents/papers work
of whatsoever you may need as our new customer without you paying any
additional cent either than our official Mandatory Registration/Activation
and Normalization Processing fee of (392.00) GPD POUNDS STERLING only which
must be paid by you first to enable us open a direct communication access
with you.
3). Upon the immediately receipt of the requested mandatory Non residential
Registration/ Activation and Final Normalization Processing Fee of (392.00)
GPD POUNDS STERLING only, We shall alert our affiliate paying bank to
contact you immediately concerning the penning/registration of your new
online account with their bank which is completely free and legal as long as
this payment is concerned.
When emailing, please you are advice in your own best interest to kindly
re-confirm your Confidential Clarification Payment Receiving Secret
Reference Releasing Code Number (WUMT/250-147/LE-08) which must be indicated
for our mutual convenience otherwise if you contact us there is no way we
can attend to you due to the rapid cyber/internet scam going on.
Regards,
Sincerely,
MR. MORRISON FISHWELL
DIRECT TELEPHONE: +44 704-579-3682,
WESTERN UNION PAYMENT & REGISTRATION DEPT MANAGER,
FROM THE MANAGEMENT OF THIS WESTERN UNION MONEY TRANSFER OFFICE BRANCH,
LONDON - ENGLAND
info Bank - transferdepts@barclaysfinancialplc.com
“otherwise if you contact us there is no way we
can attend to you due to the rapid cyber/internet scam going on” <<< ha ha 
If you have received this email then please DON’T reply - it’s a scam!!!
Thursday, August 21, 2008
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