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Top 10 Things to Help Identify this Type
of E-Mail Scam
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A promise
to share or transfer millions of dollars to you for
your help or participation. (Out of 5 billion people
in the world you were singled out as this fortunate
person, lucky you).
The
e-mail or correspondence is marked "urgent," "top
secret" or "highly confidential" and demands you act
immediately. (Time is commonly of the essence).
The
sender claims to be an exiled Dignitary, Cabinet
Member, General, CEO, CFO, lawyer, doctor or the
heir of some other important person or top official
to gain your confidence. (The
Grifter usually
uses a Hotmail, Yahoo, Netscape, Caramail or other
such free and anonymous e-mail service to send you
the message - not very Regal at all).
Claims to
have obtained your e-mail address "during a personal
research on the Internet" or from an unidentified
"friend who was once on diplomatic mission." (Yeah,
we all know one of these individuals).
The
proposal contains a seemingly unlikely situation,
i.e. overpaid millions on a contract, royal
money or assets frozen by a foreign government, an
inheritence, or money, gold or diamonds that need to
immediately be transfered or be lost forever.
Claims to
have smuggled the funds, jewels or precious metals
out of their native country in a "diplomatic
package" or "consignment" unbeknownst to their
unstable or corrupt government.
Seeks an
"honest foreign partner" to help with them with
their crisis situation. (As if none exist or can be
found in their own country).
States
they are working with an unidentfied "Security
Company" or the "Central Bank of Nigeria" (who is a
much a victim of the scam as the
Mark,
having received countless numbers of complaints).
Requests
personal information from you, i.e. your full
name, bank account information and routing numbers,
home or business telephone and facsimile numbers, or
a copy of your letterhead.
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