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If it seems too good to be true…
You know the old saying and so you’d think most people would be on the look-out. You’d further think that someone described as “internet aware” wouldn’t fall for an email scam. But it seems you’d be wrong on both counts.
This story is about an 80 year old woman who’s fallen victim, to the tune of £16,000, to an email scam that promised to net her $30 million, supposedly left to her by some relatives she didn’t know she had. Maybe I’m too cynical for my own good, but wouldn’t alarm bells be ringing with you if someone said “You’ve inherited $30 million, but we need £16,000 in fees”? Take it out of the estate and give me what’s left! I don’t need to pay you anything up front.
It’s sad that someone - whether they’re 18 or 80 - should fall victim to a scam like this, but let’s be honest - there have been enough of these things going round over the last ten years for someone who is “internet aware” to be able to spot them. Greed got in the way of good sense.
Like it did in this case, when an elderly man lost his £70,000 life savings when he was taken in a telephone lottery scam. He hadn’t entered any lottery, but because he was told he’d won a million euros he thought he was quids in. Again, it’s sad that anyone should be taken for their life-savings but it’s not like there hasn’t been plenty of publicity about these things.
Anyway, once my friend in Nigeria (he’s a crown prince, you know) has taken his $23.5 million out of the country with my help, I’ll be able to give both these people some help. How much, Mustafa? £10,000? I’ll write you a cheque now…
Comments
One Response to “If it seems too good to be true…”
I think you know what to do....
Wolfs Stuff
Wolfs Helpers
It is a shame that so many people still get caught out by these scams. I don’t understand why people cannot see through them. Something tells me that it is the pound signs flashing before there eyes.
I regularly get emails telling me that I’ve won lotteries that I’ve never entered. Here’s an example.
http://garethjones.wordpress.com/2007/05/29/how-stupid/