Email scams

I've had my yahoo email address since 1997, around the time the Internet (though terribly slow) first entered India. In the last 8 years I have hardly received any spam emails or anything in my actual Inbox of my Yahoo mail, as it all goes to the Junk Mail folder today. I have always heard about these scam emails being sent to people asking them for their cooperation to win a few million dollars and more from a person who is trying to get their money out of Africa, or winning a lottery, but never in my life did I actually imagine to get one of those mails myself. It finally happened this year and I opened the mail and just had to laugh.

First of all there are some spelling mistakes that an official email would not have, including the word "quater" for "quarter" in the beginning of the mail. If you look at the little Fifa support thing at the bottom, you can also see this: F餩ration Internationale de Football Association. They have attempted to make it all official with the name but have carefully edited it out at the same time. Here's the mail:

FLASH FORTUNE LOTTERY

FIRST QUATER OF THE YEAR 2005

YOU ARE THE WINNER OF THE

COMPUTER PROMOTIONAL DRAW

THIS MESSAGE IS FROM THE PROMOTION MANAGER, INTERNATIONAL PROMOTIONS/PRIZE AWARD DEPARTMENT

OMEGA CROSSING SA

YOU HAVE WON ON THE COMPUTER BALLOT,

THE SUM OF US$ 820,000,00

PLEASE CONTACT

(MR. JOHN KHUMALO)

YOUR CLAIM AGENT.

FOR YOUR IMMEDIATE PAYMENT

ON PHONE NO. + 27-83 940 6792,
email: johnkhumalo1010@yahoo.com


(GLOBAL MEGA LOTTERY)

PRIZE AWARD NOTIFICATION


We are pleased to inform you of the announcement made on.. AUGUST 8TH 2005, of winners of the FLASH FORTUNE LOTTO INTERNATIONAL PROGRAMS, as part of our promotional draws.

Participants were selected through a computer ballot system drawn from 2,500,000 email addresses of individuals and companies from all part of the world as part of our electronic business Promotions Program.

Note that your email address qualified for the draw, as a result of your visiting various websites we are running the e-business promotions for. You/Your Company email address, attached to ticket number 100-309-7482, with serial number 513-10 drew the lucky numbers 3, 8, 13, 22, 27, 41 and Bonus number 12 and consequently YOU HAVE won in the Second Category.

Your winning Ticket is Number. 343-221-8756 Your Serial Number. 454-17 Your lucky draw Numbers are. 3, 8, 13, 22, 27, 41 Bonus Number 12 Your INSURANCE Number: FLS433/453L/GMSA

You have therefore been approved for a lump sum pay out of US$820,000,00 in cash, which is the winning payout for Second category winners. This is from the total prize money of US$17,650,000.00 shared among the Seven international winners in the Second category. CONGRATULATIONS!

Please be informed that your transferred of the sum of US$820,000,00 is now with Omega Crossing Finance and Security Company insured with your email address which won you this prize, therefore you should contact (OMEGA CROSSING SA) your agent and give them your full names so that they will re-insure your transferred under your full names.

Please note that OMEGA CROSSING your paying agent, will invite you to their office in Johannesburg South Africa for your immediate payment, you have to hurry up and contact them immediately.To begin your claim, please call your claim agent immediately, and also to send an urgent message to Mr. Nomara Chris through Phone or Email address

MR. JOHN KHUMALO
FOREIGN SERVICE MANAGER, OMEGA CROSSING SA. # 25 RICHARDS RYLAAN, AUCKLAND PARK,0083 P.O. Box 524, AUCKLANDPARK JOHANNESBURG 2001 SOUTH AFRICA TEL:27-83 940 6792 EMAIL: johnkhumalo1010@yahoo.com

NOTE: In order to avoid unnecessary delays and complications, please remember to quote your reference and batch numbers and other information provided above and below in every one of your correspondences with your claims agent.

REFERENCE NUMBER: GML-S343-KKT-8811
BATCH NUMBER: 56T-DTH78-SAR99


FLASH FORTUNE LOTTO PROGRAM IS A BONUS FOR THE WHOLE WORLD FOR THE 2010 SOCCER WORLD

Congratulations'' once again from all our staff and thank you for being part of our promotions program.

Sincerely,
MR. MERVIN NKUMATHE PROMOTIONS MANAGER, FLASH FORTUNE LOTTERY. 2nd Floor SABC Radio Park Building P.O. Box 91711, Auckland Park, 2006 Henley Road. Johannesburg, South Africa.

OMEGA CROSSING SA
GOES INTERNATIONAL
AS THE 2010
WORLD CUP
WILL BE HOSTED BY
SOUTH AFRICA

THIS PROGRAM IS SPONSURED BY: SOUTH AFRICAN LOTTO AUTHORITY. AND SUPPORTED BY: (F餩ration Internationale de Football Association) FIFA SUPPORT

Recently I've started getting a lot more of these emails and its been frustrating me. So far I've received about four stating that they are some person trying to get their money out of the country and would really appreciate the help, and would be glad to pay me for my help. The wierd one was actually in the last one I recieved, they actually took the name "Cooper" and used it and said that a relative of my native country (thank god they didn't say India or that would have been a bit scary) has died and they have been searching for a family member and were so glad that they got a hold of someone finally. Of course the sender of the mail was apparentaly their lawyer, and at the same time wanted to keep 60% of the inheritance only giving me 40%.

Sometimes its bugs me so much, because I have lived in a country with corruption and problems. It saddens me to see the worlds technologies being exploited and used... and of course saddens me more when gullible or naive people fall for this kind of thing. When I first went to Boston and we had orientation over there, we were actually lectured on keeping our accounts and cards carefully and not falling for any scams like these. We had many examples of such incidents with people walking down the street. Of course while I think most people should know better than to share their accounts with someone, I'm sure it can happen to the smartest of people.

My dad is pretty much computer illiterate and basically uses the computer to send us emails. One day he was opening a page when he got one of those pop ups which said "Your computer has spyware" and tells you that you should clean it up and gives you a web page to go to. Once you go to the web page it asks for your credit card, and basically my dad fell for it. When he tried to work the program (after it finally downloaded, I think it took quite a while), it didn't work at all, and I think that was when he realised his mistake and decided to call us to find out. Well, of course we told him to cancel his credit card straight away, but there was still some money spent in the account by the time it was cancelled.

I just hate the fact that we live in a world where it pays not to trust easily. And where you have to be so cautious with whatever you're doing, because there's always someone who is out to exploit the innocent for all they have. And with new technology that becomes easier and easier. I guess that's why as Sel posted, adware and spyward makers are starting to target kids as they are easier to get to. It just shows how any technology can be abused and misused for personal gain.