High Alert: Bad Guys Got Your Email Address!!

Anybody been getting ridiculous email lately?

I got two a couple of weeks ago. "The Euro-Afro Sweepstakes Lottery", one of them announced, "has published its list of winners for the month of October, and you were on the top!! And we are proud to announce that our prize amount has been increased to US$25 million!!"

The other said "Dear Karl, we write to you with no little pleasure to announce that the South Africa World Cup 2010 Sweepstakes Lottery results for the second quarter of 2006 are out, and you're a winner! Please contact our agent immediately with your bank account no. and other information to gather your winnings!"

No, I'm not dumb. Didn't fall for either.

But I did look those two up on fraud.com. Apparently they are certain USA and Nigeria (didn't know they had computers there) based frauds who take your account number and your credit card data and rob you blind. Included was the story of a nincompoop from Alabama who had lost $54000 in the bargain.

And if that wasn't bad enough, I got this one today. Read up.

From: Willem Micheal

Reply Email: willemmicheal@myway.com.

TREAT AS URGENT/CONFIDENTIAL.

Dear,

In our search for a trustworthy individual to work with us on a very important and confidential project, we came across your profile in The British Chambers of Commerce and Industries, here in THE UNITED KINGDOM.

My name is Willem Micheal, Principal Executive Officer, and Audit Department with HSBC BANK here in The United Kingdom. During the yearly preliminary in-house auditing of accounts, I discovered an account opened in 2000 and since 2004 has remained dormant and has not been operated till date. The total amount in this account is £2.5Million Pound Sterling less accrued interest.

Working In-collaboration with the Audit Manager, we decided to investigate this account for more information. We discovered that the owner of this account, a foreigner has died intestate leaving no heirs or next of kin who could make a claim.

Presently, we are the only two people in our organization with access to this information and we have decided to keep it that way and claim the money for ourselves using a third party who will take the place of the deceased (next of kin). We will supply the necessary information on the deceased and ensure that the claim application is giving immediate approval. Documents like the death certificate will be arranged and forwarded to you for onward submission to the bank.

The project is risk-free, as we will use contacts that hold strategic positions in the bank to effect a successful completion of the project and also ensure that all traces of our mutual involvement are completely wiped off. These presents no problem as all documented evidence will be directly under their supervision.

We have earmarked a commission of 30% of the total amount for you. The remaining 70% you will help us invest in profitable Stocks and Shares in your country. We would like to get your decision to this proposal as soon as possible. On receipt of your decision, we will fax or email you explicit details of the already completed groundwork on this project.

You can contact me at all times on the above information. willemmicheal@myway.com. +44-703 186 2094 Tel/+44-870 974 2431 Fax

Regards,

Willem Micheal.

Ha ha!!

Now, are any of you getting any of this nonsense, or am I so ugly that local crooks think I'd be someone bad enough to be the next great Bandit-King or something??