It ends with a humanizing and funny conversation with the scammer after he is called out for his scamming. Also, Facebook’s response to these scams is at the end.
Beginning with an explanation and history of the Ponzi scheme and the psychological factors that lead to its success.
Sorry, guys, it’s quick and for a kid’s school project! And you are the
ones I thought might follow through - either because you have kids, you like
science, or you’re just plain nice.:-) This is for a science fair project. If
you could do this I would appreciate it! DON’T ASK, JUST PLAY! (Never ask questions!)
Copy and paste this entire letter into a new e-mail (PLEASE do NOT hit
FORWARD), then read the list of names below. If your name is on the list put
a star* next to it. If not, then add your name (in alphabetical order), and
do not put in a star. Send it to ten people at the same time as you send it
back to the person who sent it to you. Put your name in the subject box!
You’ll see what happens…(nothing except your friends and family will hate you a little more!)
It’s kind of cool! Please keep this going. Don’t mess it up, please:
[a bunch of names]
Another harmless prank to get people to spam each other.
So not many of us would give thousands away to Africans but there are thousands of people who are still internet dumb in a less disastrous way. Like my sister. I never get emails from her unless it’s some amazing spam she can’t help but pass on. I don’t say anything because how do you tell someone how absolutely dumb they are to believe Bill Gates wants to share his fortune with us? If you have people like this in your life just direct them here:
THIS TOOK TWO PAGES OF THE TUESDAY USA TODAY (if you just say something about being super credible no idiot will question it and will in fact believe everything you say from here on out)- IT IS FOR REAL
To all of my friends, I do not usually forward messages, But this is from my friend Pearlas Sandborn and she really is an attorney. If she says that this will work - It will work. After all, what have you got to lose? SORRY EVERYBODY.. JUST HAD TO TAKE THE CHANCE!!! I’m an attorney, And I know the law. This thing is for real. (Perhaps she didn’t think Pearlas would be legitimate enough for us so she suddenly became an attorney too) Rest assured AOL and Intel will follow through with their promises for fear of facing a multimillion-doll ar class action suit similar to the one filed by PepsiCo against General Electric not too long ago (Oh that one case that didn’t rock the legal world and never happened!).
Dear Friends: Please do not take this for a junk letter. Bill Gates sharing his fortune. If you ignore this, You will repent later (‘repent’? really??).
Microsoft and AOL are now the largest Internet companies (AOL barely still exists) and in an effort to make sure that Internet Explorer remains the most widely used program, Microsoft and AOL are running an e-mail beta test.
When you forward this e-mail to friends, Microsoft can and will track it (If you are a Microsoft Windows user) for a two week time period. (1. AOL is not in cahoots with Microsoft. It’s a separate company. 2. No one can track your email unless you download some virus attached to that email that is then downloaded by the people you forward it to and so on. 3. The only way I can see using Windows being a necessary part of this scam is because Windows in general is more vulnerable to viruses than other operating systems)
For every person that you forward this e-mail to, Microsoft will pay you $245.00 For every person that you sent it to that forwards it on, Microsoft will pay you $243.00 and for every third person that receives it, You will be paid $241.00. Within two weeks, Microsoft will contact you for your address and then send you a check. (Imagine all that machinery involved in keeping track of your email recipients. Also imagine all the money they’ll have to pay out. We’re rich!)
Regards.
Charles S Bailey General Manager Field Operations
1-800-842-2332 Ext. 1085 or 904-1085 or RNX 292-1085
Thought this was a scam myself, But two weeks after receiving this e-mail and forwarding it on. Microsoft contacted me fo r my address and within days, I received a check for $24, 800.00. You need to respond before the beta testing is over. If anyone can afford this, Bill gates is the man. It’s all marketing expense to him (gobbledigook marketing. so what if this would cost him billions. they’re all write offs man so you have to believe it!). Please forward this to as many people as possible (You know, I wasn’t going to do it but since you’re now begging me to make myself money I can tell it’s legitimate!). You are bound to get at least $10, 000.00 (random figure) We’re not going to help them out with their e-mail beta test without getting a little something for our time. My brother’s girlfriend got in on this a few months ago. (Just like my friend lawyer, I have to give you two examples for the same thing because if I repeat myself maybe you’ll ignore how dumb this is). When I went to visit him for the Baylor/UT game (wow, specific!), she showed me her check. It was for the sum of $4,324.44 and was stamped ‘Paid In Full’ (which doesn’t really make sense in this case but what the hell, sounds legalish!)
This is just a prank made by bored people. It doesn’t do any harm other than fill peoples’ inboxes with spam sent from their own friends and family.
…and she doesn’t think she’s an easy mark despite the fact that this is the biggest internet scam known to just about everyone.
‘This American Life’ Episode, well worth the listen.
Grocery shrink ray is happening all the time..all around you! You probably don’t notice it..I certainly don’t..because companies don’t actually have to let you know that that item you buy weekly is suddenly .5 ounces lighter and 50 cents more expensive. Consumerist’s Ben Popken gave an interview to NPR (transcript in link) about it and how to avoid getting completely scammed.
#1 tip I have for you: be a smart and defensive consumer! Also, remember the store clerks have nothing to do with this and are your allies.
I don’t know what it is about these places but yet another company has flooded tv airwaves with commercials meant to bring in the most gullible. Every single person gets a one credit report each year from three different places as mandated by the government (so you get up to 3 reports a year). freetriplescore.com and freecreditreport.com (with the mangy guitar playing douchebag) give you these things for free while having you sign up for something else that monitors your credit in some way..which as far as I can tell doesn’t actually protect you from identity thieves. Again, for the no frills no scams credit reporting click the link or go to annualcreditreport.com.
