i get a couple of sms' everyday relating a sob story .for instance " i am a poor girl hailing from a village . and am suffering from brain tumour. the medical process is expensive . to meet this the service provider has assured one cent for evry ten peorson to whom this is sent".. is this authentic? do service providers support such a cause?
2006-07-05 07:37:50 · 30 answers · asked by blessmonblessy 2 in Computers & Internet ➔ Other - Computers
I can't say for sure, but this is a common ploy, whether it is requesting post cards or emails or now SMS. It's so popular, there is even a "Sick Kid Hoax-o-Matic" game: http://www.breakthechain.org/generator2.html.
The problem is that some of these are rooted in truth. Maybe there was a kid that was sick and needed help. But there are so many that it's better to simply ignore 'em.
About.com's list of Urban Legends also has an extensive listing of various Sick, Dying and Missing kid alerts that get spread around.
2006-07-05 07:47:55 · answer #1 · answered by jv 2 · 1⤊ 2⤋
No. Keep your money! If you want to donate money give it to a known, reputable organization such as the Red Cross, Juvenile Cancer Research or St Jude's all good organizations that WILL put your donation to work!
2006-07-05 14:48:54 · answer #2 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
No it is a scam. They are hoping that you will send money to the person named. it is a spam scam. Those are fake. Another scam is the attorney from Great Brittain who has the estate of Mr. Smythe with no heirs. So if you will send him $100,000 he will let you share in the mutimillion dollar estate of mr. Smythe. It's the pigeon drop over the internet.
2006-07-05 14:44:52 · answer #3 · answered by stick man 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Scam
2006-07-05 14:39:59 · answer #4 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
Nope, sounds like the typical spammy thing like Microsoft will pay your for your emails or send this to 10 friends and get Applebye's certificates.
2006-07-05 14:39:23 · answer #5 · answered by bairland 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Well...some are real some are fake...I mean not all providers are smart enough to place a tracker on the chain letter to find out how many people you sent it to
2006-07-05 14:42:43 · answer #6 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
No way! It's these type of unregulated scams that take honest people's money. Stick to organizations you know and trust. Believe me, no legitimate non-profit organization sends out that type of email.
2006-07-05 14:42:17 · answer #7 · answered by Curbkindaguy 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
When in doubt, go to http://www.snopes.com/
This page lists many of the hoaxes going around. Or type the pertinent info into google. Something will come up if its a hoax.
2006-07-05 14:42:24 · answer #8 · answered by Frester 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
That is sth that really depends on providers; mine, for example, does support those kind of causes, but as public campaigns.
2006-07-05 14:44:36 · answer #9 · answered by yo22g 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
NO! THESE ARE SCAMS AND URBAN LEGENDS. THERE ARE MANY GOOD SITES THE EXPOSE THESE "STORIES" AS WHAT THEY ARE. PHONEY AS HELL. SNOPES IS MY PREFERENCE.
A GOOD RULE OF THUMB IS TO USE LOGIC. EXAMPLE, THE MICROSOFT/AOL MERGER THING AND BILL GATES IS GOING TO PAY FOR YOU TO FORWARD THIS E-MAIL. HOW WOULD HE TRACE IT? NO WAY POSSIBLE. IF IT SOUNDS TO GOOD TO BE TRUE, IT PROBABLY IS. DON'T BUY IT JUST DELETE IT.
THESE ARE BEING FORWARDED BY YOUR GULIBLE FRIENDS THINKING THEY ARE DOING YOU A FAVOR.
2006-07-05 15:51:48 · answer #10 · answered by BOOMBOOMBILLY 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋