It was an email from some bank in South Africa (but the address doesnt really make sense - looks fake) saying that I've been chosen to receive a payment of 15 million US dollars as a next of kin as from a will...it looks v.dodgy to me! It wasnt addressed to anyone so obviously was sent to loads of people...have you ever given out your details then regretted it? Any tips on avoiding this sort of mail?
2007-12-21 21:46:49 · 21 answers · asked by comostreet 2 in Computers & Internet ➔ Internet ➔ MSN
One tip would be, use a special email address when you have to leave an email address somewhere, just for spam.
Another tip: if you have to leave your real email address on a public page where you can add some text, add a word to your email address with an instruction to delete it. If your email address is johndoe@doeweb.com for instance, turn it into johndoeyellow@doeweb.com, and leave an instruction to delete the color. That way only people who actually read what you wrote might send you an email. I've tried this many times and it works for me.
2007-12-21 21:53:58 · answer #1 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
Just don't open it.. otherwise they know your address exists and you will only get more..too late now....set your spam filter to junk this sort of mail. Yes it is fake...unless of course you have a very very rich relative in South Africa, who for some reason left you a huge some of money in American dollars....
2007-12-22 05:50:54 · answer #2 · answered by Knownow't 7 · 1⤊ 0⤋
A lot of these people that do it are as stupid as those who fall for it.
Engage them in email exchange, PLAY WITH THEM.
String them along, tell them eventually you want to meet up in some place near them. Ask them to pick you up at the airport.
Make sure it's a real flight.
Just act dumb but keen.
Start off by telling them you can't get the money out of your account for a month,
Ask them if if was Aunt Julia who died, you father's half sister.
It will end in a death threat, or a curse, but so what?
2007-12-22 06:45:36 · answer #3 · answered by Trev 6 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Looks like scam to me, they always end up saying they need your bank account number and etc etc..
Put it this way if Kin whatever had 15 million U.S he would have moved out of Nigeria..
2007-12-22 05:50:18 · answer #4 · answered by tio90047 2 · 1⤊ 0⤋
To help stop emails like this, on the top of the page where it says things like delete, or mark as junk, there should also be a "report as phishing scam" or something like that. Reporting it will help stop not only you, but others from getting similar emails like this one.
2007-12-22 05:56:30 · answer #5 · answered by Damon's mommy 5 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Spam! Not sure how you can avoid getting them in future though. Never ever reply to it as they will then know that the address is valid and will plauge you with more spam
2007-12-22 15:24:10 · answer #6 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
You can't really avoid it. Just delete it and forget about it, and keep deleting them when you get them. Sometimes you can mess with those people which is entertaining.
One told me I had won a UK lottery, so I replied with "Yes! I can finally afford my surgery!" Then they never replied.
2007-12-22 05:54:57 · answer #7 · answered by sunny-d alright! 5 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Y u even have to ask...the kings in africa asked me somethin' like that a few days ago.
Do you watch the news?
2007-12-22 05:49:50 · answer #8 · answered by Mike 2 · 1⤊ 0⤋
yeah, between me and hubby we have won billions of dollars.
the first one we did send out his DL# and name and address, but not ss# or bank acount number.
they wrote back asking for both and so we never proceeded.
though it would be cool if they were real they are all a scam!
2007-12-22 14:01:46 · answer #9 · answered by 3 girls call me mommy 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Not a lot you can do to avoid it, it gets sent to MILLIONS of people,
Just DELETE IT
Standard "Nigerian 419 Scam"
2007-12-22 05:49:41 · answer #10 · answered by stu_the_kilted_scot 7 · 2⤊ 0⤋