Wednesday, November 14, 2012

The Art Of E-Mail Deception...


We've all heard the jokes...the stories of some member of royalty in a far-off country asking for help to transfer millions of dollars, or other suspect electronic correspondence from questionable origins. Receiving an e-mail asking for your bank account information so you can help them "solve" their financial problem is something I thought didn't happen anymore.

I was wrong.

Yesterday I noticed six e-mails in my Bulk E-Mail folder. I'll usually get one, or two, but I've never gotten so many before. I do not open these e-mails, but when I opened the folder, I noticed the theme...

"Dear Friend, I am Mr Ahmed Garuba, the auditing and accounting department boa bank of africa." They want to transfer $10.5 million.

Then came one from Mr. Tala ALLASANE who is a (Banker). He's supposedly the Audting Manager of Credit/Debit Unit in Banque Commerciale Du Bukina (BCB) Ouagadougou;Burkina Faso. With a name like that, it MUST be legitimate.

Musa Duru contacted me, as did the desk of Mr. Alfini Mujahideen--all from Africa. All these e-mails came from what appear to be people employed in the banking industry. Then came the e-mail from Benedicta Kipkalya, which began simply with "Dearest One." There are very few people in my life who I feel even should address me with, "Dearest One..." Benedicta is not one of them.

Needless to say, I opened none of these--I deleted them all. Now when I hear anyone joking about the transfer of millions of dollars from an African bank, I won't just think that was something that used to happen to people a long time ago. The sad part is, the only reason those e-mails are still being sent is because they're working...

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