Internet Hoaxes

Blue Package of Death

From: Conklin, Donna
Sent: Thursday, September 13, 2001 10:04 AM
To: Batt, Linda; Carrer, Linda; Hatzelis, Marilyn; Johansson, Scott; Juhls, Lori; Kalaskey, Michelle; Marotta, Dottie; Tourtellot, Cathie; Tuers, Jean; Woodhead, Dawn; Murphy, Kealin
Subject: FW: IMPORTANT!!

Don't know if this is true or not, but better to be safe than sorry these
days............

Subject: VERY IMPORTANT!

Hi Everyone, this is very important and not a joke. The mother of a
friend of mine works for a hospital in Passaic NJ.... We just got
word
that there have been 11 deaths and over 25 more people waiting to die!
It seems someone is sending a BLUE PACKAGE marked "Just For You" to
the homes of
people in New Jersey. When you open the package there is a sponge
which

contains a LETHAL substance. Once you touch the sponge,
it gets into your skin and YOU WILL DIE! PLEASE be careful when
getting

your mail for the next few weeks until they catch whoever is doing
this!

DO NOT let small children get your mail or open it. If you receive
this
blue package, I think you should notify your local police dept.
THANKS
for reading this.

P.S. Pass this on to your family and friends PLEASE!

Nostradamus

419 Scams

Engr Ray Amadu.
E-mail: rayamadu@yahoo.com
Lagos-Nigeria.

ATTN. Annette,

REQUEST FOR ASSISTANCE IN A FINANCIAL TRANSACTION

I am contacting you based on information and esteem
recommendation I received of you from a high ranking
official in the commercial section of the Nigerian
Chambers of Commerce and Industry who guaranteed
your reliability and trustworthyness in business
dealings. This business proposal I wish to intimate
you with is of mutual benefit and it's success is
entirely based on mutual trust, cooperation
and a high level of confidentiality as regard this
transaction.
I am the Chairman of the contract Advisory Committee
(CAC) of the Nigerian Federal Ministry of Works and
Housing (FMWH). I am seeking your assistance to enable
me transfer the sum of US$16,500,000.00 (Sixteen
Million, Five Hundred Thousand United States Dollars)
into your private/company account.
The fund came about as a result of a contract awarded
and executed on behalf of my Ministry the Federal
Ministry of Works and Housing.
The contract was supposed to be awarded to two foreign
contractors to the tune of US$60,000,000.00 (Sixty
Million United States Dollars).
But in the course of negotiation, the contract was
awarded to a Bulgarian contractor at the cost of
US$43,500,000.00 (Forty-Three Million, Five Hundred
Thousand United States Dollars) to my benefit
unknown to the contractor. This contract has been
satisfactorily executed and inspected as the Bulgarian
firm is presently securing payment from my Ministry,
where I am the Executive Director in-charge
of all foreign contract payment approval.
As a civil servant still in active government service,
I am forbidden by law to operate an account outside
the shores of Nigeria. Hence this message to you
seeking your assistance so as to enable me present
your private/company account details as a beneficiary
of contractual claims alongside that of the Bulgarian
contractor, to enable me transfer the difference of
US$16,500,000.00 (Sixteen Million, Five Hundred
Thousand United States Dollars) into your provided
account.
On actualisation, the fund will be disbursed as stated
below.
1. 30% of the fund will be for you as beneficiary
.2. 10% for reimbursement to both parties for
incidental expenses
that may be incurred during the course of the
transaction.
3. 60% of the fund will be for me which I intend to
invest in your country with you as my partner.
All logistics are in place and all modalities worked
out for a smooth actualisation of the transaction
within the next few working days of commencement. For
further details as to the workability of this
transaction, please respond by return mail on my
confidential E-mailaddress:rayamadu@yahoo.com
Thank you and God bless as I await your urgent
response.

Yours Sincerely,
Engr Ray Amadu.

____________-

Subj: DETAILS
Date:    11/4/01 12:56:34 PM Central Standard Time
From: rayamadu1@yahoo.com (ray amadu)
To:    Willow200@aol.com

Dear Annette,

Thank for your willingness to assist based on my
divulging the source of your contact.
Actually it was destiny that brought me to you when I
needed advice on investment from a friend in the
chambers of commerce, who by virtue of his exposure
abroad gave me your contacts.
I did not tell him the true nature of this transaction
and he does not know that I have even contacted you.

I want toassure you that with your cooperation and
assistance,we would be able to successfully transfer
this fund within 10 working days.
We have already put all modalities in place to legally
transfer this fund and this we are going to do by
transferring the fund as contract entitlement for a
contract job awarded and which your company has duly
completed. The transfer will be legally effected and
at the instance of transfer, all documentation
relating to the fund transfer will be sent to your
bankers by the payee body. which will render
the legality of funds transfer uncharlengeable by your
government. My share of the fund is meant for
investment in your country With you as my partner and
managing the venture.
While your share is 30% of the 16.5, then from the 10%
set aside for contigenccy, after removing both our
expenses,it will be shared among us in the ratio of
30:70
with 30% for you while 70 for me.
You will however advice me on investment opportunity
which you are conversant with in your country.

The groundwork has already been perfected as we have
already secured payment approval for the contract sum
and all that is remaining is for us to tender your
company name as the beneficiary of the fund.
In this regard, we would need you to send us these
information:

Your Company/Business Name and Address
Your Confidential Phone and Fax Numbers
Your Bank Details where the fund would be transferred
(Preferably a new account)
Bank Phone and Fax Numbers.

Also you will be required to sign the fund release
document that will activate the irrevocable wire
transfer of the funds to your provided bank account.
I would appreciate if you can call me on my
telephone number +234-1775-7367 so that we can
discuss further and get to know ourselves
better because this transaction demands absolute trust
and sincerity.

Best regards and God bless,
Ray .
_________________________-

REE: Subscribe to Internet
ScamBusters Now
The #1 publication on Internet fraud - monthly.
Please enter your full email address below.
EMail

Privacy Policy

Reprinted from Internet ScamBusters Issue #11
November 11, 1996

The Nigerian Advance Fee Scam has been around for quite awhile, but despite many warnings, continues to draw in many victims. In fact, the Financial Crimes Division of the Secret Service receives approximately 100 telephone calls from victims/ potential victims and 300-500 pieces of related correspondence per day about this scam!

Indications are that the advance fee fraud grosses hundreds of millions of dollars annually and the losses are continuing to escalate.

The Nigerian Advance Fee Scheme (also known internationally as "4-1-9" fraud after the section of the Nigerian penal code which addresses fraud schemes) is generally targeted at small and medium sized businesses, as well as charities. This global scam (recently seen in Russia, Southeast Asia, Australia, and New Zealand, as well as the US) involves the receipt of an unsolicited letter purporting to come from someone who claims to work for the Nigerian Central Bank or from the Nigerian government. (The Central Bank of Nigeria denies all connection to those who promote this scheme.)

In the letter, a Nigerian claiming to be a senior civil servant will inform the recipient that he is seeking a reputable foreign company into whose account he can deposit funds ranging from $10-$60 million which the Nigerian government overpaid on some procurement contract.

The goal of the scam artist is to delude the victim into thinking that he or she has been singled out to participate in a very lucrative -- although questionable -- arrangement. The intended victim is reassured of the authenticity of the arrangement by forged or false documents bearing apparently official Nigerian government letterhead, seals, as well as false letters of credit, payment schedules and bank drafts. The scam artist may even establish the credibility of his contacts, and thereby his influence, by arranging a meeting between the victim and "government officials" in real or fake government offices.

Once the victim becomes confident of the potential success of the deal, something goes wrong. The victim is then pressured or threatened to provide one or more large sums of money to save the venture. For example, an official will demand an up-front bribe or an unforeseen tax or fee to the Nigerian government will have to be paid before the money can be transferred. Each fee paid is described as the very last fee required. The scheme may be stretched out over many months.

Here is a sample of a letter a victim may receive:

ATTN: President/Director, I hope this mail will not come to you as a surprise, I meant not to interrupt your box with my mail but to pass a meaningful and well approaching matter across to you. After going through your profile I decided to transact this business with you. I am Chief Adetola Adebayo. I assumed duty in the Federal Ministry of Power and Steel under the interim president Abdul Salami Abubaka�s regime in April 1998. A united state based contractor named Micheal Douglas won a contract from the Federal Ministry of Power and Steel through the Federal Government of Nigeria worth $90 million united state Dollars and he was paid the sum of $40million united state dollars up front, the contract was to install equipments in the "Ajeokuta steel industry� under the military dictator, President Sanni Abacha. Mr. Micheal Douglas executed the contract, up till now the balance of $50 million united state dollars have not been paid to him and the Federal Government has instructed the ministry to pay all the contractors that has executed their contract their balance and that all the contract payment should go through CENTRAL BANK OF NIGERIA. So I decided to look for Mr. Micheal Douglas but he is no where to be found, then I discovered that he is dead years ago, and no one has come forward to claim this money. At this juncture, I am seeking for a trust worthy foreigner who will assist me in transferring this money into his account. That is the reason why I am seeking for your assistance in transferring this money into your account and I am ready to give 20% of the total sum to you. And I want you to understand that this transaction is 100% risk free, in fact there is no risk involve in it. And I also want you to understand that it will take only 3 working days to get the approval in your name for immediate transfer of the money into your account as soon as I hear for the approval from you. You can reach me through this e-mail address: chief2003ch@can.com for more details. I will go forward for the approval for the Federal Ministry of Finance. I wait your immediate respond Yours sincerely, Chief Adetola Adebayo.

What should you do if you receive a letter like this?

The U.S. Secret Service has instructed anyone in the US who has lost funds because of this scam to forward appropriate written documentation to:

U.S. Secret Service
Financial Crimes Division
950 H Street, NW,
Washington, DC 20001.
(202) 406-5850
Or send email using the Secret Service form or
direct to 419.fcd@usss.treas.gov

If you have received a letter, but have not lost any monies to this scheme, please fax a copy of that letter to (202) 406-5031.

If you are outside the United States, you should report it to your local authorities and send documention via fax to the U.S. Secret Service.

Be careful. This scam can be physically dangerous as well as dangerous to your finances. Victims are almost always requested to travel to Nigeria or a border country to complete a transaction. Victims are often told that a visa will not be necessary to enter the country. The Nigerian scam artists may then bribe airport officials to pass the victims through Immigration and Customs. Because it is a serious offense in Nigeria to enter without a valid visa, the victim's illegal entry may be used by the scam artists as leverage to coerce the victims into releasing funds. Violence and threats of physical harm may be employed to further pressure victims. In June of 1995, an American was murdered in Lagos, Nigeria, while pursuing a 4-1-9 scam, and numerous other foreign nationals have been reported as missing.

Recommendation: Avoid these scams like the plague! Don't let promises of large amounts of money impair your judgment.

Another 419

Proud to be an American

Widespread but only partial news coverage was given recently to a remarkable editorial broadcast from Toronto by Gordon Sinclair, a Canadian television commentator. What follows is the full text of his trenchant remarks as printed in the Congressional Record:

"This Canadian thinks it is time to speak up for the Americans as the most generous and possibly the least appreciated people on all the earth.

Germany, Japan and, to a lesser extent, Britain and Italy were lifted out of the debris of war by the Americans who poured in billions of dollars and forgave other billions in debts. None of these countries is today paying even the interest on its remaining debts to the United States.

When France was in danger of collapsing in 1956, it was the Americans who propped it up, and their reward was to be insulted and swindled on the streets of Paris. I was there. I saw it.

When earthquakes hit distant cities, it is the United States that hurries in to help. This spring, 59 American communities were flattened by tornadoes. Nobody helped.

The Marshall Plan and the Truman Policy pumped billions of dollars! into discouraged countries. Now newspapers in those countries are writing about the decadent, warmongering Americans.

I'd like to see just one of those countries that is gloating over the erosion of the United States dollar build its own airplane. Does any other country in the world have a plane to equal the Boeing Jumbo Jet, the Lockheed Tri-Star, or the Douglas DC10? If so, why don't they fly them? Why do all the International lines except Russia fly American Planes?

Why does no other land on earth even consider putting a man or woman on the moon? You talk about Japanese technocracy, and you get radios. You talk about German technocracy, and you get automobiles.

You talk about American technocracy, and you find men on the moon -! not once, but several times - and safely home again.

You talk about scandals, and the Americans put theirs right in the store window for everybody to look at. Even their draft-dodgers are not pursued and hounded. They are here on our streets, and most of them, unless they are breaking Canadian laws, are getting American dollars from ma and pa at home to spend here.

When the railways of France, Germany and India were breaking down through age, it was the Americans who rebuilt them. When the Pennsylvania Railroad and the New York Central went broke, nobody loaned them an old caboose. Both are still broke.

I can name you 5000 times when the Americans raced to the help of other people in trouble. Can you name me even one time when someone else raced to the Americans in trouble? I don't think there was outside help even during the San Francisco earthquake.

Our neighbors have faced it alone, and I'm one Canadian who is damned tired of hearing them get kicked around. They will come out of this thing with their flag high. And when they do, they are entitled to thumb their nose at the lands that are gloating over their present troubles. I hope Canada is not one of those."

This is one of the best editorials that I have ever read regarding the United States. It is nice that one man realizes it. I only wish that the rest of the world would realize it. We are always blamed for everything, and never even get a thank you for the things we do.

I would hope that each of you would send this to as many people as you can and emphasize that they should send it to as many of their friends until this letter is sent to every person on the web. I am just a single American that has read this.

Kidney Thieves

I wish to warn you about a new crime ring that is targeting business travelers. This ring is well organized, well funded, has very skilled personnel, and is currently in most major cities and recently very active in New Orleans.

The crime begins when a business traveler goes to a lounge for a drink at the end of the work day.

A person in the bar walks up as they sit alone and offers to buy them a drink. The last thing the traveler remembers until they wake up in a hotel room bath tub, their body submerged to their neck in ice, is sipping that drink. There is a note taped to the wall instructing them not to move and to call 911. A phone is on a small table next to the bathtub for them to call.

The business traveler is instructed by the 911 operator to very slowly and carefully reach behind them and feel if there is a tube protruding from their lower back. The business traveler finds the tube and answers, "Yes." The 911 operator tells them to remain still, having already sent paramedics to help. The operator knows that both of the business traveler's kidneys have been harvested.

It is documented and confirmable. If you travel or someone close to you travels, please be careful.

Tommy Hilfiger

Did you see the recent Oprah Winfrey show on which Tommy Hilfiger was a guest? Oprah asked Hilfiger if his alleged statements about people of color were true - he's been accused of saying things such as "If I had known that African-Americans, Hispanics and Asians would buy my clothes, I would not have made them so nice," and "I wish those people would not buy my clothes - they were made for upper-class whites." What did he say when Oprah asked him if he said these things? He said "Yes." Oprah immediately asked Hilfiger to leave her show.

Now, let's give Hilfiger what he's asked for - let's not buy his clothes. Boycott! Please - pass this message along.

THE $250 COOKIE RECIPE

Okay, everyone....a true story of justice in the good old U.S. of A. Thought y'all might enjoy this; if nothing else, it shows internet justice, if it can be called that.

My daughter & I had just finished a salad at Neiman-Marcus Cafe in Dallas & decided to have a small dessert. Because our family are such cookie lovers, we decided to try the "Neiman-Marcus Cookie." It was so excellent that I asked if they would give me the recipe and they said with a small frown, "I'm afraid not." Well, I said, would you let me buy the recipe? With a cute smile, she said, "Yes." I asked how much, and she responded, "Two fifty." I said with approval, just add it to my tab.

Thirty days later, I received my VISA statement from Neiman-Marcus and it was $285.00. I looked again and I remembered I had only spent $9.95 for two salads and about $20.00 for a scarf. As I glanced at the bottom of the statement, it said, "Cookie Recipe - $250.00." Boy, was I upset!! I called Neiman's Accounting Dept. and told them the waitress said it was "two fifty," and I did not realize she meant $250.00 for a cookie recipe. I asked them to take back the recipe and reduce my bill and they said they were sorry, but because all the recipes were this expensive so not just everyone could duplicate any of our bakery recipes....the bill would stand.

I waited, thinking of how I could get even or even try and get any of my money back. I just said, "Okay, you folks got my $250.00 and now I'm going to have $250.00 worth of fun." I told her that I was going to see to it that every cookie lover will have a $250.00 cookie recipe from Neiman-Marcus for nothing. She replied, "I wish you wouldn't do this." I said, "I'm sorry but this is the only way I feel I could get even," and I will.

So, here it is, and please pass it to someone else or run a few copies....I paid for it; now you can have it for free.

Cream the butter and both sugars. Add eggs and vanilla; mix together with flour, oatmeal, salt, baking powder, and soda. Add chocolate chips, Hershey Bar and nuts. Roll into balls and place two inches apart on a cookie sheet. Bake for 10 minutes at 375 degrees. Makes 112 cookies.

Have fun!!! This is not a joke --- this is a true story.. That's it. Please, pass it along to everyone you know, single people, mailing lists, etc..... Ride free, citizen!

Rachel Arlington

Craig Shergold

Craig Shergold is a seven year old boy who has terminal cancer. His ambition before he dies is to be included in the Guinness Book of Records as having the largest collection of business cards.

My request is that EVERYONE who reads this posting send at least one business card to him at:

Send Email....Make Money

Netscape and AOL have recently merged to form the largest internet company in the world. In an effort to remain at pace with this giant, Microsoft has introduced a new email tracking system as a way to keep Internet Explorer as the most popular browser on the market. This email is a beta test of the new software and Microsoft has generously offered to compensate those who participate in the testing process. For each person you send this email to, you will be given $5. For every person they give it to, you will be given an additional $3. For every person they send it to you will receive $1.

Microsoft will tally all the emails produced under your name over a two week period and then email you with more instructions. This beta test is only for Microsoft Windows users because the email tracking device that contacts Microsoft is embedded into the code of Windows 95 and 98.

I know you guys hate forwards. But I started this a month ago because I was very short on cash. A week ago I got an email from Microsoft asking me for my address. I gave it to them and yesterday I got a check in the mail for $800. It really works. I wanted you to get a piece of the action. You won't regret it.

We have rented an email tracker for the next 3 months! We at RH Power Inc. want to see how many people our email can reach in this time! If you forward this mail, you will be PAID MONEY!!!!

This email must be sent immediately upon receiving this for it to be counted. For every person you send this to you will receive $413! For every person they send this to you will receive $139!

I too Ryan LaGrange, Head Marketing Manager, thought this was a hoax until I did the same this and the next month got a check for $4612 in the mail!

IF YOU SEND THIS TO AT LEAST 15 PEOPLE RIGHT AWAY, A $25 GIFT CERTIFICATE TO OUTBACK STEAKHOUSE WILL POP UP ON YOUR SCREEN PRINT OUT THIS--IT IS A GIFT CERTIFICATE!!!

Tastes Like Chicken!

KFC has been a part of our American traditions for many years. Many people, day in and day out, eat at KFC religiously. Do they really know what they are eating?

During a recent study of KFC done at the University of New Hampshire, they found some very upsetting facts. First of all, has anybody noticed that just recently the company has changed their name? Kentucky Fried Chicken has become KFC. Does anybody know why? We thought the real reason was because of the "FRIED" food issue. It's not. The reason why they call it KFC is because they can not use the word chicken anymore. Why? KFC does not use real chickens. They actually use genetically manipulated organisms.

These so called "chickens" are kept alive by tubes inserted into their bodies to pump blood and nutrients throughout their structure. They have no beaks, no feathers, and no feet. Their bone structure is dramatically shrunk to get more meat out of them. This is great for KFC because they do not have to pay so much for their production costs. There is no more plucking of the feathers or the removal of the beaks and feet.

The government has told them to change all of their menus so they do not say chicken anywhere. If you look closely you will notice this. Listen to their commercials, I guarantee you will not see or hear the word chicken. I find this matter to be very disturbing. I hope people will start to realize this and let other people know.

Please forward this message to as many people as you can. Together we make KFC start using real chicken again.