An email scam has been spreading across the country and represents a real low in scams. This one threatens your life with a ?hit? if you don?t reply. {{more:Read more…}}
An example is the following exact copy of one received this week.
?I am very sorry for you and there is no need for introduction because I have no business with you, if you are reading this mail you will be dead in the next 48hours.Get back to me if you are willing to co-operate with me to spare your life so I can make some arrangement, I will send the recorded conversation between me and your friend that wants you dead as you get the recorded tape and If i don?t get your reply immediately I will commence with the hit.? Danger Bullettask alot of money to spare your life ...
In this kind of scam also called scatting, the con artist will ask for a lot of money to supposedly spare your life. And some victims are frightened enough to pay it
A quick internet search shows that there have been outbreaks around the country. In March of this year in Charlotte, N.C. scammers were emailing death threats to local residents. Again in July in Lamar County in Mississippi, the Sheriff?s Department warned residents of death threat email scam. Then in October the Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre issued warnings about scammers using a number of threats to extort money including death.
“I intend to kidnap and murder a child at your school …
Another version of this type of death threat was used in April in Okaloosa County, Florida. There according to the Sheriff?s Office an individual?s computer was hacked from an oversea hacker and his email account was used to send emails threats to a school district?s staffers with the subject line, ?I intend to kidnap and murder a child at your school.?
And it is not new, back in 2011, the San Francisco Police Department issued a scam alert about ?hitman? threats. So did officials in Richmond, Virginia in the same year.don’t respond .. delete …
In one report by WWBT in San Francisco, the FBI was contacted and was told that these scams are pretty common and the FBI does have a cyber task force to investigate. The FBI says many of the emails originate overseas and in some cases, it could take up to a year or more to complete an investigation.
How to respond? The general consensus is Don?t! Delete the message. If you feel a real threat exist or you are not sure report it to the police.
Comments are closed.