How Do You Spot A Chain Letter Scam?
Chain letters are unwanted and often unsettling. They are as old as the Pony Express. These letters clog servers and slow down systems and servers that you need to pay your bills, conduct your business or keep in touch with others. Rememember that the Internet is virtually anonymous. You can send anything from anywhere in the world while claiming to be anyone. Most people will not question your veracity or know how to track you down. The chain letter sender may be a well-intentioned friend. Or he may be a spammer or a hacker, intent on getting your personal information. Look for different types of chain letters, including notes from dying children, foreign refugees and political groups. Most of these are simply annoying, but a few are scams. The most dangerous contain a proposition involving movement of large sums of money requiring a “start-up” investment from you. They typically make reference to poverty, tragic illness or atrocities. They frequently use religion as a hook. They even
