Current Email Hoaxes: Don't be Duped!

Scammers and pranksters have been creating and circulating hoaxes via email since it has been in use. As email has become more popular, hoaxes have been on the rise. From product promotion to free money to scary diseases, misinformation and scams abound on the internet and are transmitted directly to you through unsuspecting friends who want to pass on the information or who are hoping that the scam is real. Some of the current email hoaxes are actually upgrades from older hoaxes, although there are some new ones circulating as well. These are some of the most recent ones.

Ericsson Lap Top Computer Giveaway This hoax appeared sometime in March of 2007, but gained new life in May of 2009 when a fancy, graphical version was introduced. In general, the email asserted that Ericsson, a telecommunications equipment supplier was giving away a free laptop computer to anyone who forwarded a particular message to 8 people or to 20 people. The scam has also offered new "free mobile phones" in a variation. Ericsson issued statements denying these claims and warning consumers to not fall victim to the prank. They advised people who received the email to not forward it, but to delete it.

Work at Home Scams This is more of a blanket term for several current email hoaxes. In these scams, the recipient is promised a "job." They are told to contact a company or person who then sets the scam into motion. These scams usually have several common traits: 1. They require an "investment" or money up front for supplies or training materials 2. They don't really have any product, instead the "worker" is told to post an ad in classified sections of newspapers selling the "job opportunity" to others (much as it was sold to them) 3. They don't require any skills, experience or even an interview 4. They promise lots of money for little work If you see any of these scams, run, run, run away! They are not legitimate, have no income potential (unless you are OK with swindling others the way you were swindled) and they may even be illegal.

You Won and Lottery Hoaxes Yet another timeless email hoax, the lottery scam just keeps coming around. And people keep falling for it. This scam will tell you that you won a contest or lottery (that you don't remember entering) and inform you that in order to collect your winnings you have to pay certain taxes or fees. Another version involves "free" trips, but you must purchase air fare or cruise tickets from their agency and it is usually exorbitantly costly!

Traffic Court Tricksters One of the relatively newer email hoaxes is one that involves keeping traffic tickets off of your driving record. They claim that when you pay your traffic ticket you should pay a little more than the amount of the ticket. It goes on to say that when you do that, the traffic court will send you a refund check which you will not cash thus keeping the case "open" and the ticket in some cyber limbo. Garbage, plain and simple. If you really want to keep traffic tickets off of your record, stop breaking the law.

Scams come and scams go, but sometimes their effects last a long, long time. Don't fall victim to the current email hoaxes or any of the scams out there. Remember this rule of thumb, if it looks too good to be true it probably is. Don't be a sucker.