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Pyramid Scam Email

Introduction

The pyramid scam email is simply a web-based version of the old snail-mail pyramid scheme chain letter. Basically it's a classic pyramid scheme where you receive an email with a list of names and you are asked to send £5 or so (probably $5 in the US) erson whose name is at the top of the list, add your own name to the bottom, and forward the updated list to a number of other people.

How it Works

To make the scam more attractive the author is always at pains to explain that if more people join this chain, when it’s your turn to receive the money, you might even become a millionaire! The

More often than not the list of names is manipulated to keep the top name (the creator of the scam, or his friends) on top, permanently. Basically only the top five or so people actually get any money and everyone else is somply defrauded.

Here is an example of the kind of email that you might receive:

Scam email starts:

From: robert@hotmail.com
Subject: fwd: Make Money Fast
Date: 18 Jan 2006 07:29:26 BDT
To: dyfed7@email.com
Reply-To: robert@thotmail.com

Dear Friend,

This letter is about an opportunity to make an incredible amount of money (CASH !!!) in a very short time. The cost is only £5.00! This is the 16th day since I started receiving £ cash, and so far I have received £5,845 (all in £1 coins)... So, I guess this is really working! Give it a try! All I did was follow the instructions in the letter that I received below and sent out some e-mail to people who respeonded to my ads.

Here is a testimony from one of the thousands who have benefited from this simple investment plan.

'I'm a retired lawyer, and about a year ago a man came to me with a letter. The letter he brought to me is the same letter before you now. He asked me to verify that this letter was legal. I told him that I would review it and get back to him. When I first read the letter, I thought it was some off the wall idea to make money. A week later I met again with my client to discuss he issue. I told him that the letter would be all right. I was curious about the letter, so he told me how it worked. I thought it was a long shot, so I decided against participating. Befoore my client left, I asked him to keep me updated as to his results. About two months later he called me to tell me that he had received more that £500,000.00 in cash! I didn't believe him, so he asked me to try the plan and see for myself.'

Scam email ends

Because this is just another example of a pyramid scheme, as with earlier snail-mail visions of the chain letter e email edition is just as illegal. Should you choose to participate, you risk being charged with fraud. Moreover, all you will do is to lose your money.