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I woke up to the following email today through my blog contact form, and it freaked me out. The sender states she received my contact through Facebook, but I’m not on Facebook. What do you think – will responding bring me riches or identity theft? Do you receive these types of emails too? Do people really get sucked into this?
Name: Patricia Mercer
Email: givensneverlack@yahoo.com
Comment: My Dear Sister in Christ,
I don’t really know who you are,but I hope that peace is with you as you read this letter.My intuition tells me that I can trust you with my proposition.I received your contact through my face book directory and my inner voice suggested that I send this money to you.
I am a widow and a devoted Christian.My name is Mrs. Patricia Mercer,and I live in city of Manchester City.Since my husband died,I have been suffering from arthritis.Just this summer,my doctor has diagnosed me with terminal cancer.I have approximately twelve months to live.I am currently confined to a wheelchair,and am being cared for by a nurse.
Before my husband died,he left me a large sum of money,to the tune of $5.6m Dollars.He made me promise that it should be used for humanitarian work.We have no children you see,and my husband didn’t want his brother to inherit it.This money is currently being held by the bank,awaiting the proper recipient.It is up to me to decide who will gain access to it. If you promise me that you will use this money to achieve the wish of my Husband and I, then I will instruct the bank to release the contents of the vault in your name.
If you agree to use the money for humanitarian purposes,I will need the following information from you:
Your full name,contact address,occupation,age,and phone number.God bless you as you walk in the light and glory.Please Kindly send your reply to my private email address:givensneverlack@yahoo.com
Yours in Vineyard,
Mrs.Mrs. Patricia Mercer.
Gail's Blog 
So many of these types of emails are out there now. What’s sad is some people fall prey to them, revealing all sorts of personal data. We have to be so careful what links we click on in emails too. One wrong click can introduce the nastiest of viruses.
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True, Carrie. I delete them faster than withdrawing my hand from a hot stove.
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Haha, me too.
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Absolutely. Delete them like you have contacted the plague. Another variation of this email scam is to receive an email from a friend of yours stating that he/she is stranded in a foreign land, has been robbed and needs money. As to your comments regarding, “I am not on Facebook”, the simple answer is,”it does not matter”. Everything and everyone is connected. A friend of a friend of a friend…. of yours could be on Facebook (or anything else) and his/her email contacts can be used to track down your email. If you get a chance, do read the book “Future Crimes” for some extraordinary insights into digital crime!
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What a scary Web we weave. I’ll look for that book. If you know the author, please let me know.
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“Future Crimes” by Marc Goodman
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Thanks!
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