Tis The Season for more Email Scams

Last week I posted about the Nigerian Scam sequel. Then I get an email from a friend of mine about the Do Not Call list for cell phones. In this one email tells you that 12 days from today (or some other ominous deadline), all cell phone numbers are being released to telemarketing companies and you will start to receive sales calls, and you will be charged for them, yada, yada, yada, so you need to call the special number or all heck will break loose. This is more or less a hoax that seems to pop up every year around the beginning and middle of the year. First of all, the number that is listed is the same Do Not Call list for yor regular landline; secondly and thirdly, automated dialers are standard in the industry, so most telemarketers are barred from calling consumers on their cell phones without their consent, and besides, the federal government does not maintain a national cell phone registry. For more info, http://www.ftc.gov/opa/2005/04/dnc.shtm or of course, snopes.com.

Another scam I was reminded about over the weekend -- the "Please Help the Sick Kid". In this one, the email discusses the plight of some poor sick little boy or girl who has some rare form of cancer. The stated girl is often "Jessica Mydek". If you forward this email, 3 cents will be donated by the American Cancer Society and other corporate entities toward research. It makes you feel really good for doing something good for someone, and it's relatively easy. Unfortunately, this one is a hoax, too, and again, all you've really done is annoyed your friends. See http://www.cancer.org/docroot/med/content/med_6_1_chain_e-mail.asp, and again, snopes for more info.