Good post Linda but we know that some people will fall prey to scammers no matter how many times we warn them. Dateline even did a show on this a couple of weeks ago.
Unless I'm in a chat room, whenever I get an unsolicited message from someone not on my friends list, I click the reply button, then there is a link in the IM box to report as spam. If the person sent 3-4 IM's, I open each one separately and then report it as spam so they get reported 3-4 times. 99.9% of unsolicited IM's from people not on your friends list are either spam bots or scammers. For that other 0.01%, sorry I reported you! LOL Now, if I'm in a chat room, I only do this to actual spam bots... or pests. LOL If everyone would start reporting every spam, actually called SPIM, since it's a spam IM, yahoo would eventually try to figure out a way to heuristically beat down these things. I noticed they've got the chat rooms working pretty good again. I didn't have any problems getting in all day yesterday. Lenny Vasbinder 504-621-1870 FREE and automatic online remote backup of your documents, photos and files... https://mozy.com/?ref=SY4ZSI Check out how simple and secure it can be to use the Mozy remote backup system. Mozy will back up your most important files and folders every day/night while you aren't using your computer. -----Original Message----- From: [email protected] [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] On Behalf Of Linda Sent: Saturday, April 28, 2007 10:09 AM To: [email protected] Subject: [Y!M] How to identify a scammer..... I watched Oprah last week when she had a show about scammers. I love to chat, and after that show I realized I have been contacted by scammers several times. This is a list of things to tell you that you have been contacted by a scammer. Reading it might save you or a friend of being scammed out of thousands of dollars. Linda - Moderator Not every scam has each of these warning signs, but if you recognize several of them, you probably have cause for concern Profile: 1. Their profile pictures looks professionally done and can be found on a modeling website 2. They claim to have blonde hair and blues eyes when the picture is dark hair and brown eyes or vice versa 3. They claim to be Native American or some other ethnicity when the photo is Caucasian 4. They typically claim to be from the US (or your local region) but they are overseas, or going overseas mainly to Nigeria, sometimes the UK for business or family matters Spelling/grammar: 1. Their spelling is atrocious, they are notorious for using "i" instead of "I" mix up their phrases: "i" will like to heer, I am kool 2. They appear uneducated with their speaking/writing skills Conversation/Circumstance: 1. They immediately start using pet names with you: hon/hun baby/babe, angel, over-use emoticons, and BUZZ all the time 2. They do not like to answer personal questions about themselves and tend to ignore questions 3. They typically ask you to get on your webcam yet they never seem to have a webcam of their own 4. They claim it was destiny or fate and you are meant to be together, claiming God brought you to him/her 5. They send you poems or love letters from lovingyou.com 6. They are not usually around on the weekends to IM or they IM at unusual hours for your time zone 7. They ask for your phone # but when they call you can barely understand a word 8. They do not know common questions that every US citizen would know The Scam: 1. They want your address to send you flowers, candy, and teddy bears, purchased with stolen credit cards 2. They are in so love with you BUT they need you to send money so they can come to you 3. They have no close family, friend or business associates to turn to, even the US embassy, instead they can only rely on a stranger they picked off the internet 4. They would like to mail you packages or letters and have you forward them on to them in Africa, sometimes to another US address. To them love equals financial assistance… if you do not send them money or help them out with what they ask, you do not love them. They tend to ask for cell phones and laptops 5. They will ask you to open an account for them in your name or they will ask you for your account information 6. They will send you a check, Qchex, or money order and ask you to cash it for them and wire the money to them via Western Union. 7. Many claim to have lost a spouse/child/parent in a horrific traffic/airplane accident or they are sick or in the hospital 8. They often claim they are in the hospital and the doctor will not perform the operation unless you send money 9. They claim they've been mugged and have no money and are being held hostage in the hotel 10. There is always some desperate story as to why you have to send money If you deny them or question them they become verbally abusive and will resort to threats Above all, if you call them a scammer they are highly offended and some will start throwing words at you in their native language Please check out this site for more information and support….. http://groups.yahoo.com/group/romancescams/ <http://groups.yahoo.com/group/romancescams/> No virus found in this outgoing message. Checked by AVG Free Edition. 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