Here is a chain mail I got today from one of my friends. I will describe clearly in red where you can tell that the chain mail is lying.
Subject: Marks and Spencers
Date: Mon, 4 Jun 2007 17:07:03 +0100
Marks & Spencers, in conjunction with Persimmon Homes, are giving away free
vouchers.
Marks & Spencers are trying word-of-mouth advertising to introduce its
products and the reward you receive for advertising for them is free
non-refundable vouchers to be used in any M&S store.
To receive your free vouchers by e-mail all you have to do is to send this <<--- Here. Total lies.
email out to 8 people (for £100 of free vouchers) or 20 people (for £500 of
free vouchers).
Within 2 weeks you will receive an e-mail with your vouchers attached. They
will contact you through your e-mail address. <<--- Liar!
Please mark a copy to: Andy.curran@persimmonhomes.com
Date: Mon, 4 Jun 2007 17:07:03 +0100
Marks & Spencers, in conjunction with Persimmon Homes, are giving away free
vouchers.
Marks & Spencers are trying word-of-mouth advertising to introduce its
products and the reward you receive for advertising for them is free
non-refundable vouchers to be used in any M&S store.
To receive your free vouchers by e-mail all you have to do is to send this <<--- Here. Total lies.
email out to 8 people (for £100 of free vouchers) or 20 people (for £500 of
free vouchers).
Within 2 weeks you will receive an e-mail with your vouchers attached. They
will contact you through your e-mail address. <<--- Liar!
Please mark a copy to: Andy.curran@persimmonhomes.com
Let's discuss. Let me put this straight and simple. If you forward the email to 8 or 20 people, or loads more people, you will not get an email back "with your vounchers attached". No way. Nada. Uh-uh. Even though it says that you will, you won't. There is no way on this earth that someone will be watching your email to see how many people you send it to. No way. Never. Not in a million years.
And for the record, if they were able to do that, your account would have to have been hacked to do that.
Another example I've heard of before is something like "a window will appear on your screen after you have forwarded the email and you can claim your gift." I'm sure you've guessed where the lie is here. No window will appear. If it did, it means your computer is hacked. It's that simple. There is no way an email can cause other things to happen. An email is just an email. A message. Nothing more.
So please, people, do not sent out chain mails. They are not real. They are a waste of time and energy. I'm sure you agree.
