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Latest e-mail scam: death threats

with the recipient being the intended target, but the killer will renege on the killing if the person will cough up some cash.  It said, in part, “Am very sorry for you my friend, is a pity that this is how your life is going to end as soon as you don’t comply. … I don’t have any business with you, my duty as I am mailing you now is just to KILL/ASSASINATE you and I have to do it as I have already been paid for that. […] Get back to me now if you are ready to pay some fees to spare your life, If you are not ready for my help, then I will carry on with my job straight-up.”  The FBI reports that it started seeing these emails about 6-8 months ago, and they’ve traced at least one to Eastern Europe.  It looks like they’re even starting to resort to some standard phishing tactics to get more personal information out of people, “…some bold thieves have even used the e-mails on FBI letter­head, or claim to be from the Department of Justice, Internal Revenue Service, Social Security Administration or Better Business Bureau. Typically, they say some kind of complaint was filed and ask the recipient to make a phone call, click a hyperlink or open an attachment — tricks designed to steal personal information.”  So just remember, if any of this were true they would not be contacting you via email.