| New Twist On An Old ScamVirtually anyone with | | | | the illegal CD-ROMs people made on their |
| an email account eventually receives | | | | computers, wait |
| a message running one of the oldest scams in | | | | until everybody gets a DVD burner!The average |
| the book.Often referred to as the "Nigerian | | | | price for an excellent DVD burner has dropped |
| Letter," this scam | | | | well below $400 and medium to low priced |
| involves getting a message from someone in a | | | | computers now |
| foreign | | | | include DVD burners as standard equipment.The |
| country claiming to need a way to get 21.5 million | | | | only thing holding back the avalanche of DVD |
| dollars | | | | copying |
| out of the country (the first country used in this | | | | seems to be the rather hefty cost of buying |
| scam was | | | | blank DVDs.With an average price of $1.50-2.00 |
| Nigeria, hence the scam's name).He knows that | | | | each, blank DVDs cost |
| you "are a trustworthy individual" and if | | | | far more than blank CDs, which run around 20 |
| you'll just send him your bank account | | | | cents each.But, if you look back about 6 years, |
| information he will | | | | blank CDs used to cost |
| deposit the money in your account and give you | | | | a dollar apiece, so it won't take long for the price |
| 15% of the | | | | of |
| deposit.Of course, after you give up your | | | | blank DVDs to drop.When that price drop does |
| banking information the | | | | come and every home with a |
| scammer empties YOUR account.Well a new | | | | computer can also duplicate full-length movies on |
| scam has spawned to take advantage of one of | | | | DVD, |
| the | | | | watch for one of the biggest upheavals in the |
| web's most successful and widespread activities - | | | | history of |
| online | | | | Hollywood.It will make the music industry's |
| auctions.The scammer sends you an email | | | | crackdown on illegal |
| offering to purchase an item | | | | music sharing look as mild as a 5 minute "time |
| you're selling through an online auction or in the | | | | out" in the |
| classified section of your local paper.They tell you | | | | local pre-school class.~ Yahoo! - Still King! ~In a |
| a relative living in the area will pick up | | | | bid to capture even more of the world's search |
| the goods, however, when the check arrives, it's | | | | engine |
| made out | | | | traffic, search giant Yahoo! recently purchased |
| for more than the agreed price (often thousands | | | | the web's |
| more).The bidder asks you to refund the | | | | largest pay-per-click search engine, In the |
| difference and keep a | | | | process (and more importantly), since the |
| percentage for your "trouble."Of course the | | | | commissions from pay-per-click advertising with |
| check is forged and, if you refund the | | | | Overture |
| difference, you can kiss your money | | | | represent a major source of revenue for most |
| goodbye.Moral of the story: free money is only | | | | of the other |
| free for the person | | | | major search engines, Yahoo! definitely holds the |
| who steals it from you!~ The Coming Storm | | | | upper |
| Over DVDs ~If you thought Napster caused a | | | | hand. |
| stir over trading music and | | | | |