From: NOT SPAM <***@***> Hey man/woman, I'm here to tell you that ************* is a REALLY great website and you should please visit them today!!!! Visit us today, fullfilling your PHP needs!!! *** Please spread the word about our website and our scripts!!! Forward this email to 250 people and we'll pay you $5.00 US dollars via paypal. Thank you, Patatten Boerken *** NOTE: THIS MESSAGE IS NOT SPAM and your email was obtained from legal sources.
The sender is apparently trying to co-opt people as spammers for a payment of just US$5 for 250 contacts. Aren’t your contacts worth more than that?
It seems likely that even this derisory offer is insincere. It is too similar to the well-known Bill Gates giveaway hoax (see Snopes, Vmyths and Urban Legends for details) and the same questions arise: how is it possible to verify who forwarded the message, and why would anyone pay money for an unverifiable claim?
The message also shows two common spammer misconceptions (or, in all likelihood, something the spammer does not believe, but they would like the recipients to believe it):
- It is not spam if it shows the words “not spam” (with extra effectiveness for using ALL CAPS, repeating the phrase and repeating the phrase).
- Obtaining an address by “legal means” automatically makes a message wanted.