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February 17, 2008

Nothing makes for a great come-on like a hot topic. The upcoming Beijing Olympics has already been in the news for various reasons. As expected, scammers are eager to ride those coattails to riches.

I just saw a 419 lottery scam using the Beijing Olympics as the primary hook:

Subject: CHINESE OLYMPIC COMMITTEE LOTTERY DRAW

CHINESE OLYMPIC COMMITTEE LOTTERY DRAW

2008 BEIJING OLYMPIC GAMES
CHINESE OLYMPIC COMMITTEE LOTTERY DRAW
REF #:-EU/2457/2008/008

This is to inform you that your Email ID has won US$1.5Million in the
second dip of our computer ballot email lottery with the said winning
number giving below;
[more blah blah blah]

Yet, in keeping with tradition, this lottery claims to be run out of The Netherlands. One is to mail his or her claim for this prize money to a free aim.com email account—how official for Postbank NL!

So, get ready to be inundated over the next several months with Beijing Olympics This and Beijing Olympics That. Confucius say: "Delete!"