I Almost Thoght That This Was Real!

I got this email recently:

Your Payment Agreement

Dear customer,

You have set up a Payment Agreement to automatically pay your eBid seller fees with PayPal. The description of your agreement is shown below:

Description: eBid Seller Fees

If you did not authorize this agreement please click the link bellow:

https://www.paypal.co.uk/xxxxxxxxxxxx

Please do not reply to this email. This mailbox is not monitored and you will not receive a response. For assistance, log in to your PayPal account and click the Help link in the top right corner of any PayPal page.

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Copyright 使1999-2009 PayPal. All rights reserved.

PayPal (Europe) S.a r.l. & Cie, S.C.A.
Societe en Commandite par Actions
Registered Office: 22-24 Boulevard Royal L-2449, Luxembourg
RCS Luxembourg B 118 349


Now since I do belong to Paypal, I almost thought that this email was real until I looked at the provided link more closely! The link DOES NOT take you to a legitimate Paypal site! Instead it goes somewhere else.

If you have a Paypal account you have to be very careful when you get any Paypal-related email. Since belonging to Paypal means that you are doing financial transactions online you want to be very careful that no one else - besides you and Paypal - have access to your account! If you do get a Paypal-related email you should not click on any link provided! What you should do is go directly to your Paypal account and see if there are any problems with your Paypal account.

I have had the experience of talking to Paypal on the phone and so far I haven't had any problems with them yet - indeed a few of those times the people that I talked to were very helpful!

These kinds of emails are sent because people are "phishing" for you account information. Once they have your account information they may be able to withdraw your Paypal funds!

So you have to be very careful!

Official Stimulus Check? - I Think Not!

Here is a recent copy of a email I got:

OFFICIAL 2009 STIMULUS CHECK ADVISORY

Congratulations! You've been selected to receive a FREE Stimulus Check in the amount of 100USD

Click below to claim your FREE Stimulus Check!

The economy is in crisis and everyone is saving where they can! We'd like to help reduce your stress and financial hardships by putting money back into your pocket! Simply visit below to learn how you can claim your FREE Stimulus Check in the amount of $100! We know every dollar and cent helps! (Participation required. See below for details.)

Start it NOW! Go your check below:

http://xxxx.xxxx

SUMMARY OF PROGRAM REQUIREMENTS. To receive the reward you must: 1) be a U.S. resident at least 18 years of age or older; 2) register with valid information; 3) complete the following reward offers: 2 Silver offers, 2 Gold offers, and 6 Platinum offers (Available reward offers will vary. Some reward offers require a purchase. Credit card offers may require you to activate the card by making a purchase, transferring a balance or taking a cash advance.); and 4) follow the redemption instructions. All program requirements must be completed within 120 days of the date of registration. Allow 6-8 weeks for delivery. Limit of one (1) gift per household. No cash redemption value. Please visit our website to read the complete Terms & Conditions.

Regards,

Stimulus Check Manager

If you get an email such as this one I hope that you don't fall for it! As someone that does grant research I am here to tell you that getting a check from the government will involve much more than just sending an email!

Yet Another Email For Viagra!

Here is yet another email I got concerning Viagra!

Viagra is an oral drug for male impotence, also known as erectile dysfunction. Having been around for a lot longer, Viagra has a great safety track record and proven effects that start acting in 30 minutes and last for about 5 hours.

Viagra is used to treat impotence in men. It increases the body's ability to achieve and maintain an erection during sexual stimulation.

Viagra should be taken as needed about 1 hour before sexual activity. However, Viagra can be taken anytime from 4 hours to 30 minutes before sexual activity.

Viagra is a phosphodiesterase inhibitor. It works by helping the blood flow into the penis to achieve and maintain an erection.

Here Is Another Email That I Am Not Going To Be Tricked Into Answering!

Dear ~,

You were recently appointed as a biographical candidate to represent your industry in the Who's Who Among Executives and Professionals, and for inclusion into the upcoming 2008-2009 "Honors Edition" of the registry.

We are pleased to inform you that on March 21st, your candidacy was approved. Your confirmation for inclusion will be effective within five business days, pending our receipt of the enclosed application.

The Office of the Managing Director appoints individuals based on a candidate's current position, and usually with information obtained from researched executive and professional listings. The director thinks you may make an interesting biographical subject, as individual achievement is what Who's Who is all about. Upon final confirmation you will be listed among thousands of accomplished individuals in the Who's Who Registry. There is no cost to be included.

We do require additional information to complete the selection process and kindly ask that you access this form on our website by Clicking Here.

Sincerely,
Matthew Johnson
Managing Director

Madison Who's Who - ~, NY 11101

Madison Who's Who is not associated or affiliated with Marquis Who's Who or any other Who's Who.

And to make matters worsse they didn't even have the correct name!

Now if you're thinking that this could all be a mistake and that this could be a legitimate piece of email, I had a chance to look at the "link that they wanted me to click without actually clicking on the link.

The result?

I'm glad I didn't click on the link!

"If You Can't View The Image Click Here"

I got one of those emails today. At the top it said if you can't view the image then click on the link that was provided.

It is always a very good idea to run your curser over the link just to see where that link goes to. If you're not familiar with that link then you should beware and not click on the link if you're not comfortable doing so.

Of course the email itself didn't show the image and personally I think it was some kind of ploy to get me to click on the link.

I didn't click on the link! And I deleted the email!

Grant Funding

Here is what the email said:

Don't miss your chance! If you can't read or see this e-mail. Click here or enable image viewing on your browser.

I guess these people don't know that I do grant research for a living so there is really no need for me to click on their link. I wouldn't have done it anyway - who knows where that "click" would lead to?

Since the email didn't say anything about grant funding in the email itself - this is probably another clever ploy for you to click the link to go to their website.

I know that a lot of people don't know the "ins and outs" of grants and the whole grant program process. That is one of the reasons why I started my Grant Basics 101 Blog. If you visit my grants blog you will find some general information about grants and the grant process in general.

Since I didn't visit the link on the email I really can't tell you too much about them since the link was all that was provided in the email.

"If You Can't Read This Email.........."

Ever get the annoying email that you open and it says if you cannot view the images or see the links then "please click here" - this is supposed to be a clever ploy to get you to click on their link and go to their site! The problem is that you don't know what you will be getting yourself into if you click on that blue link!