February 26, 2008

An internet hoax that first started showing up in email boxes in December 2006 is just that -- a hoax. The email is thought to have originated in Russia.

Since the beginning of the year, several people have reported receiving an e-mail that threatens to kill the recipient if they do not pay thousands of dollars to the sender, who purports to be a hired assassin. The e-mail, which does not address the receiver by name, usually states that the sender has been following the person for at least a week and instructs the recipient not to contact the police. Actually, responding to the e-mail only verifies that the recipient’s e-mail address is valid.

There have been variations of this email hoax, which can be reviewed at Snopes.com (http://www.snopes.com/crime/fraud/hitman.asp) or the FBI’s fraud website (http://www.fbi.gov/page2/jan07/threat_scam011507.htm). If you have any doubts about the validity of information you receive through emails, these two web sites are great resources.