NOTE: this is the "60-second" version of this month's piece. We have provided a 3-minute version which gives much better descriptions of each of the Top Ten. #130 Top Ten Signs You're about to get ripped off The problem with email these days is it’s becoming increasingly difficult to tell the difference between legitimate “offers” and a scam rip-off . The old Madison Avenue adage “If it doesn’t sell, they don’t keep advertising” is always true -- so it’s obvious that unsolicited email (aka: UCE, Spam) must be working or they’d no longer be doing it. So, all you folks out there who actually respond to to spam, please don’t. Here are ten key rules to think about before you click the reply button: 1 -- If there are more than two slashes in the domain... trash it Look at the domain. If there’s more than ONE slash after the dot-com, beware. 2 -- If the domain is numeric ... it’s out to lunch Any honest business, with a ligit offer will NOT use an IP number. Stay away from addresses like: http://207.173.123.243:524 ... they spells trouble. 3 -- If they say use this or that ... use neither Con artists these days know they’ll be shut down -- it’s only a matter of time. So in order to sucker in more people they’ll list several domains. 4 -- Who sent it is not who gets it ... don’t let them get you Look carefully at the addresses of the sender -- if they’re not the same, they should at least be from the same domain. (That’s the part after the “@".) 5 -- No real name means no real person dhckj@msn.com, i27452@compuserve.com? eyzjygeynf@yahoo.com ... These addresses are generated by spam robots -- stay away. 6 -- If they tell you they’ll call you back ... tell’em no! They want you to call their toll free number, leave your name and phone number. Their yarn is convincing -- but don’t expect them to call back! 7 -- If there’s no address... you don’t want to go there! If you don’t find a physical address, there’s a reason why: they don’t want to be tracked down. Never reply, never buy. 8 -- If it’s off-shore money ... it won’t add up! If it has to do with money but they’re from another country other than your own -- RUN! They won’t fulfill their promises... they’re ripping you off. 9 -- If they’re using a freebie account... you can’t afford it If they’ve got nothing to lose, then they’ve got nothing for you! 88% spammers use free services like Yahoo or MSN. 10 -- If it’s too good to be true... it is! Ask youself could it be true. Chances are, it’s a blatant lie. Keep them in mind, and laugh at them as you drag them to the trash... where they belong. Be careful, don’t reply, and stay out of trouble. Fred Don't forget to see the longer version of this one. Fred Showker is a designer, consultant, writer and speaker. He has published 60-Second Window and DT&G Magazine online since 1990, and is director of The Graphic Design Network which includes The Design & Publishing Center at www.Graphic-Design.com. (1994) He was a co-founder of both The User Group Forum on America Online (1987), The User Group Network at www.User-Groups.net, (1994) and the Designers' Bookshelf (1996) He originally founded Showker Graphic Arts & Design in 1972, has been an avid computer activist and supporter since 1984. Got Comments??? back to the 60-Second Window Index, 60-Second Lobby . . . or: The Design & Publishing Center. / . The User Group Network. / . Design University. / . The Designers' Bookshelf. / Would you like to carry the 60-Second Windows column in your newsletter or web site? Ask us about our syndication program... join hundreds of others who now publish 60-Second Windows! Thank you for visiting http://www.60-second.com/ DT&G: The Electronic Journal for Design, Typography & Graphics c/o Showker Graphic Arts 15 SouthGate, Harrisonburg, VA 22801 TAD, Voice, FAX: (540) 433-8402 Thank you for visiting 60-second.com, graphic-design.com, user-groups.net, and all of the sites including The Design & Publishing Center, The User Group Network, The Graphic Design Network. We bring you 100% spam-free content for designers, illustrators, publishers, photographers, and visual graphics arts professionals from all corners of the world. http://www.graphic-design.com/DTG/ -- Contents Copyright (c) 1995, 1996, 1997, 1998, 1999, 2000, 2001. 60-Second Window is trademark, copyrighted since 1990. DT&G Magazine, and The Design & Publishing Center invite you to visit Photoshop Tips & Tricks at: http://www.graphic-design.com/photoshop/. Reproduction or reuse of parts or all of this manuscript without prior written permission is expressly forbidden.