On a daily basis from several months, my e-mail has been hit with a virtual onslaught of spam mail and solicitations of all kinds. Two days ago, I counted 40 e-mails. They at first appearance appear to be quite harmless, using names of people that you think that you may know.

What kind are they? Well?.

The Nigerian letters continue, more sophisticated than ever before, but the message is the same. "Shhhhh!, don't tell, but if you let us use your bank account, we will deposit millions from some dead airplane pilot, dead minister of defence, dead old bachelor, dead of all kinds, but always extraordinarily wealth and no discernible relatives in sight to claim this huge pot of money. All have to do is hold it in your bank account and we will give you half, 40 percent, 30 percent, 20 percent depending, but we just need your bank account number."from what appear to be real banks, Citibank, Key Bank, Sunbank, WellsFargo, and many others ? the logos even have the right colours ? informing you that your account has been compromised. You are then cautioned to notify them immediately using a link enclosed in the e-mail. Upon entering a totally realistic website where you are then obliging enough to fill in all of your personal information including your social security number, bank access code, bank accounts, etc. Upon exiting the site, your accounts are immediately plundered. The only thing real about these websites is the theft; clients have told me they didn't realise until it was too late. Always be careful of pump and dump schemes, because this is what these are. In the US, this type of activity is a federal offence. I am so tired of these ads for cheap euphoria. Why would I need every medication known to man? Never order from these sites. You have absolutely no idea if the medication you are buying is pure, and it could cost you your life. Your order could be cornstarch filled gelatin capsules. How would you know?from some country you never heard of.

The message is the same, they want to steal, they want to trick you into revealing your credit card and bank accounts, and even your identity.

If it happens, it becomes your responsibility then to spend countless hours and money to get these things corrected before you wake up one morning and find out that you:

?No long own your home, it has been sold out from under you (this happens in the US);

?You have no money in the bank because your accounts have been emptied;

?You cannot travel because your passport has been renewed with someone else's thumbprint and picture;

?You will not receive a pension because someone else has your social security number;

?You cannot drive because your licence now has someone's picture on it;

?You cannot have surgery because your blood type does not match your new alter ego;

?You cannot protect your family with your whole life insurance policy because the new you, has cashed it in and it has been canceled;

Although you are still a living breathing human being, you really don't exist. Think I am exaggerating?

Here are some other, less hi-tech methods:divert all mail to a post office box. Done more by the previous generation of identity theft criminals, this has changed some since most confidential information can no longer be sent to post offices. bring in their own credit card machines. One for the business, one for me. Even if it only works for a day, imagine the haul, and off they go to the next job. They takethe cash from my friend and put it in this old lady's account. She must be ill because it isn't being used much. Tomorrow, I'll withdraw the money along with some of hers, she doesn't need all that cash, and I'll put it in my cousin's account. On Wednesday, he can take it all out and go on a trip to Las Vegas.

According to a reliable source who manages the largest debit card organisation in the North Atlantic region (country and name shall remain anonymous), electronic stealing is an escalating silent war. As fast as financial institutions employ new safety measures, they are compromised. Last year alone in one country, the theft volume just from stealing cash from debit cards hit in excess of $60 million, an increase of 36 percent from the year before. And with all due respect to those calling Eastern Europe home, the largest and most sophisticated criminals operate from these areas, along with groups from the African continent. Many are illegal immigrants living in a subculture impenetrable by the outside world.

Within any financial institution, an estimated one to two percent of employees are actively trying to rip off the system. The numbers of compliance personnel that need to be employed just to anticipate, monitor and prevent this type of internal theft is growing. The sheer cost of preventing fraud and protecting legitimate customers is enormous.

Use the preview feature on your e-mail.

Delete the message first before you think about it, if they really want to reach you they can do it by picking up the phone and calling you.

Never never respond to offers to check the security of your computer

If the logo looks legitimate, chances are that it is NOT or it has been lifted from a legitimate financial institution website. Call your financial institution and verify everything before you divulge any personal information.

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