I was sent this email - why?

Question

 

On 7/4/2013 10:41 AM, WikiTree wrote:

The following was sent via the private messaging system on WikiTree.com.

Hello Dear, permit me to inform you of my desire of going into business relationship with you.I know this mail may come to you as a surprise, since we have not known or written before. After you receive this mail kindly contact me on my private Email contact below. introducing myself, I am fatima mohammad the Only Daughter of the late mohammad Dominic, my father was a gold and cocoa merchant based in accra , Ghana and Abidjan ( Ivory Coast ), he was poisoned to death by his business associates on one of their business trips recently. Before his death, He called me on his bedside and told me that he has a sum of 6.500,000USD deposited in one of the prime bank here in Abidjan Cote d' Ivoire, that he used my name for the next of kin in depositing of the fund. Moreover, I am willing to offer you 15% of the total sum as compensation for your effort/input after the successful transfer of this fund to your nominated account overseas. Reply to my private e-mail box below(fatimamohammad34@yahoo.com) Anticipating to hear from you soon. Awaiting your urgent reply. Regards, fatima mohammad

This message is from Fatima Mohmmad. Click here for their WikiTree profile: http://www.WikiTree.com/wiki/Mohmmad-1

The sender was on this profile page when they sent the message: http://www.WikiTree.com/wiki/Carl-105

Answer 1

Thank you for bringing it to our attention. We took care of it . He is a guest member and he will not be confirmed as a member. Please anyone , let us know when you receive spam like this from your profiles so we make sure not to admit them.

Comments

I've sent Fatima's ip address and the email he/she listed to Microsoft Security with a request  they notify appropriate US Federal law enforcement authorities.  Even if this is a fake name, Microsoft can find him/her.

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that is cool

Answer 2

This sounds like it may be spam - I would delete and ignore it.

Answer 3

Yes I agree don't take any notice and don't click on the links...

Answer 4

Thanks for reporting this, Christine. And thank-you to the Supervisors who blocked the spammer's account.

Unfortunately, there's no way to completely stop spammers without also stopping all legitimate interaction on the site.

We do limit the damage they can do. Users can't send more than 10 messages per day.