A new social engineering spam scam emerged last week. The Death Threat Spam has a message purporting to be from a hitman who has been hired to kill the recipient. The text of the message varies slightly, but is essentially the same–

“I have been hired to assassinate you for $_________ (the amount varies from high six figures to low five figures). I do not know why they want you dead, but you are now being watched.” The message goes on to say that the recipient is being monitored by the sender’s “boys,” that their phone is tapped and that any attempt to contact the police will result in thier immediate death. Of course, the sender provides an out for the recipient. “If you contact me within 24 hours, there may be a chance for you to live.”

Presumably, any user who is scared (gullible) enough to reply to the message will be directed to wire money to an account in exchage for their life.

Responding to the message will certainly open the door for more direct harrassment, as the spammers/scammers will assume that the person on the other end has bought the story, is scared and, perhaps, willing to play ball.

One has to wonder how many people have falled for this? Death Threat Spam…where does it end?