Subject: important

Hey it is Andy and John the directors of MSN,
sorry for the interruption but MSN is closing
down. this is because too many inconsiderate
people are taking up all the names (eg.. making
up lots of different accounts one person), we
only have 578 names left. If you would like to
close youraccount, DO NOT SEND THIS MESSAGE ON.
If you would like to keep account, then SEND
THIS MESSAGE TO EVERYONE ON YOUR CONTACT LIST.
This is no joke, we will be shutting down the
servers. Send it on. The use of msn and hotmail
will cost money from summer 2006. If you send
this message to 18 different people from your
list your little icon will become blue and that
will make it free for you. If you dont believe
me go on (www.msn.com) and see it yourself.
Dont foward this message copy paste it so people
will actually read it

Are you one of those who pass on messages like these? Are you afraid your account will be deleted or you will have to start paying? Do you send it to the people on your list so they will know what is up and they can save their accounts too?

If you ever again suffer any of these delusions, here is what I want to do to help you. Simple advice but very very helpful when determining whether this is real. Because yes, it may not be.


1. See who it's from.

• In this case it would be directors Andy and John. No last names? Just 'directors'? That sounds funny to me.

2. Do a spell check.

• Simple things such as capital letter after the end of a sentence.

• What's up with the caps?
  

3. Does it sound right?

• Look at how it is written - does it look like the writing style of a 16 year old kid or that of the directors of MSN?

• Would a couple directors call their own 'clients' inconsiderate? Anyone who might be a 'director of msn' should and would know enough about costumer service not to go down that road.
  

• What's up with the "sorry for the interruption"? Sending you an email is not an interruption, it may be inconveniencing you, but it is not an interruption.
  

• Would the directors of MSN be writing "this is no joke" and/or "if you don't believe me...". First of all there were two of them so it should be "if you don't believe us", second, they are the directors of MSN. They expect you to believe them.

• Would is there no "sincerely, the directors...." Isn't that a little impolite?
  

4. Is it realistic?

• 578 names left? Which would that be, superman010191 or mymsn889947? Any which name you put in, add a few numbers, and you can be pretty sure it's still availible. As for names without numbers, they were all taken years ago.

• Will you start paying? Would you pay for MSN with all that's out there; yahoo, icq, aim, skype, trillian, even aMSN for those who insist on keeping the name. Or webmessenger.
  

• If you don't send the message, they delete you. If you do send the message, you get to stay. If you do send the message it is free for you. If all those who stay are those for whom it is free - who would have to pay?
  

• Who came up with 18 people?

• Why be so careful to tell you not to forward, so that people will actually read it? Why didn't they just send one email to every hotmail account? Only those who have spam-loving friends get this message? Wouldn't this generate a whole lot more rubbish on their servers than if they just let everyone know once?
  

• What about the "little icon turning blue"? Get on webmessenger and it gets blueish.

and last but not least...

• How many of these 'doomsday' emails have you recieved up through the years? Did anything ever happen?

So please, the next time you recieve one, go through this list first. If you still believe it is real, you are welcome to send it to me. I will underline all the mistakes you did not notice and send it right back. You will then feel stupid for having believed it.

That's all folks!