One clue that can identify an internet scam is poor grammar or spelling. Many of the schemes are hatched and spread from regions where English is a second language, and learned poorly, at that. So when you get an email message offering a freebie if you clink on a link and answer a few questions, take a look at the spelling and grammar, keeping in mind the adage, "If it sounds too good to be true, it probably is."
Example: A pitch just came in the email saying you can "recieve" a free gift certificate to "JC Penny," just for replying to the pitch.
Beware: That pitch violates two rules ingrained in students' heads in elementary school.
Rule No. 1: "i before e, except after c, or when e sounds like a, as in neighbor and weigh."
Rule No. 2: Spelling counts, so get the name right. The American retail chain is JC Penney, spelled with two e's.
Moreover, the first warning was the opening, which said, "Thank you for your patronage at JCPenny." There are no stores by that name within many miles of this residence, and it has been several decades since anyone in the family lived anywhere near such a store.
Conclusion: No matter how enticing the freebie might seem, delete the message without reading further.
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