Hit Man Scam

The Vermont State Police Computer Crimes Unit is warning Vermonters of a new “Hit Man” email scam (example below).  There are many variations of the email but all purport to be from a subject who has been paid to kill the recipient of the email and indicates that the recipient is being followed, etc.  The scammer attempts to extort money from the recipient in exchange for not following through with the threat.  There might even be a threat to carry out the contract if the victim alerts the police. 

This e-mail is a scam and nothing more.  Due to the threat of violence inherent in these extortion e-mails, if you receive an e-mail that contains personally identifiable information that might differentiate your e-mail from the general e-mail spam campaign, you are encouraged to contact your local police department.  Otherwise, the e-mail can be discarded.

-----Original Message-----
From: AZIZ MANASAWALA [mailto:info@killer.com]
Sent: Wednesday, February 20, 2008 2:26 AM
Subject: BE MORE CAREFUL !!!

Hello

I  am very sorry for you ,It  is a pity that this is how your life is
going to end as soon as you don't comply. As you can see there is no need
for me  introducing myself to you because I don't have any business with
you, my duty as I am mailing you now is just to (KILL YOU ) and I have to
do it as I have already been paid for that.

Someone you call a Friend want's you Dead by all means, and the person
have spent a lot of money on this, the person also came to US and told me
that he wanted you dead and he provided us with your name ,picture and
other necessary information's we needed about you. So I have sent my boy's
to track you down in Pakistan and they have carried out the necessary
investigation needed for the operation on you, and they have done that but
I told them not to kill you that I will like to contact you and see if
your life is Important to you or not.since we have find out  that you are
innocent.

I called my client back and ask him of your email address which I didn't
tell him what I wanted to do with it and he gave it to me and I am using
it to contact you now. As I am writing to you now my men are monitoring
you and they are telling me everything about you.

Now do you want to LIVE OR DIE? As someone has paid us to kill you. Get
back to me now if you are ready to pay some fees to spare your life,
$9,000 is all you need to spend You will first of all pay $5,000 then I
will send a tape to you which i recoeded every discusion i hade with the
person who wanted you dead and as soon as you get the tape, you will pay
the remaining $4,000. If you are not ready for my help, then I will carry
on with my job straight-up.

WARNING: DO NOT THINK OF CONTACTING THE POLICE OR EVEN TELLING ANYONE BECAUSE I WILL KNOW.REMEMBER, SOMEONE WHO KNOWS YOU VERY WELL WANT YOU DEAD! I WILL EXTEND IT TO YOUR FAMILY, INCASE I NOTICE SOMETHING FUNNY. DO NOT COME OUT ONCE IT IS 7:PM UNTIL I MAKE OUT TIME TO SEE YOU AND GIVE YOU THE TAPE OF MY DISCUSSION WITH THE PERSON WHO WANT YOU DEAD THEN YOU CAN USE IT TO TAKE ANY LEGAL ACTION. GOOD LUCK AS I AWAIT YOUR REPLY

THANKS
AZIZ MANASAWALA