The Mind Games Cybercrooks Play

The subject line in an e-mailthathitthousandsof in-boxesaroundtheworld lastmonth reads, “lawsuitagainstyou.”Inflawlesslegales,ethemessage warns recipientsthat theyrecentlysentan unsolicitedfax tothesender'soffic.e Citing U .S. civilcode, itsprohibitiono…

The Mind Games Cybercrooks Play

The subject line in an e-mail that hit thousands of in-boxes around the world last month reads, "lawsuit against you." In flawless legalese, the message warns recipients that they recently sent an unsolicited fax to the sender's office. Citing U.S. civil code, its prohibition on sending junk faxes, and an actual $11 million settlement by restaurant chain Hooters,the missive threatens a lawsuit over the alleged junk fax. "If you do not pay me $500 by the deadline for payment, I intend to sue you for violating the Telephone Consumer Protection Act," it reads. "If you force me to sue, I will not settle for less than $1,000." Details of the alleged lawsuit are contained in the e-mail's attached document.