Never email your password

Never send anyone your password and be very careful giving out your address.
Note they add an air of urgency by saying to respond immediately. Like before you put your brain into gear. Spot the one unfortunate misspelling.

Dear Webmail Subscriber,

This message is from Webmail messaging center to all email account owners. We are currently upgrading our data base and e-mail account center. We are deleting all unused email account to create more space for new accounts.

To prevent your account from closing you will have to update it below so that we will know that it's a present used account.

To complete your Webmail account, you must reply to this email immediately and enter your Name ( )
Username: ( )
password ( )
Contact address: ( )

You can also confirm your email address by logging into your Webmail account

Failure to do this will immediately render your email address deactivated from our database.

Warning!!! Account owner that refuses to update his or her account within Seven days of eceiving this warning will lose his or her account permanently.

Warning Code:VX2G99AAJ
Thanks,
Webmail Support Team

Here's a clever one - northwest airlines

This was caught by my gmail spamcatcher but I clicked on it by accident

Hello!

Thank you for using our new service "Buy Northwest Airlines ticket Online" on our website.
Your account has been created:

Your login:
Your password: pass71TT

Your credit card has been charged for $428.75.
We would like to remind you that whenever you order tickets on our website you get a discount of 10%!
Attached to this message is the purchase Invoice and the Northwest Airlines ticket.
To use your ticket, simply print it on a color printed, and you are set to take off for the journey!

Kind regards,
Karyn Riggs
Northwest Airlines

Here's an interesting one where they tell you the 'funds' are already out of the problem country (Belarus here)and that you assisted them. They want to pay you for your {imaginary} efforts but in order to get the {imaginary} cheque, you have to pay a small insurance fee and contact the insurance company. The phone number is Nigerian, the email Romanian and he is supposed to be in Saotome & Principe. Avoid.

I'm happy to inform you about my success in getting those funds
transferred under the co-operation of a new partner from Belarus.
Presently I'm in Saotome & Principe for investment projects with my
own share of the total sum.

It may interest you to note that I didn't forget your past efforts
and attempts to assist me in transferring the funds though you were
not able to see it through for whatever reasons. After due
consideration, I have decided to compensate you for your efforts.

I have issued a Check of $750,000.00(Seven Hundred and Fifty
Thousand United States Dollars) for you and had to drop it with
Pegasus Delivery Service in Nigeria and you are to contact
them with the following information as stated below for
re-affirmation and to ensure a safe delivery.

Full Name: .................................
Address: .....................................
Phone Number: ........................

Note that the shipment fee and the insurance of the check has been
paid by me and the only fee you will be required to pay is $240.00
(Two Hundres and Fourty Dollars) being the security charges for
duration the check has been in their possession. I would have made
the payment but I do not know when you will get in touch with them as
the charges increases with the amount of days they secure it.
Endeavour you contact them immediately before the security charge
increases with days.

You are to contact them through the information as stated below
and note that the only fee you are to pay is the Security Charges
as every other stable fees has been paid.

Pegasus Delivery Services.
EMAIL:
Tel:
I'm very busy here because of the investment projects which I
and my partner are involved in. Note that I have instructed
Pegasus Delivery on your behalf to this effect. Get in touch with them
and they will ensure you get the check.

Thanks once again for all your effort during the course of the
transfer.

Sincerely

Jacques Olusola Esq.

Tsunami

Here's one using the Tsunami. The subject was Wikipedia as if quoting wikipedia makes an email more legit.

GREETINGS
I am Jim Leon. , an attorney at law. A deceased client of mine, that shares the same last name as yours, who here in after shall be referred to as my client, died as the result of a heart-related condition on March 12th 2005. His heart condition was due to the death of all the members of his family in the tsunami disaster on the 26th December 2004 in
Sumatra Indonesia. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2004_Indian_Ocean_earthquake
I can be reached on (@yahoo.com.hk) for details.
My late Client has a deposit of Eighteen Million Dollars ( US$18 Million) left behind.
Best regards,
Jim Leon.
Attorney at Law

This is a quite a good one. Many people travel and connect warily to their bank while away. I admire the touch of the 'do not reply to this email.' The web address however is nothing to do with Lloyds. Ignore and delete.

"Dear

We recently noticed one or more attempts to log in to your Lloyds Internet Banking account from a different IP address.
If you recently accessed your account while traveling, the unusual log in
attempts may have been initiated by you. However, if you did not initiate
the log ins, please visit Lloyds Online as soon as possible to check-up your
account information:

Thanks for your patience.
Sincerely,
Lloyds Centre.
----------------------------------------------------------------
Please do not reply to this e-mail. Mail sent to this address cannot be answered."

Scams on facebook/bebo etc

I have a rarely used facebook and bebo and others entries. I sometimes get emails like this below. I don't know exactly what the scam is. (sexual?) but who would write to a complete stranger of indeterminate sex like this?

"Hello,
it give me a great pleassure to write you after viewing your profile which really interest me to have communication with you if you will have the desire with me so that we can get to know each other and see what happened in future.
i will be very happy if you can write me through my email for easiest communication.
my email is @yahoo.com
i will be waiting to hear from you.
have a blessed day.
helen"

Rather clever from 'Halifax' bank

It virtually cut and paste from a real screen. So why go to all that trouble and spell the subject wrong? And I don't think any UK bank would use the adverb 'kindly.'
Also check out bad grammar and the 'May 2008' reference.

Subject: * IMPORTANT * Your Online Banking Has Been Temproary Locked

Dear Customer We're making improvements to the online service to make your online banking experience even better!

Due to the ongoing improvements, we kindly ask you to update your online banking details by clicking this link (the dodgy link) to start updating your accont.
Click the 'link' below CLICK HERE TO UPDATE YOUR ACCOUNT .
Enter your present username .
Enter your present password that which presently you are using to access your online service.
Fill in your present security question and click 'sign in' to continue.
Make Sure all Details you are filling are your present details which you are using to access your online banking.
Once you've set up your security details, you should also fill the other required informations which is on the next page and you will be able to use the service straight away.
If you've forgotten your username or lost your password, you can easily reset them by clicking on the 'Forgotten your sign in details or is your access suspended?' link on the sign in page. If you need further help, you can call our helpdesk any time day or night on 08456 02 00 00 and one of our advisers will be happy to assist you.
Best wishes
Mark Banks
Head of Online

Calls from BT landlines will cost a maximum of 4p per minute. The price of calls from other telephone companies will vary. The call price is correct at May 2008.