Hucksters are at it again; instead of potentially life-threatening Nigerian 419 scams disguised as money-laundering schemes, this one promises generous payments from Bill Gates, Microsoft, and AOL. All you have to do to is forward an email, sit back and collect a couple hundred bucks per email address - NOT!

According to the bogus email, these corporate giants are conducting an "e-mail beta test" to ensure that "Internet Explorer remains the most widely used program." Supposedly you will be paid up to $245 per email address to which you forward, with pyramid payouts that continue to provide additional income each time the forwarded email is forwarded.


There's even a personal note at the bottom promising "You are bound to get at least US$10,000.00."

Actually, all you will get is a sore trigger finger from pressing the Forward button and quite possibly return email from conscientous friends urging you to visit the Hoax Encyclopedia before acting on info found in an email.

Though the hoax has achieved enough spread to indicate many find it believable, it is not only holding out false promises but, worse, it's not even original. Instead, the hoax is a knock-off of an older hoax known as the Bill Gates email tracking hoax.

Following is the full text of the more recent hoax:

• Dear Friends,
  Please do not take this for a junk letter. Bill Gates is sharing his fortune. If you ignore this you will repent later. Microsoft and AOL are now the largest Internet companies and in an effort to make sure that Internet Explorer remains the most widely used program, Microsoft and AOL are running an e-mail beta test.
  When you forward this e-mail to friends, Microsoft can and will track it (if you are a Microsoft Windows user) for a two week time period. For every person that you forrward this e-mail to, Microsoft will pay you $245.00, for every person that you sent it to that forwards it on, Microsoft will pay you $243.00 and for every third person that receives it, you will be paid $241.00. Within two weeks, Microsoft will contact you for your address and then send you a cheque.
  
  I thought this was a scam myself, but two weeks after receiving this e-mail and forwarding it on, Microsoft contacted me for my address and within days, I received a cheque for US$24,800.00. You need to respond before the beta testing is over. If anyone can afford this Bill Gates is the man. It's all marketing expense to him. Please forward this to as many people as possible.
  
  You are bound to get at least US$10,000.00.
  

Remember the old adage, If it sounds too good to be true - it is. Emails promising riches are no exception. Forward them only to the nearest Recycle Bin.