There’s a new scam being sent by SMS, similar to an email one sent recently. The SMS reads:
Someone paid me to kill you. If you want me to spare you, I’ll give you two days to pay $5000. If you inform the police or anybody, you will die, I am monitoring you.
The SMS also includes payment details and an email address.
This is a scam, do not contact the sender or send any money. The Australian Police have issued a warning about this. They also mention that money being paid by victims is being transferred to Thailand.
Let friends and family know about this scam so that they don’t fall victim to it.
Update: (23 July 2012)
It looks like this scam is going around again. It’s pretty much the same as before, and apparently hundreds of people have been scared enough to call 000 (Australia’s emergency number). Again, it’s a scam. Don’t respond to the message, don’t forward it, and don’t send any money. This type of scam is commonly called a hitman scam.
The SMS sometimes uses the following spelling:
Sum1 paid me to kill you. get spared, 48hrs to pay $5000. If you inform the police or anybody, death is promised … E-mail me now: killerking247@yahoo.com.