Hopefully most computer users know by now how to recognize - and subsequently avoid - spam. If spam should ever make it to your inbox, you may delete it without a second thought, but would you respond as quickly to a business proposition from a business consultant?

El Tariq Negal is an executive. A representative for Middle East Consulting on Acquisitions and Investment Management, to be precise. Despite the fancy title, El Tariq Negal is probably not a real person. His important-sounding job is also probably a figment of some hacker's imagination. Consider the following email that I recently received.

Here is the email in its entirety, exactly as I received it:

Attn:

Partnership From Gulf Region

We represent a group of company based in Gulf Region as an international investment company with a primary focus on private and public equity in the Middle East with over 500 billions of private and corporate investment portfolios.And we are currently seeking means of expanding and relocating our business interest abroad in the following sectors: Oil/Gas, Banking, Real estate, stock speculation and mining, transportation, health sector and tobacco, Communication Services, Agriculture Forestry & Fishing, thus any sector.

If you think you have a solid background and idea of making good profit in any of the mentioned business sectors or any other business in your country; Please write me for possible business co-operation/Hard Loan Funding.

More so, we are ready to facilitate and fund any business that is capable of generating 10%/30% annual return on investment (AROI) JV partnership and Hard loan funding can also be considered.

El Tariq Negal
Executive Rep/Middle East Consultant on Acquisitions
& Investment Management.

Whether you recognize this particular email or have received one very similar, the threat is the same. Phishing is an extremely successful way for thieves to obtain information from you that you would normally not be inclined to share. If you are still unconvinced, remember the old adage: if something sounds too good to be true, it probably is. I would adjust that famous line slightly to describe the Internet: if an email offer sounds too good to be true...
it most certainly is!