For the Record
BONG BUE, former president of Zamboanga Press Club

Just be careful

What is the poorest country in the world? Find the answer elsewhere in this corner.

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Hardships of life have driven many people into so many deceitful activities.

The only simple advice we could give is “Just be careful!”. Know how to discern what is real and what is not.

I have been invited by a couple of companies engaged in networking business activities. Good that SOMEONE ABOVE taught me to discern and make effective decisions. Now I learned that one or two of these companies are now subjects of complaints by their own people who joined them.

People who deceive people are everywhere. So it needs extraordinary diligence for us not to fall into their traps.

For The Record featured here that story of a woman from Tumaga whose nude photos were posted in the Internet by her chat-mate from Singapore. That was just one of the deceiving work that is now coming into play in the world of so-called cyber sex.

The danger of falling into temptations and deceiving activities is even greater today because of our modern technologies. The internet is one such medium where deceitfulness, sham and other forms of dishonesty works are prevalent nowadays. But internet is good if we use it appropriately and judiciously--- meaning with proper caution.

People – young and old alike – become habitual liars when they go for internet chattings and the same for the many youngsters who are hooked on their world of “Friendsters.” They tend to invent new names, ages, addresses and other information about them. They post photos that are not theirs.

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The poorest country in the world is POORTUGAL.

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And speaking of being poor --- poverty has indeed led so many into committing things to alleviate their lives. There was this recent news of five jobless men who staged the hold-up in a Western Union branch because they could not get jobs to sustain their families.

Even in the internet we get mails every now and then from people we don’t know but come into our email addresses telling us they have “good news” for us. And be careful--- most of their letters are so good to look true and real.

Let me reprint one letter here I recently received:

FROM:THE DESK OF THE MANAGING DIRECTOR EUROPEAN PRIZE AWARD DEPT. REF:PL2/209318/09 BATCH:18/103/HME. TEL: +44-702-407-2609 FAX: +44-707-516-7655

BONANZA 2006!!! This is to Notify you of the release of the lottery winning, held on the 14th of January 2006. Due to the mix up of numbers, the results were released on the 11th of august, 2006. Your e-mail address attached to ticket number: 7-1-8-36-4-22 under agent ID: 18 and lucky ball number 7363789,which subsequently won you the lottery in the 2nd category You have therefore been qualified for a lump sum payout of 860,641.28 Great British Pounds(GBP) which amounts to $1,500,000.00 (One Million,Five HundredThousand United States DOLLARS) in cash, drawn in your favor, as the soul beneficiary and covered with the highest level of Insurance policy called theIRREVOCABLE GUARANTEE OF PAYMENT BOND.

Due to mix up of some names and winning number, we ask that you keep your winning information confidential until your claim has been processed and your money remitted to you, in your perspective country. Because this is part of our new security protocol to avoid double claiming and forgery of winners identity in this program by some unscrupulous persons.

This lottery was organized by an association of software manufacturers who came together from all parts of Europe including Great Britain,Spain,The Netherlands and Belgium which are the major host countries.All participants were selected through our Microsoft computer ballot draw system, were we extracted over 20,000.00 companies and 3,000,000 individual email addresses and names from all over the world.

Bellow are the step you will be following: Furnish us with the details stated bellow:
Your name:Your Address:YOUR TELEPHONE/FAX NUMBER:YOUR DATE OF BIRTH:YOUR MARITAL STATUS:YOUR OCCUPATION:YOUR COUNTRY: YOUR WINNING TICKET NUMBER:

To begin your lottery claim, please contact your Fudiciary agent below that has been appointed for the processing of your claim with the email address below: Mr.David Nelson TEL: +44 702 407 2609 FAX: +44 707 516 7655 EMAIL:bonanza2006_claimsdept@yahoo.co.uk

Please note in order to avoid unnecessary delays and complications please remember to quote your WINNING NUMBER in all correspondence. Warning: All winners are to claim their winning prize in not later than 1 week (7 days) of their winning notification. Winners are to contacts us to confirm thier winning through the phone number displayed before sending an email.This is done to avoid forgery and impersonation of winners information and ticket number.

This is also to inform winners that there are so many email letter all over the internet faking to be real, so be warned!!! Note: That you are to respond to all the necessary procedure involved in collecting your prize ,and if you are not interested in claiming your prize,you are advised to draft this office your REFUSAL LETTER indicating that you are not interested in your winning prize and it should be used for the next stake. Furthermore, should there be any change of address do inform our agent as soon as possible.

The online promotion lottery company is proudly sponsored by a group of succesfull bussiness men all over the world. Internet draw is held once in a year and it is organized, because we want to encourage the use of Internet around the globe and we are beginning this year with this $1,500,000.00 as it is like a WELCOME TO 2006. And we are proud to say that over 50 Million DOLLARS are won annually in more than 150 countries worldwide.We wish you a hearthy congratulation once again.Your Sincerely, Mrs. Becky Owen For Management NOTE: ANY BREACH OF CONFIDENTIALITY ON THE PART OF ANY WINNER WILL RESULT TO DISQUALIFICATION!

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If you read and look at it, it really looks so good to be real. But once you start communicating with the letter sender they will keep on asking you this and that until finally you’ll be asked to deposit some money or give them your bank account number and there you go ---falling into the trap!

The best thing to do is ignore and delete such devious message.

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THOUGH FOR THE DAY: “Only Christ the living water can quench our spiritual thirst.”