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Wha? I didn’t get the $1,000 Wal-Mart gift card?

It’s interesting to investigate spam email offers. The ones that seem too good to be true are prime candidates if you’re looking for something malicious, fraudulent, sleazy or just plain dumb.

Today we checked out this one:

 

There was nothing new. It led you through a “survey” then about a dozen offers to buy various services that were offered based on your survey answers. Of course if you buy nothing, you don’t get the $1,000 Wal-Mart gift card.

On the last page, however, we found a “mind quiz” question that had history screwed up pretty well: “What U.S. president was shot while walking to California Governor Jerry Brown’s office.” The choices were Jimmy Carter, Gerald Ford or Richard Nixon.

None were. However, in 1975, Charles Manson follower Lynette “Squeaky” Fromme waived a gun at President Gerald Ford but didn’t shoot. There was no round in the weapon’s chamber, although there were four in its magazine. She spent a long time in federal prisons (and medical facilities in them apparently because of anger issues).

Her other contact with a U.S. president was when she performed at the White House as a member of a square dance troupe in 1959, Wikipedia also said.

Some stuff is so weird that you couldn’t possibly make it up.

Tom Kelchner