| British Airways 'Free Flight' Hoax | |||
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| Netlore Archive: New version of an old email hoax claims British Airways is giving away free flights to users who forward a promotional chain letter to at least five other people | |||
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Email example contributed by G. Brennan, 16 June 2003:
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Subject: FREE flight I thought this was bollocks, but they got back to me within a week!!!!!!!! I contacted the London BA office - THIS IS REAL!!!!!! Due to the SARS and the recent war in Iraq, the number of passengers flying world-wide has fallen dramatically. We at British Airways have launched an international media campaign which aims to fill our aircraft once again. A part of this campaign is direct email advertising. This is where YOU come in! British Airways, along with Microsoft are tracking this email, and for every 5 people you forward this to, you will receive a flight to London return from any destination in the world (if your in the UK, you can fly to any Asian destination return). Send this email to 10 people and you are eligible to fly ANYWHERE in the world return to your depature point! Simple as that! However, that only catch is you MUST travel BEFORE 31st October 2003. You will be contacted via email within 5 working days for your full contact and booking details. Note: one flight per person only. |
Comments: Rule of thumb regarding email chain letters: If you receive a message offering something that sounds too good to be true, don't believe it, don't forward it, just delete it. You'll save yourself a lot of embarrassment.
Consider the present example, a new but hardly original variant of a chameleonic hoax in constant circulation since 1997, suckering untold millions. Previous versions claimed that Netscape, America Online, The Gap and Disney (to name just a few) had teamed up with Microsoft to track a promotional chain letter and reward frequent forwarders with cash and/or prizes. None of these offers were real.
The prank's latest corporate victim, British Airways, told reporters in mid-June that its headquarters had been "inundated" with emails inquiring about the bogus offer. Given the rate at which chain letters multiply (a message like this could conceivably reach hundreds of thousands of people in a matter of days), the company would soon be out of business if the scheme were real.
The following notice is posted on the British Airways Website:
It claims that it is a new British Airways Marketing Campaign and that we have teamed up with Microsoft to capture people's details on the chain email.
This is not the case. This is a hoax. British Airways has no involvement with this email.
If you receive a copy of this email please delete it.
There is a chain email currently in the system which claims that if you send it onto 5 people then you will get a free flight to London and if you send it onto 10 people you can travel free anywhere in the world.
Like I say, you'll save yourself a lot of embarrassment.
Sources and further reading:
British Airways Grounds 'Free Flights' Email Hoax
Ananova, 17 June 2003Hoax: British Airways Marketing Campaign Email
Statement from British Airways, 13 June 2003Microsoft Statement on "Email Tracking" Hoax
Microsoft press release, 12 May 1999Phony 'Freebie' Chain Letters
A plethora of examples for your persusal
Last updated: 06/17/03
