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Quick Reference:
Description:  Email hoax
Status:  False
Circulating since:  April 2000
Analysis:  See below
archive of legends & netlore
iWon.com Chain Letter

Email text contributed by Bethany Gronberg, 05/15/00:

Subject: FW: DO NOT DELETE!!! Read this please!

Let's just see if this really works!

If you got this email you're
lucky(don't delete).
You have just won a 100 dollars!.......
You will only get the money if
you send this to 5 or more people.
A box will appear on the screen after you
have sent it! It really works.... try it!
Take 5 min. out of your time and send
this...believe me you won't be sorry!!

0-2 people: $10
2-4people: $20
4-6people: $50
6-8people: $75
8-10people:$ 100!!!!!!!!

Keep on sending!!!!!

iWon.com    http://www.iwon.com    why wouldn't you?

Comments:  The earliest version of this chain letter appeared on or about April Fools' Day 2000 and contained no mention of iWon.com, a Web portal site that attracts users by giving away cash prizes.

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At some point the original message was forwarded by an iWon member whose signature file contained a blurb for the Website. Thus "branded" by accident, the message continued to circulate and came to be known as the "iWon.com chain letter."

In an official statement on its Website, iWon disavows any connection with the letter. "We want to be clear that iWon.com does not use "chain" email promotions as part of any of our cash or prize giveaways or for any other purpose," the statement says.

For the benefit of the gullible:  There ain't no such thing as a free lunch. You can forward this chain letter till kingdome come, but no box will magically appear on your screen and no money will magically fill your pocket.

Further reading:

iWon.com Official Statement
From the horse's mouth

Email Chain Letters
Chain letters are nothing new, but email has made them much more widespread


Current Net Hoaxes
More Urban Legends & Netlore

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