$$$$$$ fast

This is not a pyramid scheme, and if you are on the 'net you probably
have all the equipment necesary to make $ fast right in the privacy
of your own home.

Follow these simple steps:

1. Open your word processor.

2. Press the SHIFT key.

3. Press the 4 key and hold.

After about a second, you will be making $ fast. Those of you
technically in the know can make $ faster by adjusting your
computer's key repeat rate.

In fact you can make so much $ that you can send
it to those people putting pyramid schemes on usenet.

MAKE CLUBS FAST

Subject: MAKE CLUBS FAST

Recent evidence has come to light that suggests that pyramid style chain
letters may have pre-dated Dave Rhodes by a considerable margin.
Palaentologists recently deciphered the following, painted on a cave
wall on the slopes of Kilimanjaro.

MAKE SPIKY CLUBS FAST!!!

Hello, not-tribe-member. Urk name Urk. Many moons ago, Urk in bad way.
Urk kicked out of cave by Thag. Thag bigger than Urk, Thag take Urk
spiky club, Urka (Urk wo-man). Urk not able kill deer, must eat leaves,
berries. Urk flee from wolves.

Today, Urk big chief. Urk have best cave, many wives, many spiky clubs.
Urk tell how.

WHAT DO: make one spiky club and take to cave places below. Add own
cave place to bottom of list, take cave place off top. Put new message
on walls many caves. Wait. Many clubs soon come! This not crime! Urk
ask shaman, gods say okay.

HERE LIST:

1) Urk
First cave
Olduvai Gorge

few) Thag (not that Thag, other Thag)
old dead tree
by laked shaped like mammoth

few) Og
big rock with overhang
near pig game trail

Many) Zog
river caves
where river meet big water

Urk hope not-tribe-member do what Urk say do. That only way it work.

(c) Dave Hemming 1998. Circulate how you please, but keep my name on it.

A Chain Letter for Women Only

This letter was started by a woman like yourself, in the hope of bringing relief to other tired and discontented women. Unlike most chain letters, this one does not cost you anything.

Just send a copy of this letter to five of your friends who are equally tired and discontented. Then bundle up your husband or boyfriend and send him to the woman whose name appears at the top of the list. When your name comes to the top of the list, you will receive 16,377 men - and one of them is bound to be a hell of a lot better than the one you already have.

DO NOT BREAK THE CHAIN. HAVE FAITH!

One woman broke the chain and got her own sonovabitch back.

At the time of writing this letter, a friend of mine had already received 184 men. They buried her yesterday but it took three undertakers 36 hours to get the smile off her face and two days to get her legs together so that they could close the coffin.

YOU MUST HAVE FAITH

Signed
A Liberated Woman

Example-2

!IR$!FBI!CIA!JFK!CEO!NRA!TNT!UFO!ILLUMINATI!GOD!ZOG!KIBO!ATOMIC!GOLD!$!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
_ __/|  -_-  :::::======   MMMMMIMXMMMMRK$BS$$$mmMMMMX!!<<<\`O.o'       :::::======   MMMMMMJMmmmmmM$$h$HmMM$8MMM<<<<<=(_ _)=      ===========   MMMMMMMMMmmmmm$M$yKM!Y""   !<<~<<`?R!M~!!$MJ
  U     \   ===========   MMMMMM!MM*"~  !M9M9!!~  * >:!    :~t%..!!$$!
      ___\______          MMMMMM:MM:' *  ~"M!  .:   -~~     :~: '!!$!!
     /   ^    \_]======]  MMMMMM!`:<:-.:X____[##########\_____     MMMMMMH!MxMX:XM!M$:<<:WM$$XHHX~ XX   ;;!!?!M
/ ___________________ \    MMMMMMMXM$XSMMHHMM!`!MNMW8M?!~  X  :: \/{oOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOo}\/    MMMMMMM \o%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%o/      MMMMMMM!?MMM8$10 ""  .:  ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
---X---X---X---X---X---X---X---X---X---X---X---X---X---X---X---X---X---
\_/ \_/ \_/ \_/ \_/ \_/ \_/ \_/ \_/ \_/ \_/ \_/ \_/ \_/ \_/ \_/ \_/ \_/
/ \_/ \_/ \_/ \_/ \_/ \_/ \_/ \_/ \_/ \_/ \_/ \_/ \_/ \_/ \_/ \_/ \_/ \
\_/ \_/ \_/ \_/ \_/ \_/ \_/ \_/ \_/ \_/ \_/ \_/ \_/ \_/ \_/ \_/ \_/ \_/
/ \_/ \_/ \_/ \_/ \_/ \_/ \_/ \_/ \_/ \_/ \_/ \_/ \_/ \_/ \_/ \_/ \_/ \
\_/ \_/ \_/ \_/ \_/ \_/ \_/ \_/ \_/ \_/ \_/ \_/ \_/ \_/ \_/ \_/ \_/ \_/

Oh WOW!!  They're *ALL* watching NOW!!  And probably RIGHT THROUGH YOUR
MONITOR - which means, They are on YOUR SIDE!  Paranoia is Your Friend!
(And mine!! 8-D)  For the moment.  So ACT IMMEDIATELY!!  And read fast:

This is NO ACCIDENT!  YOU have been selected by COSMIC FATE to receive
this once-in-a-lifetime INVALUABLE POSTING!  (Note:  Please direct all
your flames, complaints and legal actions to Cosmic Fate, Inc, RK Ent.)

You MAY have seen hundreds of so-called Get Rich Quick schemes just in
the past month alone.  But this one is different!  It is the _Latest_!!

"Isn't a Chain Posting illegal?"  Yes, but this is NOT a chain posting!
It is the very FIRST posting -- therefore it CAN'T BE a chain, not yet!

"But isn't a Net Ponzi/Pyramid scheme an illegal and prohibited fraud?"
NO, it's only a fraud if you're promised something that never happens!
Like, "no new taxes".  I promise nothing, that I can deliver!!  Except:

      _______________           _____           _______________
!.    /______________/\   `:::  /_____\  :::'   /\______________\    .!
!:.   \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ \   `::  |||||||  ::'   / ////////////////   .:!
!::.   \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ \   `:  |||||||  :'   / ////////////////   .::!
!:::.   \\\\\_____\\\\\\/_   `  |||||||  '   / ///// /\______\    .:::!
!::::.   \\\\\\\\\\\\\\/_/\     |||||||     / ///// / ////////   .::::!
!:::::.   \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ \    |||||||    / /////__\////////   .:::::!
!::::::.   \\\\\______\\\\\ \   |||||||   / /////______/////   .::::::!
!:::::::.   \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ \  |||||||  / ////////////////   .:::::::!
!:::::       \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\/  |||||||  \////////////////         :::!
!::::                                                              :::!
!:::   /$$      /$$   /$$$$$$   /$$   /$$  /$$$$$$$ $$     /$$/$$  :::!
!:::  / $$$    /$$$  /$$__  $$ / $$$ / $$ / $$____// $$   /$$| $$  :::!
!:::  | $$$$  /$$$$ | $$  \ $$ | $$$$| $$ | $$     \  $$ /$$ | $$  :::!
!:::  | $$ $$/$$ $$ | $$  | $$ | $$ $$ $$ | $$$$$   \  $$$$  | $$  :::!
!:::  | $$  $$$| $$ | $$  | $$ | $$  $$$$ | $$__/    \  $$   |__/  :::!
!:::  | $$\  $ | $$ | $$  | $$ | $$\  $$$ | $$        | $$         :::w
!:::  | $$ \/  | $$ |  $$$$$$  | $$ \  $$ | $$$$$$$$  | $$    /$$  :::i
!:::  |__/     |__/  \______/  |__/  \__/ |________/  |__/   |__/  :::z
!:::                                                               :::!
, ::             __  __  __  $___________$  __  __  __             :: ,
|\__            ///\///\///\/             \/\\\/\\\/\\\            __/|
> _////////>   ///\///\///\/ GET RICH NOW! \/\\\/\\\/\\\   -\\\\\\\\_ <
|/            '~~  ~~  ~~ <                 > ~~  ~~  ~~`            \|
' ::                       ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~                       :: `
!:::    _____   k     Guaranteed 100% every time!         ___      :::!
!:::    \_@_/  //     Safe when used as directed!      __[___]__   :::!
!:::   {~._.~}//     Never leave home, ever again!      {~@=@~}    :::!
!:::    ( ^ )//     Lose 30 pounds in just 10 days!      ( ^ )     :::!
!:::   ()~:~%R      (That's $46 US, $237 Canadian)      ()~*~()    :::!
!:::   (_)-<|)    Offer GOOD for life of this posting  /(_)-(_)\_  :::!
           ~

Intrigued?  Then follow these instructions EXACTLY:  Press the Space Bar

-*&*-*&*-*&*-*&*-*&*-*&*-*&*-*&*-*&*-*&*-*&*-*&*-*&*-*&*-*&*-*&*-*&*-*&*-

 -+<<<:  OH WOWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWW!!!!  More Instructions!!!!! :>>>+-

Do you constantly lose at Lotto?  Throw craps every time?  Always choose
the slowest checkout line?  Then YOU are PERFECT for this SPECIAL OFFER!

But first -- let me ask you these mandatory routine self-help questions:

........................................................................

Do you want true financial independence and constant tax-free income?
Do you want to be in a totally loving, mutually supportive relationship?
Do you want to achieve states of pleasure previously unimaginable?
Do you want to start sleeping with your SO, instead of your PC?
Do you want to look better, feel better, run faster and jump higher?
Do you want to cleanse all Karma, and tap into infinite creative power?
Do you want to bring universal healing and happiness to all around you?
Do you want the Secret of Secrets - the Answer to Your Greatest Dreams?
Do you want to find a few of those unmarked bags of cash on the street?
Do you want the total effect of 10,000 cups of coffee in one minute?
Do you want to equalize things a little with an Evil Business Partner
Do you want who embezzled over $100,000, then attempted to get a covert
Do you want $1,000,000 insurance policy on your life, stole all of your
Do you want property and your company, traded your lifework to a crooked
Do you want distributor, then declared bankruptcy and moved to a secret
Do you want location where he thought no creditor would ever find him?
Do you want me to stop asking all this and get on to the Good Stuff???
........................................................................

If you answered YES to one or more of the above..WELCOME TO THE INTERNET!
If you answered YES to the last half, then WE actually have even more in
common!  That's right!  YOU could have your Own NetGroup!!  (or just take
MINE)  Get flame-mail from EVERY imaginable CORNER OF THIS GLOBE!  *YES*,
YOU could do on your own computer for FREE, what others do for income!!

   __///////\   Why work like a slave for years, when   /\\\\\\\__
     \\\\\\\/   you can get a cheap laugh in seconds!   \///////

"Well sure", you say, "That's fine!  IN THEORY."  But somehow, all that
SEEMS to be straying from The Point -> The ASTOUNDING, STARTLING ANSWER
that YOU have been WAITING FOR!! -- Which, of course, is just beyond:

                     [==( HIT SPACE BAR NOW )==]

$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$

....the best one...

Dear Friend:  If you're insane, please take a moment and read this...

Follow these directions EXACTLY, and in 20 to 60 days you will receive
over $50,000.00 cash - all yours! This program has remained successful
because of the HONESTY and INTEGRIT/~~~~~~~~~~~~\cipants.  Please keep
its success by carefully ad/~~~~~~~              \ns. /~~~~\is NOT an
illegal pyra/~~~~~~~~~~~~~~   O-BOY!  YESSIREE!!  ~~~~     /product is
not sold or/                                               \a Mailing
List that_/  You've gotten this in your mail, received it   \ig bucks
for qual/   by email, and seen it posted all over the Net!  /l income
which is\                                                  /including
in that l\        @: THE PONZI PYRAMID OF POWER!! :@      /s exactly:
[1] Immed/                                                \mail $1.00
to the fi\   The Inter-Con never quits!  And five'll get   \number 5,
and send a\  you ten that most of these are being posted   /your total
investment/  by the SAME DUDE and all the first names you  \ng "Please
add my nam\  send your money to are really his drop-boxes  /legitimate
service th/  or "production associates"!  After 6 years   /s service).
[2] Remov/    of chain-scamming, this BBS Bunko's gotta   \ Move the
other 9 n\      have more bucks than Scrooge McDuck!!      \, and then
number 3 w\                                                 \your name
and address\  He's probably the same shark who advertises,  /er 10.
[3] Post th/   "Earn tax-free income through Mail Order!   /ition into
ten(10) sep\  Send $20 for my Surprise Success Formula!"  /o the file
section, ca/                                              \ONEY.FAST.
[4] Within/     Well, WE can play THAT game OURSELVES!!    \0 in CASH!
Keep a cop\   Yes, if you're a loyal lurker of this Group  /again when
you need m/  and all of its sundry crosspostings, this is  \n you are
automatic/   YOUR OPPORTUNITY to GET RICH NOW, and laugh   /ending you
$1.00 to \    in your sleeve all the way to the BANK!!    /can then be
rented the\                                              /ellow Pages
for addit /  Simple?  You bet!  Legal?  Who cares!  It   \ become more
valuable a\  slipped past the SysOp, and now it's YOURS!! \perfectly
legal.  If \______________________________________________/ refer to
Title 18, Section 1302 & 1341 of the postal lottery laws, should the
IRS or any other government agency question you. (EtcEtcBlahblah&Blah)

Example-1

Looking for a way to make  >>> LOTS <<< of money fast ???

Well, I found a way and you can do it too!!!!!!

The handy dandy home counterfiting money kit is for you.
Yes for only 3 easy payments of just $99.95, you can
print all the money you want  AND the best part . . .

IT'S ALL LEGAL !!!  Yes, you can take the legal advice
from me, someone you've NEVER MET, would I lie to you ???

So, send all that money to:

***********

Please do NOT send checks, send CASH or your Credit Card
number.  Thanks.

The Infamous Dave Rhodes Letter

Dear Friend:

My name is Dave Rhodes. In September 1988 my car was repossessed and the bill collectors were hounding me like you wouldn't believe. I was laid off and my unemployment checks had run out. The only escape I had from the pressures of failure was my computer and my modem. I longed to turn my advocation into my vocation.

In January 1989 my family and I went on a ten day cruise to the tropics. I bought a brand new Lincoln Town Car with CASH in February 1989. I am currently building a new home on the west coast of Florida, with a private pool, boat slip, an a beautiful view of the bay from my breakfast room table and patio. I will never have to work again. Today I am RICH! I have earned over $400,000.00 (Four Hundred Thousand Dollars) to date and will become a millionaire within 4 or 5 months. Anyone can do the same. This money making program works perfectly every time, 100% of the time. I have NEVER failed to earn $50,000.00 or more whenever I wanted. Best of all, you never have to leave home except to go to your mailbox or post office.

In October 1988, I received a letter in the mail telling me how I could earn $50,000.00 or more whenever I wanted. I was naturally very skeptical and threw the letter on the desk next to my computer. It's funny though, when you are desparate, backed into a corner, your mind does crazy things. I spent a frustrating day looking through the want ads for a job with a future. The pickings were sparse at best. That night I tried to unwind by booting up my computer and calling several bulletin boards. I read several of the messages posted and then glanced at the letter laying next to the computer. All at once it became clear to me. I now had the key to my dreams.

I realized that with the power of the computer I could expand and enhance this money making formula into the most unbelievable cash flow generator that has ever been created. I substituted the computer bulletin boards in place of the post office and electronically did by computer what others were doing by mail. Now only a few letters are mailed manually. Most of the hard work is speedily downloaded to other bulletin boards throughout the world. If you believe that someday you deserve that lucky break that you have waited for all of your life, simply follow the easy instructions below. Your dreams WILL come true.

Sincerely yours,

Dave Rhodes

---

INSTRUCTIONS

Follow these instructions EXACTLY, and in 20 to 60 days you will have received well over $50,000.00 cash, all yours. This program has remained successful because of the HONESTY and integrety of the participants. Please continue its success by CAREFULLY ADHERING to the instructions.

Welcome to the world of Mail Order! This little business is somewhat different than most mail order houses. Your product is not solid and tangible, but rather a service. You are in the business of developing Mailing Lists. Many large corporations are happy to pay big bucks for quality lists. (The money made from the mailing lists is secondary to the income which is made from people like yourself requesting that they be included in that list.)

This list can then be rented to a broker that can be found in your local yellow pages listings for additional income on a regular basis. The list will become more valuable as it grows in size.

This is a service. ** IT IS PERFECTLY LEGAL **

If you have any doubts as to the legality of this service, please refer to Title 18, Sections 1302 and 1341 of the Postal Lottery Laws.

[text deleted]

REMEMBER - THIS PROGRAM FAILS ONLY IF YOU ARE NOT HONEST - PLEASE!! PLEASE BE HONORABLE...IT DOES WORK! THANK YOU

!@!@!@!@!@!@!@!@!@!@!@!@!---!!!ATTENTION-ATTENTION!!!---!@!@!@!@!@!@!@!@!@!@!@! @!@!

---

NOT FOLLOWING THE ABOVE INSTRUCTIONS, OR ALTERING THIS FILE IN ANY WAY OTHER THAN STATED ABOVE IS UNLAWFUL, AND UNFAIR TO THE TRUTHFUL PEOPLE WHO WANT TO TRY THIS!! DO NOT! I REPEAT DO NOT PUT YOUR NAME IN ANY SLOT OTHER THAN NUMBER 10 AND MAKE SURE YOU SEND THE MONEY IN!!!!!!!

Pyramid Schemes

There are other commercial models using cross-selling such as multi-level marketing (MLM) or party planning which are legal and sustainable, although there is a significant grey area in many cases. Most pyramid schemes take advantage of confusion between genuine businesses and complicated but convincing moneymaking scams.

The essential idea behind each scam is that the individual makes only one payment, but is promised to somehow receive exponential benefits from other people as a reward. A common example might be an offer that, for a fee, allows the victim to sell the same offer to other people, or receive bonuses through other people they refer. Each sale includes a fee to the original seller.

Clearly, the flaw is that there is no end benefit; the money simply travels up the chain, and only the originator (or at best a very few) wins in swindling his followers. Of course, the people in the worst situation are the ones at the bottom of the pyramid: those who subscribed to the plan, but were not able to recruit any followers themselves. To embellish the act, most such scams will have fake referrals, testimonials, and information.

In 2003, an internet-based "pyramid scam"was uncovered by the FTC, where customers would pay a registration fee to join a program and purchase a package which included Internet mall and related goods and services. The FTC's complaint states that the company assured consumers who purchased the package would allow them to earn significant commissions for every WebSuite sold.

The FTC alleged that the company deceptively represented that consumers who participated in their scheme would earn substantial income, when in fact most consumers lost money in the operation, and that the defendants provided deceptive marketing material to affiliates - providing them with the means to deceive others; and finally, the company failed to disclose that a substantial percentage of participants would lose money, and that the scheme was actually an illegal pyramid.

Want to make more money?

There are many ideas to choose from, but here are just a few. Eventually, you will use your own Ideas to make Money.

• Write a list of things you are good at. Now think of some things that are needed in your community that you can provide in one way or another. Write a list of them
• Match up pairs of what you can do (eg. Good at Cooking - Need someone to provide cakes/Flea Market)
• Do some research on places where to sell and what the things you need cost.
• Create a business plan to help you work out: How much is it going to cost? How much am I going to get out of it(Profit)? Where am I going to sell my product/services?
• Sign up for paid surveys.
• Assess your risks. If you don't seriously consider what can {and often will} go wrong, not only will you have trouble meeting your expectations, but you create a greater risk of failure. Ask: what is wrong with my location, product, financing, staff, customer base, marketing, etc.
• Mitigate all plausible risks. Risk is unavoidable - all you can do is choose those you are wilingto accept and have a rough plan to deal with the rest.
• Get prepared. Create stock, Create a flyer, plan how to decorate the stall(If you are going to the flea market), Check the stock and prepare a cash box with some money in it for change.
• Figure out your resources: money, time, tools and people. You will probably need to draw from all of them at some point. Think about what you may still need and try to come up with a way to get it.
• Remember that it won't, I can tell you now, IT WON'T WORK THE FIRST TIME!!! So keep trying.
• Another money making Idea is to check what you don't use anymore, but still sell-able.
• Set Prices for the Items.
• Sell them at your Local flea market or trade them in at places like 'Cash Crusaders' or 'Cash Converters' or sell them to your friends who need it.

Make Money Fast

"Make money fast" is a title of an electronically forwarded chain letter which became so infamous that the term is now used to describe all sorts of chain letters forwarded over the Internet, by e-mail spam or Usenet newsgroups. In anti-spammer slang, the name is often abbreviated "MMF".

Chain Letter

A typical chain letter consists of a message that attempts to induce the recipient to make a number of copies of the letter and then pass them on to one or more new recipients. A chain letter can be considered a type of meme.Common methods used in chain letters include emotionally manipulative stories, get-rich-quick pyramid schemes, and the exploitation of superstition to threaten the recipient with bad luck or even physical violence or death if he or she "breaks the chain" and refuses to adhere to the conditions set out in the letter.

Chain letters are capable of evolution, generally improving their ability to convince their hosts to replicate them over time.This sometimes occurs through deliberate modification of the chain letter by a recipient, or sometimes through purely accidental imperfect copying.

History

The original "Make Money Fast" letter was written around 1988 by a person who used the name Dave Rhodes. It is often said Rhodes was a student at Columbia Union College, a Christian college in Maryland, who wrote a text file chain letter titled "Make Money Fast", and uploaded it to a nearby BBS[1]. It is often said that Rhodes was convicted of some fraud-related crime and that as part of his sentence he had to create an anti-spam website, but no evidence of this has been found.

The scam reached the Internet, where it was forwarded over e-mail and Usenet, although it was not until spamming became a major problem in 1994 that "Make money fast" exploded. It became one of the most persistent spams in existence and multiple variations have evolved, often by spammers who change the subject of their email to "This really works!" or "You are a winner!"

Variations

Phones

Versions being sent to mobile phones via SMS have also become common recently.

Web based

Chain letters have become popular on MySpace (in the form of myspace bulletins) and Youtube (in the form of video comments). MySpace chain letters are often coupled with intimidating hoaxes.

The Katu Lata Kulu chain message on YouTube has been a popular chain message in many videos. The original message states that the spirit of a girl from Africa that was killed would take the spirit of anyone who hadn't forwarded the message. Since the Katu Lata Kulu chain message started, many YouTube video comments had the chain message retold on their video comment page, angering many users to retaliate by creating parody videos as well as messages about the Katu Lata Kulu chain message curse.

E-mail

Some may seem fairly harmless, for example, a grammar school student wishing to see how many people can receive his e-mail for a science project, but can grow exponentially and be hard to stop. They may contain false information, such as the famous "Forward this to everyone you know and if it reaches 1000 people everyone on the list will receive $1000" type e-mails. They may also be politically motivated, such as "save the scouts, forward this to as many friends as possible". Some recent chain e-mails say that a company "will stop its free email service if you don't send this message to X people". Some threaten users with bad luck if not forwarded. There are many forms of chain e-mail that threaten death or the taken of one's soul by telling tales of other's deaths, such as the Katu Lata Kulu chain e-mail, stating that if it is not forwarded, the receivers of the message will be killed by the spirit. YouTube and Myspace are sites which frequently gets threatening messages to users, stating that if the chain is broken and the message is not forwarded, the receivers of the messages will face death by the spirit of someone who has died.

Popular Culture

The comic strip Calvin and Hobbes had Calvin receiving a chain letter stating that "a man in Denver made 20 copies and was awarded a raise" and that "a man in Seattle broke the chain and he went bald." When Hobbes says that the chain letter is "nonsense for superstitious nincompoops" and advises Calvin to throw it away, the letter continues "and a dumb kid like you listened to his friend and got run over by a cement mixer."

An episode of Wings had Fay, Antonio and Roy receiving chain letters instructing them to make more copies to send to friends and praise the sun god Ra. Fay and Roy eagerly make letters but Antonio throws his in the garbage, refusing to believe in nonsense. Fay and Roy have amazing luck and say "Praise the sun god Ra!". Antonio suffers multiple mishaps but refuses to reverse his actions, arguing that as a Catholic praising another god is blasphemy and idolatry.

Mechanics and Legality

The "Make Money Fast" chain letter encouraged readers of the email to forward one dollar in cash to a list of people provided in the text, and to add their own name and address to the bottom of the list after deleting the name and address at the top. Using the theory behind pyramid schemes, the resulting chain of money flowing back and forth would supposedly deliver a reward of thousands of dollars to the ones participating in the chain, as copies of their chain spread and more and more people sent one dollar to their address.

The text of "Make money fast" originally claimed to be "perfectly legal", citing Title 18, U.S. Code, Sections 1302 (which deals with postal lotteries) and 1341 (which deals with mail fraud).^[1] The U.S. Postal Inspection Service cites 18 USC 1302 when it asserts the illegality of chain letters, including MMF:

[Chain letters are] illegal if they request money or other items of value and promise a substantial return to the participants. Chain letters are a form of gambling, and sending them through the mail (or delivering them in person or by computer, but mailing money to participate) violates Title 18, United States Code, Section 1302, the Postal Lottery Statute.^[2]

It also asserts that "regardless of what technology is used to advance the scheme, if the mail is used at any step along the way, it is still illegal." The U.S. Postal Inspection Service asserts the mathematical impossibility that all participants will be winners, as well as the possibilities that:

• participants may fail to send money to the first person listed, and

• the perpetrator may have listed himself multiple times under different addresses and names, thus ensuring that all the money go to the same person.

MMF Parodies

The chain letters follow a rigidly predefined format or template with minor variations (such as claiming to be from a retired lawyer or claiming to be selling "reports" in order to attempt to make the scheme appear lawful). They quickly became repetitive, causing them to be bait for widespread satire or parody.