How to identify a spam message?

There are viruses, there are phishing scams, and then there are insidious messages like the following where the originator of the message gets kicks knowing people are blindly forwarding his creation. Please don't forward spam. How do you identify forward-spam? Look closely at the language. It does not give any specific information ["at a Local hospital"; which hospital?]; and it does not give any contact information. It appeals to your conscience by asking you to forward the message to others. And poor you...in your gullibility you end up wasting your friends' time.

If you Google the first line of this message, you will find that this post has been in circulation for quite some time. You wonder how come Salma is not dead yet.

In short,
There is no Parveen, and no 12-year daughter named Salma battling for life at a local hospital. Somewhere out there, there is a smart aleck happy to see his spam reaching so many people (and wasting their time). PLEASE DO NOT FORWARD SPAM.


An Appeal from a sister

Asslamualaikum, My daughter Salma, who is just 12 years old is battling for life at a Local hospital, she is suffering from cancer and is presently in the last stage. The doctors have given up all hope but then I have trust in ALLAH and in the power of dua. therefore as a helpless mother of a dying child I beg all of you to pray for my daughter,please include her as a part of each and every dua of yours. Please pray to ALLAH that He should give her body the strength to respond to the medication, that He should somehow miraculously heal her of this disease and Inshallah grant her a healthy and long life (AMEEN) Please, please pass this message on to as many brothers and Sisters as you can.

If even ten percent of you would remember to pray for my daughter then it would mean a lot for us. Your duas and Allah's mercy is our ONLY hope.

Thank You,

Parveen

Please don't forget,,,before you close this message Please fwd. ALLAH ap sab

ko apni amaan mein rakhay... Please Please apni Duaoo'n mein Yad Rakhiyiaga.