Almost everyone with an e-mail address has received an Internet chain letter. And those netizens that read newsgroups are used to seeing them posted constantly.
Chain letters come in all shapes and sizes.
Usually, they ask that you send a certain amount of money, either to the person at the top of the list or to each person on the list, then send out or post more letters yourself with your name added to the bottom of the list. There is one major problem with chain letters, no matter how you received them. They're illegal if they request money or other items of value and promise a substantial return. If you've ever read an Internet chain letter, you probably recognize the statute. Many chain letters claim that under Title 18 they are legal and will actually reference it in the body of the letter.