I don't usually send these e-mails to people but true or not it is something interesting and people should think about and be aware of. This was emailed to me.

-Josette

Know how much money you are carrying! You will see why as you read! Be sure every lady is aware of this M.O. Share with it your wife and daughters. Know what money you are carrying...

This was the first I have heard of a scheme like this and I wanted to

pass it along.

Criminals are coming up with craftier, less threatening methods of

attack, so we have to be extra cautious. Read on*. I live in

Alexandria, VA, but I often work in Lafayette, LA, staying with friends

when I'm there. As you know from America's Most Wanted TV program, as well as the news media, there is a serial killer in the Lafayette area.

I just want to let you know about an "incident" that happened to me a

few weeks ago, and could have been deadly.

At first I didn't go to the police or anyone with it because I didn't

realize how serious this encounter was. But since I work in a jail and

I told a few people about it, it wasn't long before I was paraded into

Internal Affairs to tell them my story. It was approximately 5:15 A.M.

in Opelousas, La. I had stayed with a friend there and was on my way to work.

I stopped at the Exxon/Blimpie station to get gas. I got $10 gas and a

Diet Coke. I took into the store two $5 bills and one $1 bill (just

enough to get my stuff).

As I pulled away from the store, a man approached my truck from the

back side of the store (an unlit area). He was an "approachable-looking" man (clean cut, clean shaven, dressed well, etc.).

He walked up to my window and knocked. Since I'm very paranoid and

"always looking for the rapist or killer," I didn't open the window. I

just asked what he wanted. He raised a $5 bill to my window and said,

"You dropped this. " Since I knew I had gone into the store with a

certain amount of money, I knew I didn't drop it.

When I told him it wasn't mine, he began hitting the window and door,

screaming at me to open my door, and insisting that I had dropped the

money! At that point, I just drove away as fast as I could.

After talking to the Internal Affairs Department and describing the man I saw, and the way he escalated from calm and polite to angry and

volatile....it was determined that I could have possibly encountered

the serial killer myself.

Up to this point, it had been unclear as to how he had gained access to

his victims, since there has been no evidence of forced entry into

victim's homes, cars, etc. And the fact that he has been attacking in

the daytime, when women are less likely to have their guard up, means

he is pretty BOLD.

So think about it...what gesture is nicer than returning money to

someone that dropped it???

How many times would you have opened your window (or door) to get your money and say thank you.... because if the person is kind enough to return something to you, then he can't really be a threat....can he???

Please be cautious! This might not have been the serial killer... but

anyone that gets that angry over someone not accepting money from them, can't have honorable intentions. The most important thing to note is that his reaction was NOT WHAT I EXPECTED! A total surprise! But what might have happened if I had opened my door? I shudder to think!

Forward this to everyone you know...maybe they can be as fortunate as I was!

P.S. Ladies, really DO forward this to EVERYONE you know. Even if this

man wasn't a serial killer, he looked nice, he seemed polite, he was

apparently doing an act of kindness, but HE WAS NOT A NICE PERSON!

Men send it to all the women in your life. What you do today is important because you are exchanging a day of your life for it. Make it

a good one!

Please forward to anyone you think might benefit from this story.

I NEVER carry cash. takes up too much space in my wallet.

i never carry over $20 and since being robbed in 1996 at gunpoint at a gas station I never stop for anyone either.

Thanks for the info! I will sure keep this in mind. It's something I have never really thought about and I live in the Dallas area. Great reminder.

This is actually false, here's more information:

http://www.snopes.com/crime/warnings/batonrouge.asp

I figured it might be false but I could see something like that happening. I never thought about it before. After reading that email though I figured that maybe I'd think twice in the future about weither the money is worth it that the person is claiming to have found on the ground.

Don't carry cash (don't have any), plus I lived in DC too long to open my door for anyone. Credit cards are the only way to go.