Here’s a recent example:
We would like to inform you that we (Cablevision) are currently performing scheduled maintenance and improvement of our email service and as a result of this, have changed our email client and your password will be adjusted. To keep your OPTONLINE account, you must reply to this email immediately and enter your current password here (******).
Failure to do this within 72 hours, would immediately render your email account deactivated from our database. Once again your urgent response to this email is appreciated and We apologize for any inconvenience this would cause you during this period.
Thank You for using Cablevision Mail !
“CABLEVISION IT SUPPORT.”
The grammatical errors are appalling.
- There are several run-ons in the first sentence, as well as an unnecessary use of parentheses.
- The second paragraph includes an improperly placed comma; incorrect tense (it’s “will,” not “would”); garbled syntax (one cannot “render” “deactivation”); another run-on, and a bizarrely placed capital “W” in mid-sentence.
- The third paragraph contains another odd capital letter; a made-up name (there is no “Cablevision Mail”), and an extra space before the unnecessary exclamation point.
- The final line is the most bothersome. Quotation marks should be used only for direct quotes. Unfortunately, such incorrect punctuation is now common.
Advice to spammers phishers: Cablevision has many flaws, but poorly written emails are not among them. “Please don’t insult My intelligence !”
Or else hire me to clean up your grammatical mess.