If you’re planning to embark on a phishing attack, here’s a little tip – get your text checked by a native English speaker. Here’s the text of an email I just got.
IMPORTANT NOTIFICATION
Since 1968 National Westminister Bank is serving its clients with the most reliable service. In Banking the most important part is the security of our clients. NatWest always look forward for the high security of our clients. Due to the recent update of the servers, you are requested to please update your account info at the following link.
[link removed]*Important*
We have asked few additional informations which is going to be the part of secure login process. These additional informations will be asked during your future login security so, please provide all these info completely and correctly otherwise due to security reasons we may have to suspend your account temporarily.
I particularly like that “Westminister”.
Now I’m sure that Nat West staff are participating in the general demise of the English language as much as most of the population so I wouldn’t be surprised to see the occasional misplaced apostrophe or confusion between adjectives and adverbs appearing in their email, but I’d be very surprised to see anything as disastrous as this coming from them.
Of course, give it another five years and I may regret saying that…
Given the general state of the written English coming from many of the people who comment on your blog, I have virtually given up hope. Look at the thread on Time/Tiny computers. Virtually nobody who has posted seems to be able to write. I was appalled. Somebody should send a copy of the page to the education secretary and find out what on Earth’s going on!