An attorney (???) phones you and says, "Allow me to introduce myself. I'm John Lawler, attorney, representing the estate of the recently deceased, Irving Generosis. Your name was mentioned in his last will and testament. Naturally, I must confirm certain things about you, before going any further, to be certain I have the right party. Would you answer a few pertinent questions for me, please?"

At this point your heart is in your throat. You're excited. Who? What? When? Where? you are thinking as you try to calm yourself. Your first thoughts are of inheriting a fabulous house, not considering it's location, that it might be located next to an active volcano. The curiosity to gain more information overwhelms you. "Yes, yes, yes," you blurt out. " Go ahead."

At this stage you should have slowed yourself down, asked yourself something like, if I had everything where would I keep it? Instead, you have just committed your first mistake. You have shoved your big toe into his bear trap.

How should you have reacted?

How about this way: Full name of your law firm, please. Address? Phone number? In what court is this being adjudicated? Address? Phone number? Docket number? In which newspaper was the notice of death posted? Address? Phone number? Date published?

Failing to interject these questions quickly will only invite a probe into your financial identity. You will be required to first spill out your essentials: Full name. Spelling. Address. Phone number. Marital status. Age. Children. (An additional dangle might be hung out here, to make you think your children might also be included.) Possessions: home ownership, motor vehicles, social organization memberships (the beginnings of establishing your affluence--to give the scam artist an initial idea of how much you can be taken for.)

How much further this probe will go from here is up to you. At any point, up to this stage, you can stop it, with probably minimal damage, by insisting on answers to your questions, as outlined. After all, a bird in the hand is dead.

His further questioning would only delve more deeply into your personal status--all the way through to his biggest, sought after prizes, your social security number and bank account number (to, ah, hem, verify your identity, of course).

You are now suspended on the brink of a legal thriller abyss. You might be thinking to yourself, it's hard to make a comeback when I haven't been anywhere. Should I go for this? Maybe, just maybe, I will get a mistaken windfall.

Don't. Pull the emergency chord. Stop the train. Get off. Only if you totaled every car you've ever owned could you be more reckless than sailing for this.

On Sunday, February 4, 2007, Tako Kabayushi, a native of Japan who speaks no English, won the mustard-colored World Championship Belt for eating 53 hot dogs in 12 minutes. This can only show that where there is a will there is a way. Scam artists are strong willed. And, those dedicated to protecting themselves must be, too. Full knowledge of how they operate is the first step.