I think that scam artists have reached a new plateau. Among the millions I could have made last week by responding to correspondents with really bad English, I received an innocent looking e-mail with the subject line “Golf Equipment.”

The sender had an ordinary name and not suspicious, and even though golf is as exciting to me as watching bread rise, I read the message.

More bad English, this time from some drone in Nigeria who wanted to send me his credit card number for the golf equipment I had for sale. I was thinking it was time to have a yard sale, but unfortunately, Mr. John Blago, I do not have any golf equipment.

You have to admire the aggression and obvious ability to persuade that these scam artists have. Regardless of recent television documentaries and news broadcasts laying bare the whole outrage of these thieves, they continue to operate, because there is a market, and it’s some of us. Let your suspicions run wild when you hear of a big pile of money going unclaimed and it could be yours.

Phone calls have increased recently, too. I mean the calls that tell you that you’ve been “specially chosen” to receive subscriptions to a dozen of your favorite magazines, or better yet, a free, all-expenses-paid trip to some exotic place, if only you’ll drive to another state for a weekend of touring some facility.

My most frequent recent calls have been the ones that tell me the warranty on my car is about to expire and the caller can save me some money if only I’ll give him some information. No doubt the warranty has long since expired on a 1981 Chevrolet. But it gives me a great deal of satisfaction to curse and expound to the recorded voice on the other end of the line.

Everyone should be careful before giving up Social Security numbers or other identification on the phone, but especially senior citizens. Seniors are particularly targeted by some of the more sophisticated scams. These boiler room operations know more about manipulating than you, or I, could ever imagine.

Never give out identifying account numbers to an incoming call. If you call a physician, insurance company, etc., you’ll seldom be asked for any numbers and by all means, be extremely careful on the Internet with these same numbers. You’d be amazed at how scammers can get your e-mail address, and open up a way to get more information about you and lay the groundwork for future scams.

Recently, one of my friends sent me one of those holiday cards by mail. It mentioned in the subject line a reunion of the Kelley family (mine). Two or three days later, in my spam box, there was an innocent-looking message with the name Kelley in it. I opened it to discover it was an opportunity for reunions and gatherings to be held on San Marco Island – if only I’d send my Social Security number and home address. Of course, it went into the trash, but I’m wondering how long it will be before I stop getting messages which appear to be legitimate.

Be careful out there. During the good-weather season, we’re all out more and doing more shopping. Always know where your wallet and checkbook and other identification are. Keep your ID safe. I know this sounds like advice you’ve heard before and you, like me, would never be careless, but stolen identification is a huge illegal business and surely a “growth industry” in our country. Don’t be part of it.