Internet scam artists who once charmed unsuspecting victims into willingly giving away cash have graduated to using fear and extortion.

Manheim Township police are warning residents about another Internet scam circulating through e-mails — one containing a disturbing death threat.

The threat, directed at no fewer than 10 real-estate agents at their Lancaster County offices Thursday, warned that e-mail recipients would be killed if they didn't turn over between $5,000 and $30,000.

Sgt. Tom Rudzinski, spokesman for Manheim Township police, said it's likely that the threats were mass mailings and that many more people who received it probably rejected it as junk mail before opening it.

Rudzinski said it's essentially the same scam that's been perpetrated on countless victims who received bogus e-mails urging them to wire money in return for nonexistent lottery jackpots or other small fortunes.

"The threat makes it different, but it's the same theft-by-deception scam. … If the mail recipients followed through, they would have likely been told to wire money to a foreign country," Rudzinski said.

They may be bogus, but the e-mail threats seemed very real to those who opened them.

It reads: "a pity that this is how your life is going to end," unless the recipient pays off the threatening e-mailer. And, if the recipient calls police, family members will die, too, the threatening e-mail says.

Two Manheim Township residents who work at different real-estate agencies received threatening e-mails dated Feb. 14.

The e-mails were sent by a person who claimed to be an assassin hired to kill the receivers. They could avoid being killed by sending him $5,000 now, and $25,000 later. The e-mail also warned: "Do not come out after 7 p.m.," until the money had been exchanged.

Anne Lusk, of Prudential Lancaster Real Estate, said one of her agents brought the e-mail to her attention Thursday.

"He was white as a ghost and said, 'I've never received anything like this in my life.' "

Lusk said she told him not to worry and to contact the police, who assured recipients that it was just a prank and urged them not to reply.

Rudzinski said a similar e-mail threat was sent a few years ago to professionals who were told to wire money to Nigeria. Unlike a check, money that is wired cannot be stopped or traced, Rudzinski said.

E-mail: pburns@lnpnews.com