*Nasty* Scam Mail

Langa List ^ | 3-22-04 | Fred Langa

[FlyLow]

I buy a lot of stuff online, and that includes essentially all my office supplies from entire PCs down to software, cables and blank CDs.

So I was initially confused when I got this email about a supposed laptop purchase. Had a valid order gone awry? Was I about to be charged a thousand dollars or more for something I never ordered? In part, the email said:

Dear client. -------------------------------- Your order ID: 3735186 -------------------------------- 02/26/2004 You have ordered the notebook (New P3 Direct 17" Wide TFT Notebook-with Pentium 4 3.06GHz Power) with free-of- charge delivery.

We are very sorry, but we can't deliver it to you in promised terms, because we have problems with our delivering company. Your order can not be delivered earlier than in 28 days. Sorry for inconveniences.

You have been billed and if time of delivery do not arrange you, you can cancel your order and refund money here: ----------------------------------------------------------- [URL went here] ----------------------------------------------------------- Your money will be returned to you without any fee.

Notebook Specifications: Intel Pentium 4 3.06GHz Processor 1GB PC2700 DDR333 Memory 80GB Hard Drive 17 inch Wide TFT Active Matrix WXGA Display DVD-RW Drive ATI M9-P MOBILITY RADEON 9000 3D Video Integrated 56K v90 Modem Integrated 10/100Mbps NIC Notebook Carrying Case USB 2.0 and FireWire Interfaces! Microsoft Windows XP Professional Edition Depth: 11 in

After a minute or two of head-scratching, I realized it's just a nasty phishing scam. The idea, of course, is that you'll say "Wait, I never ordered that!" and rush online to cancel the "order." Naturally, you have to enter your personal information, including your credit card number, so the "refund" can be issued.

But there was no order, and the sole purpose of the fake email is to get you to enter your credit card info.

The clues include: Unfamiliar address and company name (a company I'd never heard of); incomplete specs (no weight, no width; etc.); and half a dozen other telltale things that I'd rather not list, because I don't want to help hackers improve their scams.

But most telling to me was the awkward use of language: It's the kind of clumsy text commonly generated by hacker kids who slept through their high-school writing classes; or by non-English-speaking hackers trying to avoid prosecution by operating in what is to them a foreign language.

If the above seems too indirect, don't worry: You really don't have to do any real sleuthing on your own. All the major credit card companies have a toll-free number (it's on the back of the credit cards) that you can call to check your account status. I didn't need to in the above case, but I could have called and asked if any large purchases had shown up. If they had not--- and indeed they hadn't in this case--- then it'd be clear the email was a fake. And if bogus charges had been made, the credit card company would help resolve the problem.

In any case, keep your BS detectors turned up high, and think before you respond to *any* mail asking for financial or other personal info.

[Glenn]

I received a new scam version this week. An email from the URL where I had an email address informing me that my inbox was full and the account was being used for spamming so it was being disabled by the administrator. Attached was a password protected .zip file that contained instructions for getting my email enabled again. They gladly provided the password of course.

Since I own the URL it was easy to spot the attempt since I didn't send me an email like that.

[Larry Lucido]

I hate it when time of delivery do not arrange me, because of problems with delivering company.

[Agnes Heep]

I'm still waiting for General M'bumbu to put that million dollars in my account.

[trebb]

I got a similar one with attached zip file and an "access code" for the "free virus cleaner" that was attached. It claimed that a large amount of virus activity had been detected from my email account and that the special cleaning software would fix it. I showed it to my wife to make sure she understood that it was a scam and to just delete anything like it. It's usually an indication that someone who has your email address in their address book is infected and that's how it tries to propagate - get you to infect yourself by using the "special fix".

[catonsville]

A few months ago I received a notice from Best Buy that someone in Queens, New York had used my credit card to buy TWO car radios. They wanted me to verify the charge.
Obvious fake due to dopey language and the "Dear Best Buy Customer" salutation,(instead of my name}. If they send e-mails, do NOT use you name and the mail seems to be written by a nine year old, be suspicious, very suspicious.

[Drango]

I'm still waiting for General M'bumbu to put that million dollars in my account.

Too late...I was advised last month that "TIME WAS OF THE ESSENCE" and I must hurry and send my check to claim the money. So I did. Which means I win and you lose.

As soon as the money comes from Nigeria I'm throwing a big party for all my FReeper friends....

[Fifth Business]

I realized it's just a nasty phishing scam.

Phor the liphe oph me, I don't understand why people are substituting 'ph' where 'f' customarily stands. One notices it especially at the beginning of the words 'phat' and 'phishing.'

[Agnes Heep]

Too late...I was advised last month that "TIME WAS OF THE ESSENCE" and I must hurry and send my check to claim the money. So I did. Which means I win and you lose.

Curses ... low man again! Some people have all the luck.

[FourPeas]

I'm certain this is what happened with my shipment of super viagara. I hate it when there're problems with the delivering company.

[SZonian]

Dr Agogo has graciously stepped in with his offer of rags to riches as an executor to an estate of a poor fellow who has died in Africa and left no heir. He's looking for someone to help him out!

[cincinnati65]

I'd still do a quick double check with the credit card company. If they've supposedly already charged your credit card, the charge would already appear in your billing.

[Pharmboy]

Huh?

[MikeJ]

The fast majority of 'bad things' that arrive in your mailbox fall into one of two categories - something to trick you into opening an executable attachment, or something to trick you into clicking a link.

Sadly, it is trivially easy to direct people to a bad link. This problem is going to be with us for a long time.

There is a simple defense - *never* open an executable attachment, and *never* follow a link from an email that requires a login, or that requests personal information.

For example, if you recieve an email from PayPal or Ebay or Amazon alerting you to something that needs attention, do not click on the link which they have convieniently provided; simply open your browser and go directly to the site in question. If you can't find what you are looking for, send an email or call. Once you have the habit of doing this, you are immune to the vast majority of nasty surprises that are yet to come down the road.

[atomicpossum]

I had exactly the same thing happen to me. Since I am 'team rocketshipvideo.com,' it was actually rather funny.

[Drango]

Curses ... low man again! Some people have all the luck.

Not a problem...I've open an international bank account so that I can convert the Nigerian pounds into American dollars...If you would like to share the winnings with me, I'll split the million with you. Please send me $25,000 to cover the transaction fees for the international currency conversion. And don't worry, I'll cover the $25k with the winnings I'm sending you.

[devane617]

It's just the latest fad. Other recents include: "Don't do there", "You go girl", etc...This too shall pass.

[Agnes Heep]

Not a problem...I've open an international bank account so that I can convert the Nigerian pounds into American dollars...If you would like to share the winnings with me, I'll split the million with you. Please send me $25,000 to cover the transaction fees for the international currency conversion. And don't worry, I'll cover the $25k with the winnings I'm sending you.

I would, but I just gave my last $25,000 to the Kerry campaign. He promised to protect me from outsourcing.

[Alouette]

Since I own the URL it was easy to spot the attempt since I didn't send me an email like that.

I also received this scam but it caused considerable inconvenience since I had to warn all the other users of my email server that our domain was being spoofed.

[mariejlt]

V i c o n d o n (H y d r o c o d o n e)


http://www.betweenasleepandawake.info





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The above is a copy of an email I received today... it is obviously spam from some on line drug company... but why all the weird words at the bottom ...I know it sounds paranoid, but the thought crossed my mind that the terrorist could be using spam to hide messages ...