e-mail scam

Post by **Mike** » Tue Jan 16, 2007 1:21 pm

I try not to change my main email address, it just makes my life difficult. Especially on the internet shopping sites which require an email. I have to go around each one I want to shop on and alter my account settings. It just takes too much time, that and informing everyone of my new address. . . .

Fez · Post by **Fez** » Wed Jan 17, 2007 4:40 pm

thought some of you should be made aware of this latest thing, i'm not a member and i'm concerned by the part that says; 'If you think you have received this email as an error, please visit our website and fill out the necessary information.' why would i need to? might be nothing but it seems odd...

Dear eBay Member,

We at eBay are sorry to inform you that we are having problems with
the billing information of your account. We would
appreciate it if you
would visit our website eBay Account Activation and fill out
the proper
information that we are needing to keep you as an eBay member.

If you think you have received this email as an error, please visit
our website and fill out the necessary information. That way we can
make sure that everything is up to date! Again here is the
link to our website. eBay Account Activation Form

*******
Please Do Not Reply To This E-Mail As You Will Not Receive A Response
*******

Thank you
Accounts Management

As outlined in our User Agreement, eBay will periodically send you
information about site changes and enhancements. Visit our Privacy
Policy and User Agreement if you have any questions.

BarcelonAl · Post by **BarcelonAl** » Wed Jan 17, 2007 5:01 pm

Your email address is just spam-tastic isn't it? I've not seen so much spam since I had a Hotmail account!

Fez · Post by **Fez** » Wed Jan 17, 2007 5:33 pm

i never used to get any until the new year and then all of a sudden it's exploded with all this shit. i'd love to get rid of it, but sadly shouting abuse at the screen doesn't seem to work :(

Post by **Mike** » Thu Jan 18, 2007 8:28 am

The good news is that the spam user accounts are on the way down on the site. I used to get into four or five each morning but today only brought me one. Some of them are really, really stupid. Such as the PharmaDrugMD - who in their right mind would buy from an online spammer?

Andy · Post by **Andy** » Thu Jan 18, 2007 5:04 pm

I used to get some from ebay and I occassionally get one from Paypal asking me to verify my account because a ?1,454 telly has been bought, etc. I just ignore them and consider them to be spam for retards.

Post by **Mike** » Thu Jan 18, 2007 6:08 pm

That does sound like a great plan! :D

mr_e · Post by **mr_e** » Thu Jan 18, 2007 6:20 pm

Mike wrote:who in their right mind would buy from an online spammer?

Wasn't there a statistic saying that about 1 in 5 internet users had bought things from spam emails? Something surprisingly high, anyways.

Fez · Post by **Fez** » Fri Jan 19, 2007 1:45 am

okay, i'm losing interest in posting the crap i get sent but this ebay one has returned and its getting more testing. this is either a genuine mistake of a very elaborate scam - once again i am not an ebay user, hell, i've never even visited the site!:

Hello,
Please let me know when you will send the item to me since I have paid for it a week ago and you received the money, why don't you answer to my emails? if you don't respond now I will contact eBay fraud department and report you!

I will wait for your reply ASAP.
Thank you.
Respond to this question

Fez · Post by **Fez** » Fri Jan 19, 2007 1:48 am

this one is trying my patience too - i've never heard of this company let alone want anything to do with them:

Dear JPMorgan Chase Customer,

Due to recent fraudulent activities on some of JPMorgan Chase online
accounts we are launching a new security system to make
JPMorgan Chase online accounts more secure and safe. Before we can
activate it we will be checking all JPMorgan Chase online accounts to confirm the
authenticity of the holder.

We will require a confirmation that your account has not been stolen or hacked.
Your account has not been suspended or frozen.

To confirm your account status please Login at http//:www.chase.com

-complete the required information to authenticate and reset your account

-make sure your account balance has not been changed

-make sure your details have not been changed

-review recent transactions in your account history for any unauthorized
transfer

If you find any type of suspicious activities please contact us immediately.
Please include in your message your account number, your account name
and the unauthorized transfer date & time.

Fez · Post by **Fez** » Fri Jan 19, 2007 1:51 am

i seem to be building a financial empire in africa. but don't worry, i wont post anymore of these unless they're really badly written!

Hello dear,

This mail might come to you as a surprise and the temptation to ignore
it as
unserious could come into your mind but please consider it a divine
wish and
accept it with a deep sense of humility.

I am Mr USMAN SANKARA, the manager in charge of Telex/computing
department
of Bank of Africa (B.O.A)Ouagadougou Burkina Faso in West Africa, with
due
respect and Regard, I have decided tocontact you on a business
transaction
that will be very beneficial to both of us at the end of the
transaction.

During our investigation and auditing in this Bank, my department came
across a very huge sum ofmoney belonging to one of our deceased
customer who
died on July 30th 2000 of a ghastly motor accident and the fund has
been
dormant in his account with this bank without any claim of the fund in
our
Custody either from his family or relation before our discovery to this
development.Although personally,

I keep this information secret within I and to enable the whole plans
and
idea be Profitable and successful during the time of execution, the
said
amount is Fifteen million three hundred thousand United States
dollars(U.S
$15.3m),as it may interest you to know, I got your impressive
information on
my search for a reliable partner, I contacted you to be my partner and
person to be reliable and capable to champion a business of such
magnitude
without any problem.

Meanwhile all The whole arrangement to put claim over this fund as the
next of kin to the deceased, get the required approval And transfer this
money to a foreign account has been put in Place and directives and needed information will be relayed to you as soon as you indicate your
interest and willingness to assist me and also benefit your self to this great business opportunity, In fact I could have done this deal alone but because of my position in this country as a civil servant and we are not allowed to operate a foreign account and would eventually raise eye brow on my side during the time of transfer because I work in this bank.

This is the actual reason why it will require a second party or fellow who will forward claims As the next of kin with affidavit of trust of oath to the bank and also present a foreign account where he will need the money to
be re-transferred into on his request as it may be after due Verification
and clarification by the correspondent branch of The bank where the whole money will be remitted from to your Own designation bank account.

I will not fail to inform you that this transaction is 100% risk free, on smooth conclusion of this transaction, you will be entitled to 30% of the
total sum as gratification, while 5% will be set aside to take care of expenses that may arise during the time of transfer, while 65% will be for
me ,please you have been advised to keep "Top Secret" as I am still in service and intend to retire from service after we conclude this deal with
you, I will be monitoring the whole situation here in this bank Until you
confirm the money in your account, and ask us to come Down to your country for subsequent sharing of the fund According to percentages previously indicated and further Investment, either in your country or any country you advice us to invest in and all other necessary vital information will be send to you when I hear from you.

I suggest you get back to me As soon as possible and also include your
personal phone/mobile And fax numbers for easy communication.

Yours faithfully,
MR.USMAN SANKARA
THE MANAGER IN CHARGE OF
TELEX/COMPUTING DEPARTMENT OF
BANK OF AFRICA (B.O.A)
OUAGADOUGOU BURKINA-FASO.

Fez · Post by **Fez** » Fri Jan 19, 2007 1:58 am

i began reporting these scams because when the first one arrived it was a bit of a novelty to have something so tragically transparent i was amazed anyone would ever fall for this tripe. however, aside from most of africa wanting to hand over some dead man's wealth to me, i'm concerned by ones from ebay and mastercard. i wasn't able to reproduce all the corporate symbols and legal information, but when the e-mails were first opened they looked very official - naturally, not being a customer of any of these real companies to begin with i wasn't going to fall for the false tricks, but it's easy to see how people might be conned by these things.

this isn't just harmless spam - these are criminal attempts to get hold of account information, and speaking as someone who had their credit card details ripped off not so long ago i want to know who the hell is responsible for this - both in terms of which bastards and sending the stuff out and who [if anyone] is supposed to be stopping them.

Andy · Post by **Andy** » Sun Jan 21, 2007 9:51 am

I have to admit the ebay and the paypal one does look real.

However, I always consider this with ebay -
q) have i bought for it and paid for it
a) usually, yes I have sent payment, if not, then i go and check it through the main site.

TAOWBST · Post by **TAOWBST** » Sat Feb 24, 2007 11:40 am

Dear halifax customer,

During our regularly scheduled account maintenance and verification procedures, we have detected a slight error in your billing information.

This might be due to either of the following reasons:

1. A recent change in your personal information (i.e.change of address).
2. Submiting invalid information during the initial sign up process.
3. An inability to accurately verify your selected option of payment due to an internal error within our processors.

Please update and verify your information by clicking the link below:

https://www.halifax.co.uk/update.dll?NbankPlaceInfo

If your account information is not updated within 48 hours then your ability to access your account will become restricted.

Thank you

The halifax Bank Group

* Please do not respond to this email as your reply will not be received.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Copyright ? 1995-2007 halifax Inc. All Rights Reserved.
Designated trademarks and brands are the property of their respective owners.

I got this not so long ago - although it did go directly to hotmail's junk email folder.

You know the strangest thing is - I'm not even a Halifax customer. Theses people really have no grasp of logic do they? For example if the "account maintenance and verification procedures" are so regular, why haven't I recived this email before.

Post by **johnriley1uk** » Sat Feb 24, 2007 1:33 pm

If it was sent to 1000 people randomly, perhaps 50 would be Halifax customers and if only 5 responded then they would have access to 5 bank accounts.

The moral to the story is never repond to an e-mail, only access accounts via the appropriate website.

It's amazing that people fall for these things, but they do.