Saturday, August 27, 2011

Scam Email: Campbell Kelly or John Campbell

This scammer just couldn't decide who his fake identity was. Started out as Mr. Campbell Kelly but then quickly dissolved into John Campbell. He also forgot to change the FROM email address to match what was in the body of the email but I never said scammers were the brightest batch in the room...

Return-path: [senior@host.supremevaluesserver.com]
From: Campbell Kelly [johniemark891@gmail.com]
Subject: Email Order

Dear Sales,

How are you today, my name is Mr CAMPBELL KELLY the

owner of China Gold Pandora Store.
I will like to order for some items in your store,but

before i proceed i will like to know if you can supply

and ship to CHINE and if you accept CREDIT CARDS as

payment.
Kindly advise me ASAP, so i can proceed with the list

of needed items.

Store Name:China Gold Pandora Store

No.2 Metro Road,Yinzhou District, Ningbo City, Zhejiang

Province

POSTAL Code:570923

Country:China

Phone:+86 09 7726  6540

E-MAIL:campbellkelly64@gmail.com

Thanks

JOHN CAMPBELL

Thursday, August 18, 2011

Scam Email: Linda Scott

This scam is not art related but an artist forwarded it to me. Egads! This scammer went on and on and one, hoping their story would somehow convinced their intended victim they were for "real". And they didn't even get to the heart of the scam, which is their deposit check would be for more than was required and they would likely then ask the difference be sent to their shipping company, via Western Union. And therein lies the scam. The check will be fraudulent but your money is good, and once picked up by the scammers from Western Union, is completely untraceable.

I'm posting this because it may get the award for the longest lamest "backstory" offered up by a scammer.


Hello,

Thanks very much for e-mailing me back ,i really appreciate it, am also sorry for getting back to you late.. I am Linda Scott by name and live in Seattle, WA. I would have been kind of happy if we can meet before making any plans, but am very busy and i have a lot of things to do right now.. I will really appreciate it if you can tell me more about the place and tell me little about you because my uncle is presently very sick, and i have to travel to Finland to see him but i want to secure the place down before going. He was involved in a car crash with his new car some weeks back and now ill seriously, I need to check on him and take good care of him.

I am staying in CHRMC Children's Hospital Seattle staff Quarters now

The address is below:

4800 Sandpoint Way NE Seattle, WA 98105

I am moving cause of my job, am a medical Humanitarian nurse for united Nations. I work for CHRMC Children's Hospital in Seattle but will be working in a local clinic over there, More about me, am a neat type of person, honest, humble and responsible. I like honest, responsible and hardworking people while i hate the lazy, messy and uncaring people....well am a quiet and gentle going person to live with....I am 27 yrs old female, 5.4 in height ,i like tourism and i don't keep late at nights neither i will have overnight guest around but am ok if you do..

I was born and brought up in Finland, i studied there i had my university education right there while staying with my uncle.. I lived all my life in Finland before coming down to Seattle, WA have been living with my uncle from age 13 ...Then i was member of the Red Cross Association it really sounds interesting for me...

Am sure You 'll really like the person that i am ,because i will also do the dishing if you like I work when i am to and relax when i am to, I also like sharing my thoughts also....paying rent on time will not be a problem as i will also be making the rent fee before the month ends....

I do not have any pet, i really like dog and cat but have none of it now, so there is no problem about that.

I must confess am comfortable with the price and I will want to secure the place down before my arrival so i will want you to tell me all about the place as i can't see it before my arrival but the pictures...I also will want you to know that i have my car that i will be coming over with little of my furniture.

please let me know if there will be room for them. With all that I've said above I have told you more about me and more picture of mine will be attach in the next email Let me also know how i can go about securing the place down before my arrival as i will also be busy from next week and let me know if you can take off the ad off the site as i am going to secure the place with a deposit

Feel free to ask me any question and as I've said i am looking to move in by the availability of the place but want to secured it now

Thanks..

Scam Email: Ballet Ryan

Here is a note I received from another artist:

Friday, I had an email that I was suspect of the content. Today I am sure! Someone is trying to scam me. This is my second scammer email in the past year and a half that I have had. Luckily, I have been on my toes.

First Email:
From: ballet ryan (balleyryan@gmail.com)
Subject: Enquiry

Hello [my name],

My name is Ballet Ryan and am from South Carolina and Was going through your works and love this piece.
What's your final price for it and am really interested in purchasing the piece.

Thanks and i await your response.

Ryan.
Second Email:
From: ballet ryan (balleyryan@gmail.com)
Subject: Re: Enquiry

Hello [my name],
Thanks for your prompt reply.I really appreciate your detailed breakdown and frankness on this.
Unfortunately, Im on my way to Mexico on an official trip(I'm a marketing Executive) and wont be back for another two weeks, I
would have come to inspect the piece personally. Im taking your word for true on It though .
Im okay with the price, I think it worth it anyway. If you'd like to know, Im relocating to the UK soon and I'm trying to gather some
good stuff for my new abode. Im buying yours amongst others,quickly! before someone else grabs it.So, I'll arrange to send you payment ASAP as i will be responsible for the shipping (payment) of the piece to my new abode in UK.
However, I'll have to notify my shipper who's helping me move my stuff from the US,to get set for the pickup of the piece from your
place as I MIGHT be delayed in Mexico depending on how things goes.
Thanks,
PS: In the mean time, kindly get back to me with your contact address and also your phone# so I can get certified check prepared
and have it sent out to you ASAP.

Monday, August 15, 2011

Scam Email: Jasmine Anthony

The thing I found odd about this scam email is how the scammer seems to have used a "reply" to paste in to their main email (notice all the carets at the beginning of the lines). They also put their intended victim's email in the BCC field (I saw this when I looked at the full headers). I guess they were trying to cut some corners but it seems odd. The content is all the usual stuff we see over and over again.

From: Jasmine Anthony (jasminefashionboutique@googlemail.com)
To: jasminefashionboutique@googlemail.com
Subject: Enquiry

>
> Dear Sales,
>
> I got your contact through an international fashion network.
>
> My name is Mrs Jasmine Anthony, a store owner in Ivory Coast, Africa.
> I'm really interested in your product and would like to be one of your
> international customers.
> My business is five years old and steadily growing. We purchase all
> kind of women clothing,jeans, t-shirts , jewelries & accessories etc
> and resell them to our local customers and it has been very profitable
> for me.
>
> If you are considering selling to me, then send me some of your scan
> collections with the wholesale prices.
>
> Ordering should be easy as I could just note down the style
> numbers and e-mail you my order list. I do hope you'll accept my Visa
> or Master credit cards  as my only payment option and also hope you can
> ship Internationally
> to Ivory Coast.
>
> I look forward to hearing from you soon.
>
> Thank you,
>
> Mrs Jasmine Anthony - Owner
> Jasmine Fshion Boutique
> Rue 47 Immeuble Diallo-Avenue Houdaille
> Abidjan-Ivory Coast.
> My Company Reg N°: R.C N° 2856516-CC.N°020567896

Sunday, August 14, 2011

Scam Email: Fanbox.com

Fanbox.com, formerly known as sms.ac, is one of the most annoying and sleaziest spams and misrepresentations going right now.

When you sign up for FanBox, it asks for your permission to email everyone in your address book. After you give them your password (DON'T do it!) it will start spamming everyone in your contact list / address book.  It will send them these stupid ":____ asked you a question" spams.

We've received them here; and verified that the senders had no intention of sending them to us, or "asking" a question. They felt victimized.

Here is the one I received this morning, obviously from someone I know - who likely fell victim to it.

P.S. DON'T CLICK ON ANY LINKS BELOW, they are there just to show you what they look like and I don't want you falling victim to this scam!

From: {name of my friend} [fbNOREPLY@yourfanbox.com]
Received: from [208.69.101.171 helo=smtp171.sms.ac]
To:   {me}
Subject: {name of my friend} shared some photos with you

{name of my friend} shared a new photo slideshow with you View now
http://profile.fanbox.com/DeveloperOptin/BlogROME.aspx?vet=146&mlid=91144420&vlsid=31700&dt=081311&cid=31700&evt=708316703&src=BLOGROMESOCUSTOMTEXT&encemail=Iqknz%2f0G3SFW2CwCgByrpc5jPun6o6yFrpZestLSRCLT1ExbYh%2bq%2fQ%3d%3d&ptid=1584{name of my friend}'s time spent in this site helps fight Children Blood Disorders.To reduce unwanted emails: if you don't respond to (click) emails from any person, all further emails to you from that person are automatically blocked for 24 hours.

To ensure you don't miss anything from {name of my friend} please check your feed
 or inbox
 regularly.This message was intended for {my email address} and was sent as a notification, invitation or reminder (digital goods subject to change in reminders) of an event initiated by {my friend's name} using a third-party or platform application and may contain promotional materials and/or services for sale including digital goods received.To control messages sent to or from you, your contacts and/or FanBox, click here
http://profile.fanbox.com/ApplicationManager/ROMEBlogSettings.aspx?cid=31700&em=Iqknz%2f0G3SFW2CwCgByrpc5jPun6o6yFrpZestLSRCLT1ExbYh%2bq%2fQ%3d%3d&vet=146&mlid=91144420&dt=081311&ptid=1584&aec=-1&tec=-1&pid=31700&sendid=221470708.Our offices are located at: FanBox - 113 West G Street, STE 510, San Diego, CA 92101, USA

Saturday, August 6, 2011

Scam Email: James

We've reported on this one before but it's been awhile so here is another one received this morning from the fake name of just "James". Notice on the full headers how the return address is different than the reply to address where they are receiving replies and communicating with their intended victims via a disposable gmail account.


Return-path: [w16149@managed18.lsrv.de]
Received: from managed18.lsrv.de (unknown [86.110.75.161]) Germany
From: james [makjames101@gmail.com]
Reply-To: makjames101@gmail.com
Subject: Order Inquiry

Good day Sales,

     I browse through your contact and I find some items which we have interest in purchasing to our store in Albania for urgent supply, I will like to know the prices per each items plus the shipping cost,i also want to know the kind of credit card you accept for payment e.g master card or visa card. I await your swift response so I can proceed with the needed items and
quantity

Thank you

Friday, August 5, 2011

Spam King could get 40 years for 27 million Facebook messages

Sanford Wallace has been around for a long time. Ever since I can remember anyone talking about spam. And I've been involved in the internet since the days of Usenet (curses, that'll date me somewhat). He seems to keep at it, no matter what is thrown at him.

There are really so few cases where the authorities actually pursue spammers, so I thought I'd post this. But I wonder if it's more about that Sanford seems to continue to insist on living in the United States. He'd probably be pretty untouchable if he chose a more remote location. And also the authorities maybe wanting us to believe they are actually trying to pursue the massive problem of spamming. Ole' Sanford will be back.

A Las Vegas man accused of sending more than 27 million spam messages to Facebook users faces federal fraud and computer tampering charges that could send him to prison for more than 40 years, according to a grand jury indictment.

Sanford Wallace, the self-proclaimed "Spam King," pleaded not guilty during an initial court appearance Thursday after being indicted July 6 on six counts of electronic mail fraud, three counts of intentional damage to a protected computer and two counts of criminal contempt.

The indictment filed in San Jose federal court said Wallace compromised about 500,000 Facebook accounts between November 2008 and March 2009 by sending massive amounts of spam through the company's servers on three separate occasions.

Wallace would collect Facebook user account information by sending "phishing" messages that tricked users of the social networking site into providing their passwords, the indictment said.

He would then use that information to log into their accounts and post spam messages on their friends' Facebook walls, the indictment said. Those who clicked on the link, thinking it came from their friend, were redirected to websites that paid Wallace for the Internet traffic.