If someone offered you a reward for a contest you did not enter, it’s 99.9% likely it’s a scam. If you request more details and they tell you to decline the winnings instead of answering, it’s 100% a scam. I have my own message screenshots to share and can share my experience with at least one of these scammers, but the info shared by Coinbase and CashApp tell you what to look out for.
Be safe, y’all. They are out there are they are grouchy,
Tag Archives: spam
Fake Facebook, YouTube, and Skype missed notifications
My inbox is full lately. The spammers are ramping up their efforts through the holiday season because they think we’ll fall for the strange offers and notifications because of holiday brain. Let’s prove them wrong.
In addition to the usual lottery and job scams, missed Skype, YouTube, and Facebook messages are the main topics. The messages are short and include a link to the fake site the scammer wants you to log in on.
Here are some of the ones I’ve received.
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From: Skype Team (dissentsyq71@schesslitz.de)
Subject: Delayed mails bagged
Delayed mail.
View mails (link removed).
Cordially,
Skype team
————-
From: YouTube Notify (globh@proderm.de)
Subject: You have deferred mails embodying
You have deferred mail.
View mails (link removed).
Warm wishes,
Youtube Team
———————-
From: Youtube (drh@styl-pack.fr)
Subject: You have missed notifications proved
You have missed notification.
View notifications (link removed).
Very truly yours
Youtube service
——————
From: Facebook Notify (drh@styl-pack.fr)
Subject: Hi. You have deferred mails underlining.
View mails (link removed).
Best regards
Facebook service
—————-
If you receive a similar message, please don’t click the link. Open the site in a new window and login there.
Be safe.
Something new – unsolicited resumes
I expect to find unsolicited job offers with attached files, but this is the first time I’ve received a resume attachment. No, I did not open the attachment and, for safety reasons, you shouldn’t either.
—————
From: Sulema Rosaro (sulemajvwtg@rambler.ru)
Subject: My Resume
Hey.
I noticed your website today Tue, 24 Nov 2015 and found it very attractive.
I was hoping there was any possibility of internship or unpaid trial period, just to prove my competence.
As you will see in my attached resume, I am very qualified and have a very large experience in this type of work. I am very confident it will be worth your time reading it, and I am even more confident you will find me very adequate in your corporation.
Please see my attached resume.
I am very much looking forward to hearing from you.
Yours sincerely,
Sulema Rosaro
———–
Rambler.ru is hosted in Russia. That aside, the vague wording of the email does not compel me to download anything, but someone else might. Be careful. Tis the season for intensified scamming.
Stalked by Stacy, David, and Harley and their fake offers
Apparently I’m irresistable and Stacy is desperate to reach me. Her friend, Harley, is almost as desperate. Eight emails from Stacy, seven from David, and ten from Harley is the past three weeks. I want to be this popular when it comes to legitimate offers! Anyway, they both tell me that I have a pending deposit that needs verification. Sometimes it’s $612 and others it’s nearly $5,000.
Subject lines include
- Your deposit for $4,409.29 requires verification
- Approval of Payment
- Alert: $612 For (insert email address here) – Please Fill Form
- (Support) Did you receive your deposit?
- RE: Pending Payment For (insert email address here)… CLAIM NOW.
- Congratulations: You’ve Made A Commission!
- Your Check Is Waiting…
Even my email provider is on to them. Several of the messages were flagged with a message stating that similar messages are used to steal user information.
Guess what they all have in common? A Linear Success Formula or Accelerated Results Formula email address. Ignore these people, do not click on any of their links.
This FBI investigation scam is a doozy
Scammers are wising up to the fact that many potential victims are smarter than they used to be. They’re tweaking their messages in hopes of fooling the smarter folks. They choose business names close to well-known business’ names, use real names of government officials, and use names and spoofed letterheads of government agencies in their approach. One I received today made me giggle more than it annoyed me. Let me know if you respond the same way.
—-
From: info@fbi.org
Subject: Spam Federal Bureau of Investigation F B I
Anti-Terrorist And Monetary Crimes Division FBI Headquarter, Washington, D.C. Federal Bureau Of Investigation,Washington, D.C. J.Edgar Hoover Building 935 Pennsylvania Avenue, Nw Washington, D.C. 20535-0001 www.fbi.gov ATTENTION: BENEFICIARY This e-mail has been issued to you in order to Officially inform you that we have completed an investigation on an International Payment in which was issued to you by an International Lottery Company. With the help of our newly developed technology (International Monitoring Network System) we discovered that your e-mail address was automatically selected by an Online Balloting System, this has legally won you the sum of $50 million United State Dollars USD from a Lottery Company outside the United States of America. During our investigation we discovered that your e-mail won the money from an Online Balloting System and we have authorized this winning to be paid to you via INTERNATIONAL CERTIFIED BANK DRAFT. Normally, it will take up to 5 business days for an INTERNATIONAL CERTIFIED BANK DRAFT by your local bank. We have successfully notified this company on your behalf that funds are to be drawn from a registered bank within the worldwinde, so as to enable you cash the check instantly without any delay, henceforth the stated amount of $50 million United State Dollars USD has been deposited with IMF.We have completed this investigation and you are hereby approved to receive the winning prize as we have verified the entire transaction to be Safe and 100% risk free, due to the fact that the funds have been deposited with IMF you will be required to settle the following bills directly to the Lottery Agent in-charge of this transaction whom is located in USA, UNITED STATE OF AMERICA. According to our discoveries, you were required to pay for the following, (1) Deposit Fee's ( IMF INTERNATIONAL CLEARANCE CERTIFICATE ) (2) Shipping Fee's ( This is the charge for shipping the Cashier's Check to your home address) The total amount for everything is $410.00 We have tried our possible best to indicate that this $410.00 should be deducted from your winning prize but we found out that the funds have already been deposited IMF and cannot be accessed by anyone apart from you the winner, therefore you will be required to pay the required fee's to the Agent in-charge of this transaction In order to proceed with this transaction, you will be required to contact the agent in-charge ( Mr Alfred Dye) via e-mail. Kindly look below to find appropriate contact information: CONTACT AGENT NAME: Mr Alfred Dye E-MAIL: sales@mrcoduk.com You will be required to e-mail him with the following information: FULL NAME: ADDRESS: CITY: STATE: ZIP CODE: DIRECT CONTACT NUMBER: OCCUPATION: You will also be required to request Western Union or Money Gram details on how to send the required $410.00 in order to immediately ship your prize of $50 million USD via INTERNATIONAL CERTIFIED BANK DRAFT from IMF, also include the following transaction code in order for him to immediately identify this transaction : EA2948-910. This letter will serve as proof that the Federal Bureau Of Investigation is authorizing you to pay the required $410.00 ONLY to Mr David Dye via information in which he shall send to you, Mr.James Comey Director Office of Public Affairs Federal Bureau of Investigation F B I Yours in Service,Photograph of Director www.fbi.gov
So many names, so many lies. And holy run-on sentences, Batman! In this scam, the intended beneficiary is required to send money in order to receive money. The victim sends the money and that’s hopefully the end of it. This is the standard inheritance scam with a twist.
So, did it make you giggle or annoy you? Have you received this one or another like it?
An urgent proposal from Li Chen Huang
What is it about bankers and potential employers in Hong Kong? Once again, a fake job offer arrived and I giggled and shook my head while reading it. It disturbs me to hear that so many people still fall for these fake offers in the Digital Age.
Here’s the offer in all its wordy glory.
From: Li Chen Huang (linchenhuang@hotmail.com)
Subject: An Urgent Proposal
Attn: Sir/Ma
I am Mr. Lin Chen Huang, Manager Asset Management Department for the
Dah Sing Bank in Hong Kong.I am getting in touch with you regarding the estate of a
deceased client with similar last name and an investment placed
under our banks management many years ago.
I would respectfully request that you keep the contents of this mail
confidential and respect the integrity of the information you come by as a
result of this mail. I contact you independently and no one is informed of
this communication. In 2000 the subject matter; Mr.Thomas Costin came to
our bank to engage in business discussions with our private banking
division. He informed us that he had a financial portfolio of $12.350
million (Twelve Million Three Hundred and Fifty Thousand United States
dollars) which he wished to have us invest on his behalf.
Based on my advice, we spun the money around various opportunities and
made attractive margins for our first months of operation, the accrued
profit and interest stood at this point at over $1.8 million United States
Dollars. In mid 2002, he instructed that the principal sum ($12.350M) be
liquidated because he needed to make an urgent investment requiring cash
payments in Hong Kong. We got in touch with a specialist bank in Hong Kong
the Dah Sing Bank (DSB) who agreed to receive this money for a fee and make
cash available to Mr.Costin. However Dah Sing Bank got in touch with us last
year that this money has not been claimed. On further enquiries we found out
that Mr.Costin was involved in an accident in Mainland China, which means he
died intestate. He has no next of kin and the reason I am writing you is
because you are namesakes.
What I propose is that since I have exclusive access to his file, you will
be made the beneficiary of these funds. My bank will contact you informing
you that money has been willed to you. On verification, which will be the
details I make available to my bank, my bank will instruct DSB to make
payments to you. You do not have to have known him. I know this might be a
bit heavy for you but please trust me on this. For all your troubles I
propose that we split the money in half. In the banking circle this happens
every time. The other option is that the money will revert back to the state.
Nobody is getting hurt; this is a lifetime opportunity for us. I hold the
KEY to these funds, and as a Chinese National we see so much cash and funds
being re-assigned daily. I would want us to keep communication for now
strictly by the above Email, Telephone and Fax numbers.
Please, again, note I am a family man; I have a wife and children. I send
you this mail not without a measure of fear as to the consequences, but I
know within me that nothing ventured is nothing gained and that success and
riches never come easy or on a platter of gold. This is the one truth I have
learned from my private banking clients. Do not betray my confidence. If we
can be of one accord, we should act swiftly on this. Please get back to me
immediately via the telephone, fax number or email address above and let me
know if you intend to assist or not. If you also do not want to be involved
kindly let me know so I would sever further communication with you.
I await your response.
Lin Chen Huang
Do not let desperation or greed overrule common sense. Be safe. Please.
A long one from Daphne Pugh
Since the fake job offer email is so long, I’ll get right to it.
From: Daphne Pugh (wy2008@vip.sohu.com)
Subject: Job opportunity – (088389876)
Hi.
We want you to look through the job offer written below. Rush Delivery service�has recently got acquainted with the resume that you posted on the internet and would like to offer you a free vacancy as a courier clerk department member.
Rush Delivery service was set in 2006 as a result of the merger of couple commercial postal services in Lithuania. Our current business sphere works with many European clients to facilitate the ordering, purchase and deliver of goods bought directly from the North American market to them. Our enterprise approach by default targets the retail field.
The duties of your vacancy are reserved only for residents of the US. As a delivery employee your duties will include: following, accepting, putting together, accumulating and transferring goods ordered from big US internet firms to Europe to the corporate branches and secondary office locations. The position does not demand attending any kind of office work places and can be primarily performed from your home and the local post office. Our organization provides all the required materials and instructions for doing the job, a clear job contract (with other paperwork) and plenty of benefits. We ask for no start up costs from our employees. Products that our clients order are majorly modern electronics such as Apple gadgets, different computers and similar electronics, so there is nothing heavy or too large being shipped (and no need for a warehouse place). We provide a $1,800 monthly stable and base salary with an extra bonus paid for every task accomplished on time. There is a very good chance of higher salary and expanding careers for our most successful employees.
Our requirements:
– 18 years minimum age
– Having a working street address
– Being able to work comfortably on the internet and with a printer
– Having a working phone number (and willingness to add several or additional numbers)
Rush Delivery service is happy to show you this official invitation message. We purposely do not include any attachments or links to keep web security at the highest point.
If you are interested, do not hesitate to let us know about it via email.
I told you it was long. Daphne is pretty thorough, but that doesn’t change that this is a fake offer.
Be safe.
Oh, goodie. Funds from Ml.lapointe.
Oy, is this one a doozie. And it may hurt to read. You have been warned.
From: Ml.lapointe (ml.la@biz.com)
Subject: WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT YOUR FUNDS
I am Ml.lapointe, I am a United State Citizen, 48 years Old. I reside here in Pennslyavnia. My residential address is as follows bev uding 762 E Northampton St Wilkes Barre,Pa 18702, am thinking of relocating since I am now rich. I am one of those that took part in the Compensation in Nigeria many years ago and they refused to pay me, I had paid over $20,000 while in United Citizen , trying to get my payment all to noavail.
So I decided to travel down to Nigeria with all my compensation documents,And I was directed to meet Mr.Jean Castro, who is the member of COMPENSATION AWARD COMMITTEE, and I contacted him and he explained everything to me. He said whoever is contacting us through emails are fake..
He took me to the paying bank for the claim of my Compensation payment.Right now I am the most happiest woman on earth because I have received my compensation funds of $1,500,000.00 Moreover, Mr.Jean Castro, showed me the full information of those that are yet to
receive their payments and I saw your details as one of the beneficiaries that is why I decided to email you to stop dealing with those people, they are not with your fund, they are only making money out of you. I will advise you to contact Mr.Jean Castro.You have to contact him directly on this information below.
JOAKIN COMPENSATION HOUSE
Name : Mr.Jean Castro
Email:jeancastro284@yahoo.com
you really have to stop dealing with those people ,that are contacting you and telling you that your fund is with them, it is not in anyway with them, they are only taking advantage of you and they will dry you up until you have nothing.The only fee that i paid to get my fund was $950 only for the fund release certificate…
Again stop contacting those people, I will advise you to contact Mr.Jean Castro so that he can help you to Transfer your Fund into your account, instead of dealing with those liars that will be turning you around asking for different kind of money to complete your transaction.
Thank You and Be Blessed
Ml.lapointe
Do you have a headache now? I do. The red flags are all over this one. Be smart and be safe.
So urgent they sent it twice! Cyber warning from James B. Comey
It never ends! May is only 9 days old and the spam is rushing in like mad. Maybe the scammers are trying to take advantage of tax refunds or the ‘holy crap it’s summer’ rush for extra cash? Or maybe this is just the same old mass email and hope someone falls for it thing. Most likely that’s it.
James B. Comey (mflores@spyros.com.mx and nuno@telnet.com.br) wants to be sure I don’t trust just anyone when it comes to collecting my funds from overseas. He knows that imposters are afoot and needs me to recognize that he is legit – which he isn’t. He emailed me twice in one day, you know, in case I have multiple inheritances to collect. Because I’ve got it like that. Or something.
—
Subject: STOP CONTACTING IMPOSTERS, CYBER WARNING
and
Dear Beneficiary, The Truth About Your Funds (Note: Yes, two subject lines within each message).
Federal Bureau of Investigation
Counter-terrorism Division and Cyber Crime Division
J. Edgar. Hoover Building Washington DC
JAMES B. COMEY,
Attention Beneficiary,
Records shows that you are among one of the individuals who are yet to receive their overdue payment from overseas which includes those of Lottery/Gambling, Contract and Inheritance. Through our Fraud Monitory Unit we have noticed that you have been transacting with some impostors and fraudsters who have been impersonating the likes of Prof. Soludo, Lamido Sanusi of the Central Bank Of Nigeria, Mr. Patrick Aziza, Bode Williams, Frank, Anderson, none officials of Oceanic Bank, Zenith Banks, Kelvin Young of HSBC, Ben of FedEx, Ibrahim Sule, Dr. Usman Shamsuddeen and some impostors claiming to be The Federal Bureau of investigation.
The Cyber Crime Division of the FBI gathered information from the Internet Fraud Complaint Center (EFCC) on how some people have lost outrageous sums of money to these impostors. As a result of this, we hereby advise you to stop communication with any one not referred to you by us. We have negotiated with the Federal Ministry of Finance that your payment totaling $5,900,000.00(Five Million Nine Hundred Thousand Dollars). will be released to you via a custom pin based ATM card with a maximum withdrawal limit of $15,000 a day which is powered by Visa Card and can be used anywhere in the world where you see a Visa Card Logo on the Automated Teller Machine (ATM).
We guarantee receipt of your payment. This is as a result of the mandate from US Government to make sure all debts owed to citizens of American and also Asia and Europe which includes Inheritance, Contract, Gambling/Lottery etc are been cleared. Below are few list of tracking numbers you can track from Delivery Company website to confirm people like you who have received their payment successfully.
Name: Mr. and Mrs. RANGANBAY: DHL Tracking Number: 2282232175 (www.dhl.com)
Name: Mr. Jalaludin: FedEx Tracking number 875777537332 (www.fedex.com)
To redeem your funds, you are hereby advised to contact the ATM Card Center via email for their requirement to proceed and procure your Approval of Payment Warrant and Endorsement of your ATM Release Order on your behalf which will cost you $285US only and nothing more as everything else has been taken care of by the Federal Government including taxes, custom paper and clearance duty so all you will ever need to pay is $285.00 only. (Note: And you’ll never see that $285 or any funds supposedly coming your way. This is designed to steal at least this much from you).
Mrs. lIllian Prey (ATM Card Center Director)
Central Bank of Nigeria Central Business District,
Card astral Zone, federal Capital Territory,
Abuja.
ATM Card Center Director Mrs. lIllian Prey.
Do contact Mrs. lillian Prey of the ATM Card Center via his contact details above and furnish him with your details as listed below:
FULL NAMES: __________________________________
DELIVERY ADDRESS FOR ATM CARD: __________________
SEX: _______________
DATE OF BIRTH: __________________
OCCUPATION: __________________
TELEPHONE NUMBER: _____________________
EMAIL ADDRESS: _____________________
On contacting him with your details your file would be updated and he will be sending you the payment information in which you will use in making payment of $285.00 via Money Gram or Western Union Money Transfer for the procurement of your Approval of Payment Warrant and Endorsement of your ATM Release Order, after which the delivery of your ATM card will be effected to your designated home address without any further delay, No extra fee.
JAMES B. COMEY ,
DIRECTOR OF FEDERAL BUREAU OF INVESTIGATION
UNITED STATES IN COLABORATION WITH THE
DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE
WASHINGTON, D.C. 20535
Note: Disregard any email you get from any impostors or offices claiming to be in possession of your ATM card, you are hereby advice only to be in contact with Mr. Tony Micheal the Director of the ATM card center who is the rightful person to deal with in regards to your payment and forward any emails you get from impostors to this office so we could act upon it immediately. Help stop cyber crime. (Note: Yes, help stop cyber crime. Don’t fall for this crap.)
—-
So many lies, so little time. Report this message as spam and fraud to your email provider. Don’t believe it, ever.
Until next time, peace.
Pro tip: exclamation point abuse will not make spam seem legit
Spammers and scammers amaze me sometimes. They are slimy idiots and brilliant at the same time. They can draw people in like no one else. Just wow. Check out this message from (not really) General Abdul Aziz al-Shallal (using the email address test@test.com). If I was desperate enough, I might believe it and follow up.
—
Subject: VERY URGENT!!! (Note: You know, because all caps and multiple exclamation points mean this is real)
Greetings,
I apologized using this medium to reach you for a transaction/business of this magnitude, but this is due to Confidentiality and prompt access reposed on this medium. In unfolding this proposal, I want to count on you, as a respected and honest person to handle this project/transaction with sincerity, trust and confidentiality.
Let me use this opportunity to introduce myself briefly to you. I am General Abdul Aziz Jassem al-Shallal. One of the general that defected from the Syrian Army.
My office monitors and controls the affairs of sensitive institutions including some financial post in my country concerned with foreign contract payments as well..
I am the final signatory to any transfer or remittance of funds moving within banks both on the local and international levels in line to foreigncontracts settlement. I have before me, list of funds which could not be transferred to some nominated accounts as these accounts have beenidentified either as ghost accounts, unclaimed deposits or over-invoiced sum e.t.c. before I defected.
Now listen carefully please. I write to present you to the federal government that you are among the people expecting the funds to betransferred into their accounts. On this note, I wish to have a deal with you as regards to the unpaid certified contract funds.
I have every file before me and the data’s will be changed into your name to enable you receive the fund into your nominated account as thecontractor/beneficiary of the fund amount $20 Million U.S.D.
It is my duty to recommend the transfer of these surplus funds to the government treasury and reserve accounts as unclaimed deposits. I have the opportunity to write you based on the opportunity that the funds was release to my office which I have made deposit into three countries France , United States and Britain namely.
Among several others, I have decided to remit this sum following my idea that we have a deal/agreement and I am going to do this legally. (Note: Nothing about this is legal or legitimate.)
MY CONDITIONS AS FOLLOWS.
1. You will give me 70% at of the total sum as soon as you confirm the total fund in your designated account. 25% will be for you for while 5% should be set aside for any miscellaneous expenses. (Note: If nothing else raises your suspicion, this should.)
2. This transaction must be kept highly secretive as I am still in service to avoid public notice and all correspondence will be strictly by email for security purposes. We will talk on phone partially if any warrant for that.
3. There should be no third parties as most problems associated with fund release are caused by your agents or representative.
If you agree with my conditions, I will intimate you with the procedures to enable me fix your name on the payment schedule instantly to meet the mandate and vital information for you to receive the funds legally from the bank in which country funds has been safely deposited.
I hope you don’t reject this offer as this great opportunity comes but once in one’s entire life.
——-
So many red flags in this one! Have you received it?
Until next time, peace.
WAHM life - a little of everything 