Tech Discussion Warning about fake email messages

[AliShibaz]

I thought about posting this for a while because it seems to me that most of the people in this forum are very savvy and already know better than to fall for any of these fake emails.

But I just keep getting them - even though I always just delete them.

The way it works is that some scumbag sends me an email that looks very much like it comes from a big respected bank. The message says they are having some "security problems" with my account and just need me to verify some of my account information - like my account number.

They want me to give them my account number? They must think I'm a complete idiot. After all, I don't even have an account with their bank.

Actually, they just send this fake email out to millions of people and if only one in about one hundred thousand send them their account number, I guess they will be happy.

After all, they can then just empty their bank accounts or do something else horrible to these poor people.

I always thought that everyone here was too savvy to fall for such a stupid scheme. But it pisses me off that they keep sending me these emails and so I figure the only good way I can retaliate is by warning others never to fall for this scam.

Your bank would never send you an email requesting you tell them your account number. They already know your account number.

[velvetfog]

I get Paypal phishing emails almost every day.
And at least once a week I get a phishing email purporting to be from a local bank.
Just delete them. Do not click on any URL links in them.

Read more about Phishing here: --> http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Phishing

[System Folder]

They also have your phone number and address. If they have problems, they'll likely send you a letter asking you to come to the bank.

[kath3]

I'm pretty lucky ... I never get stuff like that only the occasional Penis Enhancement e-mail

... and I do know better than to ever give out such information.
Always good to have reminders ... thanks Ali

(This post was last modified: 08-14-2013, 08:41 PM by kath3.)

[snilloc]

I block as much as I can but daily stuff keeps getting through admittedly into my Junk folder and I;

add sender to blocked senders list.
add senders domain to blocked senders list.
I also delete and block as I see them.

Next day a new bunch I have even taken to writing down the senders address but when I try to add to my blocked list it says not valid address.

EG: ;512KQV404@DiscussionUse.com428VXT925258SAP928@hotmail.com

Any ideas?

[sporkium]

big respected bank

no such thing exists

Any ideas?

1) stop using your email address to gain membership on weird russian porn sites

2) modify your spam filter settings... i won't bother explaining how to do this since every email service provider is different and any relevant information will be available from them.

[snilloc]

All settings are on the highest level, this has only started within the last few months and its the big Stores getting through. My e-mail system filters anything dodgy into junk but I was wondering if it can recognise junk why let it in at all?

When It does get through the address it shows (see above post) I cut and paste into block but it then doesn't recognise the address. Strange.

Anyone else got an idea?

[velvetfog]

There can only be a single @ symbol in a valid email address, not two.

[snilloc]

Yes I know that but when I try and block I look at the address and this is what I get.

;512KQV404@DiscussionUse.com428VXT925258SAP928@hotmail.com

How would you block this please?

[velvetfog]

It is pointless to try.
For starters, there are two @ signs in the string, which makes it an invalid email address.
Secondly, the spammer will likely use a different Hotmail email account ID for the return address on his next batch of spam.
Thirdly, the spam is not actually sent from a Hotmail account. It is probably being sent from a SMTP agent running on a bot-net computer, so the return email address is just a fake construct.
Fourthly, the most likely reason you see a return email address that looks like two email addresses concatenated together, is that the spammer made a typo in that particular batch of spam.