Amazing isn’t it? Another Phishing Scam! It just never stops! Grrrrrr! Part of the real irritation with this one is that just a couple of days ago, I got an IDENTICAL message from “PayPal” ... and I do mean IDENTICAL ... verbatim! Misspelled words and all.

I totally understand that this sort of crap is rampant these days but I guess I just can’t believe that enough of the “general public” is so dumb, naïve, and living in the world of “DUH!” that they continue to fall for this garbage ... which of course, in turn, just feeds the frenzy of the bad guys and does nothing but proliferate more of the same. It’s a horribly vicious cycle!

BTW: I don't even belong to EBay and this mail was not even actually addressed to me at one of my legitimate addys. This junk comes at random and people reply without even paying any attention at all. What antiquated age do they live in???

(Thank goodness for "MailWasher" where I can clean out this disgusting stuff before it ever hits my Inbox!)

Dear valued eBay® member,

Due to recent auction fraud, we have issued the following security requirements.

It has come to our attion that 95% of all fraudulent auctions are caused by members using stolen credit cards to purchase or sell non existant items. Thus we require our members to add a Debit/Check card to their billing records as part of our continuing commitment to protect your account and to reduce the instance of fraud on our website. Your Debit/Check card will only be used to identify you and bill any open seller fees incase your initial credit card gets declined. If you could please take 5-10 minutes out of your online experience and renew your records you will not run into any future problems with the eBay® service. However, failure to confirm your records will result in your account suspension.

We are requesting this information to verify and protect your identity. Federal regulations require all financial institutions to obtain, verify, and record identification from all persons opening new accounts or obtaining ongoing payment services. This is in order to prevent the use of the U.S. banking system in terrorist and other illegal activity. For these reasons, eBay® will utilize services provided by various credit reporting agencies to verify the information you submit to us.

Once you have updated your account records your eBay® auction service will not be interrupted and will continue as normal.

To update your billing records please login to your account by clicking here. [links to ebay-secure-signin.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll.html?SignIn&UsingSSL=1&pUserId=&co_partnerId=2&siteid=0&ru=http://my.ebay.com:80/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?MyeBay&ssPageName=H:H:MYEBAY:US&pageType=1883]

Thank you for your time,
eBay® Billing Department.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
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This is really a plague !

I received two this week, one from MSN, to update my account, but the link was not from them and pointed to an .exe file...

The other was from Orkut, same blablabla, link pointing to a "diabolicsomethingserver" and another .exe link...

We have to be very carefull on opening e-mails today (unfortunately)

Problems are that the kids will open and click that stuff, infecting the whole system. Mine are warned to never click on links or download anything before asking for some adult advice.

And there are some adults that will open their e-mail, because they got curious, and because it looked like the real thing.

We just have to keep preaching to them, not to have there preview window open when looking at their e-mail, and to have it set to at least 5min, before the e-mail opens when it's highlighted, this way, it will give them time to check it out, and scan it first.

And if something looks too good to be true, delete it, because it is.

Especially anyone asking for your credit card number...DELETE, DELETE, DELETE.

I must agree with you all: it's AMAZING that there are those gullible to fall for the scum-mail that keeps comming into our e-mailboxes daily. I'd like to see a film documentary, where a scammer opens up fully and explains what kick he or she gets from proliferating such garbage that damages an innocent's computer.

Normally, I simply delete ALL spam mail, legit or otherwise. However, I got this interesting "mailer-daemon" message.

Can someone tell me how this works; is this an example of "Phishing"?

Perhaps in seeing this, maybe you can help me report this to someone who can locate the scumbags who sent it. I've edited it by blocking my actual e-mail (xxxxxx@xxxxx), but the rest is as I received it. The rest of the notice you'll recognize as HTML code:



Hi. This is the qmail-send program at newmx1.fast.net.
I'm afraid I wasn't able to deliver your message to the following addresses.
This is a permanent error; I've given up. Sorry it didn't work out.



<hermit2@fast.net>:
Sorry, no mailbox here by that name. (#5.1.1)

--- Below this line is a copy of the message.

Return-Path: <xxxxxxx@xxxxx>
Received: (qmail 13804 invoked from network); 24 Jul 2005 20:06:12 -0000
Received: from unknown (HELO psmtp.com) ([64.18.0.37]) (envelope-sender <xxxxx@xxxxx>)
by newmx1.fast.net (qmail-ldap-1.03) with SMTP
for <hermit2@fast.net>; 24 Jul 2005 20:06:12 -0000
Received: from source ([68.45.151.54]) by exprod5mx123.postini.com ([64.18.4.10]) with SMTP;
Sun, 24 Jul 2005 14:06:08 MDT
Received: from cpbp (182.82.95.242)
by pcp04356756pcs.glstrt01.nj.comcast.net; Sun, 24 Jul 2005 22:10:06 -0700
Date: Sun, 24 Jul 2005 22:10:06 -0700
From: <xxxxxxx@xxxxxx>
X-Mailer: The Bat! (v2.01)
Reply-To: <rk_line48@yahoo.com>
X-Priority: 3 (Normal)
Message-ID: <191925714.20050303152106@bellsouth.net>
To: <hermit2@fast.net>
Subject: =?iso-8859-5?B?TkVXIFBST1BPU0UgRlJPTSBC?=
=?iso-8859-5?B?SUcgQ09NUEFOWQ==?=
MIME-Version: 1.0
Content-Type: multipart/mixed;
boundary="----------AC91BD090EBC4"

------------AC91BD090EBC4
Content-Type: text/html; charset=iso-8859-5
Content-Transfer-Encoding: 8bit

<HTML>

<HEAD>

<META NAME="Generator" CONTENT="eGroups Message Poster">

<TITLE>NEW PROPOSE FROM BIG COMPANY</TITLE>

<META NAME="_AdHocReviewCycleID" CONTENT="fd">

<META NAME="_EmailSubject" CONTENT="MONSTER BETTER PROPOSE">

<META NAME="_AuthorEmail" CONTENT="sstrong1@ix.netcom.com">

<META NAME="_AuthorEmailDisplayName" CONTENT="SCHTEINMANN TRADE GROUP">

</HEAD>

<BODY bgcolor=#FFFFF9>

<p>International trading company SCHTEINMANN TRADE GROUP searching for a financial manager.</p>

<p>We do not need you to involve your own money to any projects.
<br>And there is no matter what country are you from. We just want to hire additional personal to process more deals.</p>

<p>Demands: smart, communicative, prompt, call of duty, presence a readiness at improving any accident.</p>

<p>Tasks are simple. Special education not required.</p>

<p>Weekly salary based on 8% commission per each deal [additional 1000-4000 USD per week].</p>

<p>Work takes 1-2 hours per day and you can combine primary work with finance courier position [work at home using Internet].</p>

<p>If you are ready to earn more today, just email us by the link below <a href=mailto:Schteinmann@aol.com?Subject=INTERESTED>Schteinmann@aol.com</a></p>

<p>Get additional information and start the work!
</p>

<p>Best regards,
<br>Hannah Schteinmann, staff manager
<br>SCHTEINMANN TRADE GROUP
<br>contact email: <a href=mailto:Schteinmann@aol.com>Schteinmann@aol.com</a>
</p>

<br> <br> <br> <br>

</BODY>

</HTML>
------------AC91BD090EBC4--

I've checked my address book--and NONE of these supposed e-addresses are in it.

And how good is this "Mail Washer" program? It sounds like it might benefit my Outlook Express against this garbage. Thanks for your time with this.

Wingnut


--
No virus found in this incoming message.
Checked by AVG Anti-Virus.
Version: 7.0.323 / Virus Database: 267.9.1/51 - Release Date: 7/18/2005

QUOTE

Problems are that the kids will open and click that stuff, infecting the whole system. Mine are warned to never click on links or download anything before asking for some adult advice.

Ironbender:

You are correct. One of the things I did based on advice here is close the preview pane. In addition, our ISP has some very good filters. Betweeen that and OE, anything that did not come from someone in our address book is labelled as spam. Even my online broker sending reports gets this treatment as I do not e-mail them. They send statements. Based on my stock choices as of late, it is spam
I taught everyone to delete it without opening. OR, save to a folder and scan.

I have seen them from everywhere; banks, stores, even my favorite clothes supplier (Lands End) asked for a credit card so they could "update" their files. I called them just to let them know.

Chris

QUOTE

One of the things I did based on advice here is close the preview pane

This is a basic, Chris, but never reminded item

Most people does not even knows that they can add a button to do this with a few clicks... others thinks if they do not open an attachment, they are safe... wrong ! Mails today cames with hidden scripting that may infect all the system.

Kids likes to chat, and must be "educated" to be cautious with other people behaviors... and I've heard many times that is paranoia how many examples we have about pedophilia... and (here in Brazil) about bandits who surf the net grabbing personal informations about a family, to hold to ransom them (not sure it's the right term, as I am not really familiar with English speaking).

I always say that, if you do not want your kids on the streets alone all day long and far from your sight, you do not want them to surf alone... my kids computer is in the living room, where anyone may view it and for what it is used. Only my 3 sons and daughters over 21 have a comp in their bedroom, the others 2 uses the living room computer with restricted permissions set.

I feel Ironbender has the right idea:

In addition, our ISP has some very good filters. Betweeen that and OE, anything that did not come from someone in our address book is labelled as spam.

Anyone creating an anti-spam program that allows ONLY what is in your OE Address Book would be a hot must have download. This program should be simple, based on a simple concept. It should also make it very easy for the user to add or block e-addresses as well.

Children and innocent people should be protected from spammers, malicious hackers and online sexual predators: ALL of which should all be put away in prison.

Wingnut

Oh...almost forgot: Since using Spyware Blaster with Ad-Aware SE and AVG, I've noticed a SIGNIFICANT drop in occurrance of OE spam mail!!!

Wingnut