Comments on: A fool and their money are soon parted http://blogs.mcafee.com/mcafee-labs/a-fool-and-their-money-are-soon-parted Tue, 29 Nov 2011 07:51:20 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: Thomas http://blogs.mcafee.com/mcafee-labs/a-fool-and-their-money-are-soon-parted/comment-page-1#comment-10968 Thomas Tue, 18 Aug 2009 06:18:27 +0000 http://blogs.mcafee.com/2007/07/26/a-fool-and-their-money-are-soon-parted/#comment-10968 The law firm in question is a real firm by the way. Genuine genuine genuine, registered as a firm, fully operational. I've even driven past their offices. I live in SA by the way. I really doubt they even know about the scam, be interesting to find out.. Especially if you consider that if you google them, this article is right there destroying their reputation! The law firm in question is a real firm by the way. Genuine genuine genuine, registered as a firm, fully operational. I’ve even driven past their offices. I live in SA by the way. I really doubt they even know about the scam, be interesting to find out.. Especially if you consider that if you google them, this article is right there destroying their reputation!

]]> By: Velska http://blogs.mcafee.com/mcafee-labs/a-fool-and-their-money-are-soon-parted/comment-page-1#comment-10967 Velska Thu, 05 Mar 2009 09:10:43 +0000 http://blogs.mcafee.com/2007/07/26/a-fool-and-their-money-are-soon-parted/#comment-10967 These scams are still going strong. Not so long ago, a US senator was suckered into a scam like this. I put an email address (obviously not my personal mail that I have managed to keep spam-free since 2001 now) on my blogs, visible for all. I figured I can always use the advanced filtering options they provide, and if it goes too far, I'll just cancel the account. Somebody sure noticed. I've been getting "feelers" from these scammers, and I'm trying to lead them on and make them feel comfortable enough to slip a personal detail into the conversation. No luck so far. Anyhow, I routinely report them to the police - they have asked to be notified, and keep a database of known scammers. Graeme in comment #10 is probably right, that the majority of these are generated by a small clique, mostly Nigerians (if you check the IP of the originating server, it usually turns out to be in Nigeria - although spoofed IPs are nothing new). These scams are still going strong. Not so long ago, a US senator was suckered into a scam like this. I put an email address (obviously not my personal mail that I have managed to keep spam-free since 2001 now) on my blogs, visible for all. I figured I can always use the advanced filtering options they provide, and if it goes too far, I’ll just cancel the account.

Somebody sure noticed. I’ve been getting “feelers” from these scammers, and I’m trying to lead them on and make them feel comfortable enough to slip a personal detail into the conversation. No luck so far.

Anyhow, I routinely report them to the police – they have asked to be notified, and keep a database of known scammers.

Graeme in comment #10 is probably right, that the majority of these are generated by a small clique, mostly Nigerians (if you check the IP of the originating server, it usually turns out to be in Nigeria – although spoofed IPs are nothing new).

]]> By: Graeme Smith, Fife http://blogs.mcafee.com/mcafee-labs/a-fool-and-their-money-are-soon-parted/comment-page-1#comment-10966 Graeme Smith, Fife Sat, 22 Sep 2007 21:43:25 +0000 http://blogs.mcafee.com/2007/07/26/a-fool-and-their-money-are-soon-parted/#comment-10966 I used to get these a lot... at first I would ignore them, then, like Kevin I started answering them... they were just so obvious. I teach in a college and together with my students we would look at them... we would then see if we could have fun with them, for example, i asked for proof they were for real and asked for a photo... which they duly sent... i argued it could be fake so they should hold up a piece of paper with some random letters on it... i told them to write the letters and numbers 1D10T (idiot)... which they did. I'd ask where to meet them and say I was on a Golf trip to a nearby town (after finding something on Google that is). I would use names like John Wayne, Bruce Lee and Dwayne Pipe (that was one of my favourites)... they ALWAYS asked for phone numbers which I refused. After 3-4 weeks of this they started to get annoyed with me and I would then confront them as Kevin did... so who's been had :) They all stopped after a while which made me think it was the same set of people doing this... or that somewhere the spammers have a site with a list of good and bad email addresses (if you know what i mean). It's a bit extreme doing this and can be a bit tedious but if you get the chance its always good for a laugh... especially when you tell your friends about it :) I used to get these a lot… at first I would ignore them, then, like Kevin I started answering them… they were just so obvious.

I teach in a college and together with my students we would look at them… we would then see if we could have fun with them, for example, i asked for proof they were for real and asked for a photo… which they duly sent… i argued it could be fake so they should hold up a piece of paper with some random letters on it… i told them to write the letters and numbers 1D10T (idiot)… which they did.

I’d ask where to meet them and say I was on a Golf trip to a nearby town (after finding something on Google that is).

I would use names like John Wayne, Bruce Lee and Dwayne Pipe (that was one of my favourites)… they ALWAYS asked for phone numbers which I refused. After 3-4 weeks of this they started to get annoyed with me and I would then confront them as Kevin did… so who’s been had :)

They all stopped after a while which made me think it was the same set of people doing this… or that somewhere the spammers have a site with a list of good and bad email addresses (if you know what i mean).

It’s a bit extreme doing this and can be a bit tedious but if you get the chance its always good for a laugh… especially when you tell your friends about it :)

]]> By: Erkki Lehtimäki http://blogs.mcafee.com/mcafee-labs/a-fool-and-their-money-are-soon-parted/comment-page-1#comment-10965 Erkki Lehtimäki Tue, 21 Aug 2007 08:30:11 +0000 http://blogs.mcafee.com/2007/07/26/a-fool-and-their-money-are-soon-parted/#comment-10965 You really got him admit he's a scammer? I have never managed to do that, till the end of the discussion they keep claiming they are real. Erkki You really got him admit he’s a scammer? I have never managed to do that, till the end of the discussion they keep claiming they are real.

Erkki

]]> By: Jussi http://blogs.mcafee.com/mcafee-labs/a-fool-and-their-money-are-soon-parted/comment-page-1#comment-10964 Jussi Fri, 17 Aug 2007 11:20:40 +0000 http://blogs.mcafee.com/2007/07/26/a-fool-and-their-money-are-soon-parted/#comment-10964 I have a feeling that those "nigerian letters" are there to make it impossible to real-money-laundries to work. If there are some fraud emails going around nobody can take any of these seriously and that's the point ... there maybe are some people who really would like to move large amounts of money out of Africa? Never say no-way! I have a feeling that those “nigerian letters” are there to make it impossible to real-money-laundries to work. If there are some fraud emails going around nobody can take any of these seriously and that’s the point … there maybe are some people who really would like to move large amounts of money out of Africa? Never say no-way!

]]> By: Hannu http://blogs.mcafee.com/mcafee-labs/a-fool-and-their-money-are-soon-parted/comment-page-1#comment-10963 Hannu Sun, 05 Aug 2007 18:22:11 +0000 http://blogs.mcafee.com/2007/07/26/a-fool-and-their-money-are-soon-parted/#comment-10963 The guy is a spammer and a fraud, that is for sure. But what makes you so sure that George Bush and Tony Blair have not made personal financial gain through the war that many people find unjustified and unfair? I am not stating that they have because I am not sure, but you are stating that it is absurd to state that Bush and Blair have made personal financial gain and I wonder where your get the idea that his claims about Bush and Blair are absurd? His claims may be impolite but not absurd at all. Best, Hannu The guy is a spammer and a fraud, that is for sure. But what makes you so sure that George Bush and Tony Blair have not made personal financial gain through the war that many people find unjustified and unfair?

I am not stating that they have because I am not sure, but you are stating that it is absurd to state that Bush and Blair have made personal financial gain and I wonder where your get the idea that his claims about Bush and Blair are absurd?

His claims may be impolite but not absurd at all.

Best, Hannu

]]> By: LadyBlue http://blogs.mcafee.com/mcafee-labs/a-fool-and-their-money-are-soon-parted/comment-page-1#comment-10962 LadyBlue Thu, 02 Aug 2007 21:03:28 +0000 http://blogs.mcafee.com/2007/07/26/a-fool-and-their-money-are-soon-parted/#comment-10962 As much as this scam is as old as the bankers that bankrupted Africa, one nation at a time, it is true that he is a scammer/spammer and there is no justification for ripping people off, up close or just by the numbers, or by selling them a democracy with strings attached. This is what happens when people in far away places dont know anything about where their coltan comes from or where their bullets end up. This is our world today and it is getting smaller and smaller. And if I were the recipient of one of these messages I would consider the fact that the message is probably not coming from outside the United States at all, these people are the children of the military dictators that the U.S. and Britian installed and were probably educated here. If we want to stop these phishing scams we need to educate the public about the truth, that money, never, ever needs to be handled by strangers and that money no matter where it is is always welcome and moves faster and with less friction than light through air. Then we set ourselves about the work of bringing the living standard of every man woman and child to a level that justifies all the time we spend on our ever spreading bottoms in front of our P.C.'s sifting through junk mail. The House of Azure As much as this scam is as old as the bankers that bankrupted Africa, one nation at a time, it is true that he is a scammer/spammer and there is no justification for ripping people off, up close or just by the numbers, or by selling them a democracy with strings attached. This is what happens when people in far away places dont know anything about where their coltan comes from or where their bullets end up. This is our world today and it is getting smaller and smaller. And if I were the recipient of one of these messages I would consider the fact that the message is probably not coming from outside the United States at all, these people are the children of the military dictators that the U.S. and Britian installed and were probably educated here. If we want to stop these phishing scams we need to educate the public about the truth, that money, never, ever needs to be handled by strangers and that money no matter where it is is always welcome and moves faster and with less friction than light through air. Then we set ourselves about the work of bringing the living standard of every man woman and child to a level that justifies all the time we spend on our ever spreading bottoms in front of our P.C.’s sifting through junk mail.
The House of Azure

]]> By: MichaelW http://blogs.mcafee.com/mcafee-labs/a-fool-and-their-money-are-soon-parted/comment-page-1#comment-10961 MichaelW Wed, 01 Aug 2007 01:28:55 +0000 http://blogs.mcafee.com/2007/07/26/a-fool-and-their-money-are-soon-parted/#comment-10961 Interesting insight into what goes on, I for one havn’t proceeded with any of these emails and just do the obvious and delete them so it’s nice to see a report such as above. I’m sure myself and many others would like to see similar articles detailing other scams/frauds that have been attempted as it truley does give you some insight into who is behind our email woes and an inkling of what make them tick. Interesting insight into what goes on, I for one havn’t proceeded with any of these emails and just do the obvious and delete them so it’s nice to see a report such as above.

I’m sure myself and many others would like to see similar articles detailing other scams/frauds that have been attempted as it truley does give you some insight into who is behind our email woes and an inkling of what make them tick.

]]> By: Raven http://blogs.mcafee.com/mcafee-labs/a-fool-and-their-money-are-soon-parted/comment-page-1#comment-10960 Raven Tue, 31 Jul 2007 21:40:45 +0000 http://blogs.mcafee.com/2007/07/26/a-fool-and-their-money-are-soon-parted/#comment-10960 I cannot believe some people fall for that! I think that´s by far the lamest effort to scam people´s money. Nice work there. More of these "investigations"! I cannot believe some people fall for that! I think that´s by far the lamest effort to scam people´s money. Nice work there. More of these “investigations”!

]]> By: Justified http://blogs.mcafee.com/mcafee-labs/a-fool-and-their-money-are-soon-parted/comment-page-1#comment-10959 Justified Tue, 31 Jul 2007 12:40:42 +0000 http://blogs.mcafee.com/2007/07/26/a-fool-and-their-money-are-soon-parted/#comment-10959 There are always people who are willing to make profit from idiots. If people are stupid enough to give their credit card number to a talking moose, theres someone who believes a story like that and pays a few thousand dollars to the "poor" man in Africa. And I sincerely believe the claim "Andy" made about Bush & Blair benefiting economically from waging war. Indirectly of course. Oil and such.. There are always people who are willing to make profit from idiots. If people are stupid enough to give their credit card number to a talking moose, theres someone who believes a story like that and pays a few thousand dollars to the “poor” man in Africa. And I sincerely believe the claim “Andy” made about Bush & Blair benefiting economically from waging war. Indirectly of course. Oil and such..

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