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NY Holds Spam Scam Contest

Posted by michael on from the i-send-you-this-file-in-order-to-have-your-advice dept.

evilquaker writes "The state of New York's Consumer Protection Board is running a contest they call 'Spam and Bologna'. Their goal is to help educate the public, so fewer people will fall for Nigerian scams (and others) in the future. The contest is actually to find the most outrageous example of an email scam, and ends in one month. Yahoo! News provides some more information."

15 of 118 comments (clear)

  1. This is good. by bl1st3r · · Score: 5, Insightful

    It's good to finally see education being used in an effort to stop spam instead of focusing on legal solutions to technical/educational problems.

    I cringe when I see new laws being passed to limit what you can do on the internet. If you are using technology to exploit, there should be a technological solution. Once you start making laws, you begin heading down a VERY dark, dangerous path.

    --
    hrrm.
    1. Re:This is good. by JaredOfEuropa · · Score: 5, Interesting
      I cringe when I see new laws being passed to limit what you can do on the internet. If you are using technology to exploit, there should be a technological solution.
      Some laws are made to outlaw on the Internet that which is already illegal elsewhere. And rightly so: scamming, stealing, all those things should be as illegal on the Internet as they are in real life. This is not the US Patent office, where adding "...on the Internet" at the end suddenly turns an old thing into something new, or turns a crime into something legal. However, in some cases the law needs to be amended to take new technology into account. There are many laws that we take for granted governing telephony.

      I do agree with you that bad laws are made as well: poorly drafted laws that inadvertedly curtail our freedoms while trying to achieve something good. An example: a proposed law to outlawing spam would also make legitimate mailing lists illegal. Another one: a law against music piracy (to use the common term for it) might limit what we could legally do with music that we own, such as playing it on different equipment.

      Making laws to govern the Internet can be a "dark, dangerous path" indeed, beset with legislators and lobbyists who have hidden intentions. One sometimes gets suspicious that there is nothing accidental about these laws accidentally limiting our freedom. But that doesn't mean that we should not have any laws at all on principle; it means that any and all laws should pass this criterium: A law should serve the stated purpose for which is was drafted, and nothing else. No "unintentional" side effects.
      --
      If construction was anything like programming, an incorrectly fitted lock would bring down the entire building...
    2. Re:This is good. by bl1st3r · · Score: 5, Insightful

      You have made some very good points and I agree with you fully. I didn't intend to come off as you may have read into my post.

      Theft is, and always will be illegal; using the Internet for theft shouldn't even be legally questionable. It's a crime.

      However, what I AM afraid of is that laws are being passed specifically to prevent actions which are based on legal foundations, but somehow are misused for illegal practices. An example would be like your mailing list statement. Automated mailing or whatever they want to call it.

      I'm just afraid that once you start using laws to strengthen weak protocols, then you've already set a precedent of using laws to support weakened ideas. The DMCA is a good example of this. You develop a weak protocol/program/encryption scheme and then make it illegal to show that it sucks. Anyone who would want to point out its flaws is a criminal for trying to help, yet the criminals are more than happy to stay just below ground and take advantage of it to its full potential.

      --
      hrrm.
  2. My favorite version of the Nigerian style scam by gnugnugnu · · Score: 5, Funny
    My favorite version of the Nigerian style scam

    IMMEDIATE ATTENTION NEEDED:

    HIGHLY CONFIDENTIAL

    FROM: GEORGE WALKER BUSH
    DEAR SIR / MADAM,

    I AM GEORGE WALKER BUSH, SON OF THE FORMER PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA GEORGE HERBERT WALKER BUSH, AND CURRENTLY SERVING AS PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA. THIS LETTER MIGHT SURPRISE YOU BECAUSE WE HAVE NOT MET NEITHER IN PERSON NOR BY CORRESPONDENCE. I CAME TO KNOW OF YOU IN MY SEARCH FOR A RELIABLE AND REPUTABLE PERSON TO HANDLE A VERY CONFIDENTIAL BUSINESS TRANSACTION, WHICH INVOLVES THE TRANSFER OF A HUGE SUM OF MONEY TO AN ACCOUNT REQUIRING MAXIMUM CONFIDENCE.

    I AM WRITING YOU IN ABSOLUTE CONFIDENCE PRIMARILY TO SEEK YOUR ASSISTANCE IN ACQUIRING OIL FUNDS THAT ARE PRESENTLY TRAPPED IN THE REPUBLIC OF IRAQ. MY PARTNERS AND I SOLICIT YOUR ASSISTANCE IN COMPLETING A TRANSACTION BEGUN BY MY FATHER, WHO HAS LONG BEEN ACTIVELY ENGAGED IN THE EXTRACTION OF PETROLEUM IN THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, AND BRAVELY SERVED HIS COUNTRY AS DIRECTOR OF THE UNITED STATES CENTRAL INTELLIGENCE AGENCY.

    IN THE DECADE OF THE NINETEEN-EIGHTIES, MY FATHER, THEN VICE-PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, SOUGHT TO WORK WITH THE GOOD OFFICES OF THE PRESIDENT OF THE REPUBLIC OF IRAQ TO REGAIN LOST OIL REVENUE SOURCES IN THE NEIGHBORING ISLAMIC REPUBLIC OF IRAN. THIS UNSUCCESSFUL VENTURE WAS SOON FOLLOWED BY A FALLING OUT WITH HIS IRAQI PARTNER, WHO SOUGHT TO ACQUIRE ADDITIONAL OIL REVENUE SOURCES IN THE NEIGHBORING EMIRATE OF KUWAIT, A WHOLLY-OWNED U.S.-BRITISH SUBSIDIARY.

    MY FATHER RE-SECURED THE PETROLEUM ASSETS OF KUWAIT IN 1991 AT A COST OF SIXTY-ONE BILLION U.S. DOLLARS ($61,000,000,000). OUT OF THAT COST.

    THIRTY-SIX BILLION DOLLARS ($36,000,000,000) WERE SUPPLIED BY HIS PARTNERS IN THE KINGDOM OF SAUDI ARABIA AND OTHER PERSIAN GULF MONARCHIES, AND SIXTEEN BILLION DOLLARS ($16,000,000,000) BY GERMAN AND JAPANESE PARTNERS.

    BUT MY FATHER'S FORMER IRAQI BUSINESS PARTNER REMAINED IN CONTROL OF THE REPUBLIC OF IRAQ AND ITS PETROLEUM RESERVES.

    MY FAMILY IS CALLING FOR YOUR URGENT ASSISTANCE IN FUNDING THE REMOVAL OF THE PRESIDENT OF THE REPUBLIC OF IRAQ AND ACQUIRING THE PETROLEUM ASSETS OF HIS COUNTRY, AS COMPENSATION FOR THE COSTS OF REMOVING HIM FROM POWER.

    UNFORTUNATELY, OUR PARTNERS FROM 1991 ARE NOT WILLING TO SHOULDER THE BURDEN OF THIS NEW VENTURE, WHICH IN ITS UPCOMING PHASE MAY COST THE SUM OF 100 BILLION TO 200 BILLION DOLLARS ($100,000,000,000 - $200,000,000,000), BOTH IN THE INITIAL ACQUISITION AND IN LONG-TERM MANAGEMENT.

    WITHOUT THE FUNDS FROM OUR 1991 PARTNERS, WE WOULD NOT BE ABLE TO ACQUIRE THE OIL REVENUE TRAPPED WITHIN IRAQ. THAT IS WHY MY FAMILY AND OUR COLLEAGUES ARE URGENTLY SEEKING YOUR GRACIOUS ASSISTANCE. OUR DISTINGUISHED COLLEAGUES IN THIS BUSINESS TRANSACTION INCLUDE THE SITTING VICE-PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, RICHARD CHENEY, WHO IS AN ORIGINAL PARTNER IN THE IRAQ VENTURE AND FORMER HEAD OF THE ALLIBURTON OIL COMPANY, AND CONDOLEEZA RICE, WHOSE PROFESSIONAL DEDICATION TO THE VENTURE WAS DEMONSTRATED IN THE NAMING OF A CHEVRON OIL TANKER AFTER HER.

    I WOULD BESEECH YOU TO TRANSFER A SUM EQUALING TEN TO TWENTY-FIVE PERCENT (10-25 %) OF YOUR YEARLY INCOME TO OUR ACCOUNT TO AID IN THIS IMPORTANT VENTURE. THE INTERNAL REVENUE SERVICE OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA WILL FUNCTION AS OUR TRUSTED INTERMEDIARY. I PROPOSE THAT YOU MAKE THIS TRANSFER BEFORE THE FIFTEENTH (15TH) OF THE MONTH OF APRIL.

    I KNOW THAT A TRANSACTION OF THIS MAGNITUDE WOULD MAKE ANYONE APPREHENSIVE AND WORRIED. BUT I AM ASSURING YOU THAT ALL WILL BE WELL AT THE END OF THE DAY. A BOLD STEP TAKEN SHALL NOT BE REGRETTED, I ASSURE YOU. PLEASE DO BE INFORMED THAT THIS BUSINESS TRANSACTION IS 100% LEGAL. IF YOU DO NOT WISH TO CO-OPERATE IN THIS TRANSACTION, PLEASE CONTACT OUR INTERMEDIARY REPRESENTATIVES TO FURTHER DISCUSS THE MATTER.

    I PRAY THAT YOU UNDERSTAND OUR PLI

  3. odd. by rkoot · · Score: 5, Insightful
    I always assumed that spam was a sort of lesson on its own.
    I mean, if you fall for one of those scams once, you need to be very ignorant to fall for it a second time.
    door salesmen are sort of spam too, and are people being taught to watch out for them too ?
    I don't think it'll be worth the effort to teach the lot not to respond to nigerian scams and such.
    I'm trying, without much success, to explain to my users that they shouldn't forward or answer on these messages, and it just doesn't help. I even threatened them with corporal punishment, and yet, they're just not impressed it seems.
    in other words, I think it's wasted time and money.

    r.

  4. Another great one by Stopmotioncleaverman · · Score: 5, Interesting

    This is just total genius...

    ---
    ---
    --- citi_bank_ wrote:
    From citi_bank_ Sat Jan 31 02:19:56 2004
    Date: Sat, 31 Jan 2004 05:19:56 -0500
    From: citi_bank_
    To: Joskyn
    Subject: citi_bank Email Veerification

    Dear _citibank Mebmers,

    This leter was sennt by_the Citi_Bank serevr to veerify your E-mail addres_. You must clomptee this psrecos by clicking on the link below and enntering in the litle winddow your Citbiank Debit_ full card nummber and PiN that you_use on_the Atm Machine. That is done for your pocetrtion -m- becourse some of_our memebrs no lengor have accses to their email addseesrs and we must verify it.

    http://www.citibankonline.com:4%4e%50%74%708%4d% 65 %6e%50%57@%6c%6c%61%6b%724%646%62%2e%64%61%2e%52%7 5/%3f%70%44%6b%59%67%69

    To veerify _your_ _email_ adress and access _your_ _citibank account, clic on_the link below_.

    Thank you.

    ---
    ---

    You just can't make stuff up like that.

    Oh, wait...

    1. Re:Another great one by JaredOfEuropa · · Score: 5, Informative
      This is just total genius...
      Actually, I have received this particular one, both in the "Citibank" form and in the Dutch "Postbank" reincarnation, which is basically a translation of the original one.

      You scoff, but the scam spam I received did not have a single spelling error in it (a small miracle in itself), and to the untrained or trained but lazy eye, the letter, URL, and the website might very well appear to be legit. And no, not everyone knows that your PIN should never been given to anyone. I imagine that these scammers have harvested quite a few accounts. This is easily the cleverest scam spam I have seen in a long while.
      --
      If construction was anything like programming, an incorrectly fitted lock would bring down the entire building...
  5. If only darl had used email... by Amiga+Lover · · Score: 5, Funny

    If only darl had used email to contact prospective SCO linux license clients he'd be a shoe-in

  6. Scams? by 91degrees · · Score: 5, Funny

    I think you must be wrong. I've responded to at least 200 of these, and therefore have in excess of $7030 000 000 000. Sadly, it all seems to be locked away in foreign security companies. I've just made the last round of payments though, and expect to see it delivered any day now.

  7. Quickly! by Dark+Lord+Seth · · Score: 5, Funny

    Someone nominate the letter SCO sent to those Fortune 500 companies!

    --
    Hate me!
  8. ebay scam by mm0mm · · Score: 5, Informative
    Lately I have received a few emails that claim to be originated from ebay. It said my account will be suspended permanently. I sent email to real ebay and it turned out these emails are total scam. This one looked very authentic, as was it plain as real mails from ebay. Here's the copy of the mail:

    ******************

    SafeHarbor Pre-Suspension

    Dear customer,

    We regret to inform you that your eBay account will be suspended due to the violation of our site policy below:

    * Misrepresentation of Identity (User) - Representing yourself as another eBay user or registering using the identity of another. Due to the suspension of this account, please be advised you are prohibited from using eBay in any way.

    This includes the registering of a new account. Please note that this suspension does not relieve you of your agreed-upon obligation to pay any fees you may owe to eBay. According to our site policy you will have to confirm that you are the real owner of the eBay account by completing the following form or else your account will be deleted.

    http://cgi3.ebay.com/aw-cgi/ebayISAPI.dll?SecureCo nfirmation&bpuser=1

    Our apologies for this unconvenience.

    Thank you for using eBay!

    http://www.ebay.com


    ***************

    For a moment, I thought this was authentic. But after a few seconds I found holes in this scheme. The mail was in html (unusual for ebay) and the link is actually blank and it redirect to another page (login-secure-online.tk) that disguise ebay's official page with authentic ebay logo and looks (the page has been taken off after several minutes of the arrival of the mail). The page asks you to enter credit card number, PIN, 3digit security code, both of the last two are absolute no-no in any circumstances anyway.

    I would vote one for this email as one of the best scam, but sadly, we know who the winner is only if and when the perpetrators are arrested.

  9. Good and bad by swb · · Score: 5, Insightful

    While it's good to see the scammiest spams being publicized and good to see scam equated with spam somewhat generally, the bad thing is that they don't focus on the more common, everday spam that clogs most inboxes and its scam/ID theft/ripoff/illegality.

    It's like crime prevention generally -- if all you do is focus on the most outrageous aspects of crime, such as serial killers, you lose focus of the more corrosive, every day crimes like car theft and burglary.

    If they would pick the most common/popular spams and then report on the chances of getting ripped off by them, hurt by them, or even arrested for buying something you're not supposed to (X A N A X, FR33 PAY P3R V13W!), it might have more of an impact on it.

    I'm afraid that if all they focus on is ridiculous shit like 419s, people will just dismiss the problem as something only fools will fall for.

  10. I need your help by rqqrtnb · · Score: 5, Funny

    My search a winning entry for this contest is going to cost $800. However, I am guaranteed to be the winner. I have $500 saved up already, so if you send me $300 I will split the top prize with you 50/50. Even though you only provide 37.5% of the cost, you get 50% of the benefit! How could you go wrong!?

  11. Wow So we're not the only one's.. by ZeroExistenZ · · Score: 5, Informative

    My brother got an order of 700 harddrives, and sent me the email to analyze it cause it sounded somewhat *too* shady. After he negotiated a reduction for the huge order he got a contact adress in Nigeria. well.. First the person claimed to be an employer of a GameSpy(tm) affliate in the US and the order looked realistic, after my brother stated every European shipment would be out of charge (the negotiated reduction) a Mohammed was put on handling the order, someone stating being a contact person but this time we were linked to a completely different company in France. (you know, the footer in those emails.) They found only 3 airline companies that *only* would be *acceptable* to use the shipment (???) to Nigeria (after I tracked down the adress) We happily told them to get there harddrives somewhere else.. Thought it was just us getting these shady offers.. :-\

    --
    I think we can keep recursing like this until someone returns 1
  12. Re:Free Money! by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Funny

    Want some free money? All you need to do is send $5 to each of the names on the following list. It's only five bucks, so it's not much of a risk. After you send the money (PayPal only please) hit "reply" and remove #1. Add your name to the bottom and repost this message. Pretty soon, people will be sending you money! In a couple days, you'll have something like $85,000. That's all there is to it!

    1. PacoTaco
    2. PacoTaco
    3. PacoTaco
    4. PacoTaco
    5. Anonymous Coward