Hit Man Email Scammer Back With a Vengeance

coondoggie writes "The online Hitman scammer, who threatens to kill recipients if they do not pay thousands of dollars to the sender, is still sending out thousands of emails and the FBI is again today warning users to ignore the spam and report any incidents to the Internet Crime Complaint Center. Two new versions of the scheme began appearing in July 2008, the FBI said. One instructed the recipient to contact a telephone number contained in the e-mail and the other claimed the recipient or a 'loved one' was going to be kidnapped unless a ransom was paid."

Comments

Sounds like dangerous business

[Anonymous Coward]

sending out death threats to all and sundry . . . I hope law enforcement gets to the silly buggers before some real killers do

Re:Sounds like dangerous business

[Anonymous Coward]

I don't.

Re:Sounds like dangerous business

[X0563511]

You really think they would send these themselves? Very likely they go through at least one proxy, either electronic or meatspace. The wrong person - maybe not wholly innocent however - would likely take the bullet. We need to be fair in our hatred.

Re:Sounds like dangerous business

[Spamalope]

Thirded. Spammers in general should die horribly, and this idiot or idiots should be the first one up against the wall.

I have a modest proposal. We create a google 'bounty' ad account, and all place at least one ad for that account on our sites. The bounty is payable to the hitman who kills one of the top ten ROKSO spammers. Like a lottery, the bounty increases until claimed.

Perhaps we could convince spammers that being one of the top ten is a bad idea!

Re:Sounds like dangerous business

[Z00L00K]

There is always a risk that this will kick back on people like this. Death threats are something that will pop up on the radar of several agencies in several countries.

The ordinary Nigeria scams are just stupid and foolish.

"Dear fool I want to give you money but you will have to pay me first..."
is just so simple compared to
"Dear fool, provide me with some more information so I can kill you or some close relative unless you pay me"

Re:Sounds like dangerous business

[FunkSoulBrother]

Unfortunately spammers being the scum of the earth that they are would exploit this by faking their own murder and claiming the bounty.

this guy

[citizenr]

needs to meet offline hitman

Re:this guy

[sm62704]

Don't worry, he will. Something like this is going to happen:

Man went to jail last night for a bar fight. He paid his hundred dollars bail and gets out. He's pissed at whoever he got in a fight with, he's pissed at whoever called the cops, he's pissed at the cops, he's pissed at the bar. He comes home and finds an email threatening his life.

Whatever dimwit is sending these likely won'y be alive this time next year.

He's probaby posting at slashdot, probably somebody on my "freaks" list. I hope it's the AC who keeps posting the goatse trolls, they're getting tiresome.

stabbing device invented?

[buchner.johannes]

Has the internet stabbing device been invented?
(from http://www.bash.org/?4281 )

Zybl0re: get up
Zybl0re: get on up
Zybl0re: get up
Zybl0re: get on up
phxl|paper: and DANCE
* nmp3bot dances : D-<
* nmp3bot dances : D|-<
* nmp3bot dances : D/-<
[SA]HatfulOfHollow: i'm going to become rich and famous after i invent a device that allows you to stab people in the face over the internet

Re:stabbing device invented?

[Shamenaught]

No, but they're working on something similar.

Re:stabbing device invented?

[kalirion]

this could be fun too

False Positives

[locster]

This guy is ruining the legitimate hitman industry now that most of our (err, their) emails are ending up in spam bins. Better go check your spam bins people.

Old tactics

[Patrik_AKA_RedX]

Well, pay me $1000 or your mother in law will receive this immortality drug...

Re:Old tactics

[mark_hill97]

You almost had me sir, then I realized that not only I, but everyone on this site, doesn't have a mother in law for you to give this drug to. Your plan has been foiled, HA!

Re:Old tactics

[chriseyre2000]

I don't have a mother-in-law yet but will be acquiring one in 8 days time.

Re:Old tactics

[repvik]

Is that what is known as a "Hostile Take-over"?

Re:Old tactics

[orasio]

Your post should star the permanent World Lameness Expo!

Re:Old tactics

[arthurpaliden]

Then you are in luck. They know what causes this and it can be prevented.

Reverse Darwin

[Anonymous Coward]

The people who figure it's a scam realize their mistake too late. The gullible pay and live. In the end only people who click on everything and respond to spam will be left. *Wake up, you're having a nightmare!*

Is that a threat?

[xandos]

I thought it was standard procedure to first kidnap and then request a ransom. Why would people pay a ransom -provided they feel really threatened by the email - if noone is kidnapped yet? They can always pay ransom when the kidnapping is actually done?

Re:Is that a threat?

[gstoddart]

I thought it was standard procedure to first kidnap and then request a ransom. Why would people pay a ransom -provided they feel really threatened by the email - if noone is kidnapped yet? They can always pay ransom when the kidnapping is actually done?

For the same reason that people fall for all kinds of scams and other stupid stuff on the internet that they might not fall for in real life -- some subset of the recipients actually believe it is real.

If you send enough, it only takes an exceedingly small percentage of people to respond to any attempt to get cash and it probably works. Same for "p3n1s 3nl4rgm3nt", Nigerian scams, or phishing.

In this case, people might actually believe (as much as you and I can't see how) that someone they know might be in real peril of getting kidnapped. Yup, it's naive, but we know people believe all sorts of things.

However, in this case, I should think that sending such threats over email is probably a federal crime, and the people doing this are going to be hosed if they get caught. I'm sure it's probably at least 2-3 felonies to do such a thing.

Cheers

Re:Is that a threat?

[ed__]

I hope that they have those reward cards, where every time you get kidnapped they punch a hole in the card, and after 9 kidnappings, you get a free sandwich!

that's just plain win/win right there.

Re:Is that a threat?

[ccguy]

I thought it was standard procedure to first kidnap and then request a ransom. Why would people pay a ransom -provided they feel really threatened by the email - if noone is kidnapped yet? They can always pay ransom when the kidnapping is actually done?

You can pay whenever it is convenient to you. However, let me explain you the options so you can make an informed decision:

- Paying in advance is hassle-free for all parties involved. You also get a coupon, 20% off the next ransom.
- Paying in full after the actual ransom has a 30% processing fee.
- Paying in monthly payments has no surcharge, but we will return your loved one monthly, too.

hitman.

Re:Is that a threat?

[Hal_Porter]

I read that in Japan someone sent out a spam that said "I know you're having an affair! Pay me $CASH_SUM or I'll tell your wife". He got lucky with some small percentage of the recipients who sent him money. But he got unlucky with a much smaller percentage who reported him to the police.

Re:Is that a threat?

[Yvanhoe]

In this case, people might actually believe (as much as you and I can't see how) that someone they know might be in real peril of getting kidnapped. Yup, it's naive, but we know people believe all sorts of things.

Note as well that a small percentage of these will fall in mailbox of people in a situation where these threats may be more plausible. I mean, if my mother received such a mail just the day after my company sent my in a middle-east country, it may take a more worrying tone.

Also, if you tell "I kidnapped your child" to 20,000 people, you have a good chance to have 2 or 3 people in the list who really don't know where their children are and worried about it.

Re:Is that a threat?

[kdemetter]

True , and exactly that will make sure the scammers get caught.

The strength of normal scams is that they bring a positive message : they promise lots of money.

Some people buy that , and lose their money , other people see the hoax , but most of them will just ignore the email and delete it , which means their chances of getting caught are slim .

If you threaten someone's life , some might take it serious , other will also ignore it , but there's a good chance they will call the cops just to be sure.

But if you threaten someone's child , there's is nothing in the world that can stop them from making you suffer for eternity.

Every parents who reads that mail will want to hunt you down the face of the earth , to crush you out of existence.

So hopefully those scammers get what they deserve

Re:Is that a threat?

[pipingguy]

Ah-ha! Wealthy penthouse-dwellers! Um, your Dad's luxury vehicle will unexpectedly shut down unless...no wait. The elevator will...nah, that won't work. Whatever, just send me money or something bad will happen to you (or somebody else you know) sometime in the future. I bet you're scared now, eh?

Rich folks only

[Anonymous Coward]

According to About.com:

It is known so far that the messages are originating from Moscow, Russia (note the fractured grammar, indicating they were written by non-English speakers) and are being emailed to addresses apparently selected from professional databases (i.e., targeting recipients who presumably have the resources to pay an extortionist).

I wouldn't expect to receive one of these unless you're wealthy and there's material out on the net attesting to the fact.

Re:Rich folks only

[Kent Recal]

imagine how you would feel if you were paranoid by nature

how do you know i'm paranoid by nature? who told you that? do you have other information about me? WHO TOLD YOU THAT?

Re:Rich folks only

[ed__]

According to About.com:

It is known so far that the messages are originating from Moscow, Russia (note the fractured grammar, indicating they were written by non-English speakers) ...

FBI agent: there's only one country that has english grammar this bad...

Police Detective: The Russians!

FBI agent: exactly. It's either them or Mrs. Gleason's 8th grade english class.

Police Detective: But the Russians have rock solid alibis.

FBI agent: let's lean on the kids, and see if any of them get nervous.

Interesting demographic

[El Yanqui]

I suspect you have to be gullible and paranoid with a dash of guilty conscience thrown in to fall for this scam.

Hey you... yeah you. The fat guy with cheetoh stained fingers and an external drive loaded with furry porn. Mod me up or I'll take all your action figures out of their original packaging.

Re:Interesting demographic

[aproposofwhat]

I have mod points, but object to your description of my fingers.

And my action figures are in a locked vault somewhere in my mother's basement, so good luck with that :P

Time for some furry porn...

Re:Interesting demographic

[houghi]

I suspect you have to be gullible and paranoid with a dash of guilty conscience thrown in to fall for this scam.

One group of people worldwide: Politicians.

Re:I will kidnap CowboyNeal

[Fex303]

Unless you pay me $9000

You left the word 'not' out of your subject.

Re:I will kidnap CowboyNeal

[TedRiot]

I think even worse is that (s)he said 9000 without 'over' preceding the number.

scam?

[nimbius]

ive been paying him for years. still alive.

me: 1, phantom interblag assassin: 0.

Too late

[sm62704]

She's dead, Jim. :P

Re:Too late

[pegdhcp]

You, sir, deserve to carry every kind of uber-geek badges available...

Why is it a 'scam'?

[Ed Avis]

Why are people calling this guy a 'scammer'? He sounds more like a simple extortionist.

Or is it simply that he is lying about murdering and kidnapping people, so tricking the victims into paying money when they get nothing in return? Maybe it would be more honest of him to really carry out the murders: then at least it wouldn't be a scam.

Re:Why is it a 'scam'?

[Urkki]

This is just a mass-mailed request to receive money, hoping to get some suckers to send some. Whatever the reason given for sending money, it's a scam. Just 'cos the reason given by this scam is a threat of violence, it doesn't stop it from being a scam, it just makes it also extortion.

Mr. Hitman, meet Mr. 419

[bobdotorg]

Will Mr. Hitman accept as payment the bogus $14,000 cashier's check some Nigerian scammer sent me to buy my $11,000 car?

Will he Western Union the excess back to me?

If you ever want to build a collection of fake cashier's checks, list a car on Craigslist.

Death threats are a felony.

[jcr]

This spammer isn't just stealing advertising and committing millions of instances of petty theft. A death threat is a felony in itself, and this clown is racking up enough separate crimes for his sentence to run to thousands of lifetimes.

-jcr

Hitman?

[MadJo]

Man, that's so old school. I already have a Hitman Pro!

Hmmmm

[idommp]

Do I get to pick which relative? If I pay extra will he kidnap two of them? just curious how this works.

Re:life0cidal corepirate nazi execrable still allo

[Erie Ed]

Slashdot needs to add a spam mod.

Re:I will kidnap CowboyNeal

[Ihmhi]

Pfft, it's gonna cost you at least that much to rent a forklift and 18 wheeler.

Re:Vengence?

[Anonymous Coward]

Is that a UK spelling or something? In AMERICA, we spell that vengeance.

Here in Norway, we do everything with a vengeance... even spelling. And we spell our country's name with only one capital letter.

Micropayments

[RyoShin]

Perfect scenario for micropayments! You could send 2000 e-mails and hope one person will pony up $1000 to avoid any downfall, or you can send 2000 e-mails and offer to take them off your hitlist for a mere dollar. At a low 50% return rate, you've made the original $1000, and the potential for more is much higher!

Seriously, criminals these days.

That's what that was?

[okmijnuhb]

I thought it was Windows Genuine Advantage.

Re:Hey! That's my idea...

[BronsCon]

Spammer sends out billions of spam, watches the pot grow, offs himself and knows that his wife and kids are set for life.

What we really need to do is make it "school districts only, one claim per district" and watch as the number of underfunded school districts drops asa drastically as the number of spammers.

Can't beat a double-positive.