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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."

31 of 169 comments (clear)

  1. Sounds like dangerous business by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 4, Interesting

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

    1. Re:Sounds like dangerous business by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Funny

      I don't.

  2. this guy by citizenr · · Score: 4, Funny

    needs to meet offline hitman

    --
    Who logs in to gdm? Not I, said the duck.
    1. Re:this guy by sm62704 · · Score: 3, Insightful

      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.

      --
      mcgrew's razor: Never attribute to stupidity that which can be explained by greedy self-interest
  3. stabbing device invented? by buchner.johannes · · Score: 5, Funny

    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

    --
    NB: The message above might reflect my opinion right now, but not necessarily tomorrow or next year.
    1. Re:stabbing device invented? by Shamenaught · · Score: 5, Funny
      --
      mysql> SELECT * FROM `places` WHERE `place` LIKE 'home`; Empty set (0.00 sec)
    2. Re:stabbing device invented? by kalirion · · Score: 4, Funny

      this could be fun too

  4. Old tactics by Patrik_AKA_RedX · · Score: 5, Funny

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

    1. Re:Old tactics by mark_hill97 · · Score: 4, Funny

      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!

    2. Re:Old tactics by chriseyre2000 · · Score: 5, Funny

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

    3. Re:Old tactics by repvik · · Score: 5, Funny

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

  5. Reverse Darwin by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Funny

    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!*

  6. Is that a threat? by xandos · · Score: 5, Insightful

    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?

    1. Re:Is that a threat? by gstoddart · · Score: 4, Informative

      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

      --
      Lost at C:>. Found at C.
    2. Re:Is that a threat? by ed__ · · Score: 5, Funny

      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.

    3. Re:Is that a threat? by ccguy · · Score: 5, Funny

      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.

    4. Re:Is that a threat? by Yvanhoe · · Score: 4, Insightful

      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.

      --
      The Wise adapts himself to the world. The Fool adapts the world to himself. Therefore, all progress depends on the Fool.
  7. Interesting demographic by El+Yanqui · · Score: 5, Funny

    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.

    --
    Well, thanks to the Internet, I'm now bored with sex.
  8. Re:I will kidnap CowboyNeal by Fex303 · · Score: 4, Funny

    Unless you pay me $9000

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

  9. Re:Rich folks only by Kent+Recal · · Score: 4, Funny

    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?

  10. Re:Rich folks only by ed__ · · Score: 5, Funny

    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.

  11. scam? by nimbius · · Score: 5, Funny

    ive been paying him for years. still alive.

    me: 1, phantom interblag assassin: 0.

    --
    Good people go to bed earlier.
  12. Too late by sm62704 · · Score: 4, Funny

    She's dead, Jim. :P

    --
    mcgrew's razor: Never attribute to stupidity that which can be explained by greedy self-interest
    1. Re:Too late by pegdhcp · · Score: 4, Funny

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

  13. Mr. Hitman, meet Mr. 419 by bobdotorg · · Score: 4, Funny

    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.

    --
    __ Someday, but not this morning, I'll finally learn to use the preview button.
  14. Death threats are a felony. by jcr · · Score: 4, Insightful

    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

    --
    The only title of honor that a tyrant can grant is "Enemy of the State."
  15. Hitman? by MadJo · · Score: 3, Funny

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

  16. Re:life0cidal corepirate nazi execrable still allo by Erie+Ed · · Score: 3, Insightful

    Slashdot needs to add a spam mod.

  17. Re:I will kidnap CowboyNeal by Ihmhi · · Score: 3, Funny

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

  18. Micropayments by RyoShin · · Score: 4, Interesting

    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.

  19. That's what that was? by okmijnuhb · · Score: 4, Funny

    I thought it was Windows Genuine Advantage.