Huawei Executive Arrest Inspires Advance Fee Scams (sans.edu)

UnderAttack writes: Scammers are attempting to trick Chinese victims into sending thousands of dollars in order to secure the release of Chinese Huawei executive Meng who was arrested in Canada last week. The messages claim to originate from Ms. Meng and suggest that she found a corrupt guard who will let her go for a few thousand dollars. Of course, there will be riches for anybody who is willing to help (and more). The scam is reportedly targeting people via WeChat, which may have a higher success rate than more widely distributed scams.

One of the messages reads (translated): "Hello, I am MENG Wanzou. Currently, I have been detained by Canadian customs. I have limited use of my phone. Right now CIA is trying to get me into the hands of the US government. I bribed the guard of my room, and urgently need US$2000 to get out of here. Once I am out, I will reward you 200,000 shares of Huawei. I will be good on my word. if you are single, we can also discuss the important thing in life. The guard's name is David, the account number is 52836153836252, swift 55789034. I will be good on my word."

Comments

Stupid Tax

[youngone]

if you are single, we can also discuss the important thing in life.

Oh good lord, if you're dumb enough to fall for that you almost deserve to be scammed.

Re:Stupid Tax

[TheGratefulNet]

if you are single, we can also discuss the important thing in life.

you mean, like, emacs versus vi?

didn't know she was a fellow geek.

(what was the guard's account number again?)

Re:Stupid Tax

[JustAnotherOldGuy]

if you are single, we can also discuss the important thing in life.

Maryann versus Ginger?

(BTW- Maryann beats Ginger by a light year, hands down.)

Re:Stupid Tax

[Can'tNot]

you mean, like, emacs versus vi?

Psh, we all know the answer to that one. I am genuinely curious about what she could have been referring to.

Maybe it was intentionally left vague, so people would just assume that it was whatever they wanted.

Re:Stupid Tax

[Cmdln Daco]

Ginger is high maintenance. Maryann will change the oil in your truck while you hold her beer.

Re: Stupid Tax

[Anonymous Coward]

Absolutely. This coddle-the-weak participation-trophy shit has got to stop. It is literally setting back the human race. Bring back the bullies.

Re:Stupid Tax

[Darkling-MHCN]

So in case you weren't in disbelief that you're actually in direct contact with this world famous woman, or in case you might not be a little incredulous about the possibility you bribe a Canadian official to get her out, presuming you believe all that, they throw in for good measure that she might also like to have sexual relations with you. Seriously?

This story is either a fabrication, or the scammers are deliberately trying to tip off their own marks. Perhaps as you suggest the scammers are trying to alleviate their consciences by ensuring their marks really deserve to be scammed.

Re:Stupid Tax

[plague911]

The difference is that the "dumb" in this case are willfully this way. When people say this, they are rarely implying that the mentally handicapped should be taken advantage of. They are referring to people who should be capable but have spent their entire life sheltering themselves unwilling to gain intelligence/exposure to new ideas.

That being said go take your SJW shit elsewhere, no one respects your retarded virtue signaling. Unless you happen to actually be retarded, then carry on (See that play on words there).

Re:Stupid Tax

[Enigma2175]

I believe the difference is the element of greed in this type of scam. It's more pronounced in the classic Nigerian 419 scams but present in this one as well, the person gets scammed because they think they are going to get a huge payoff for often ethically questionable activity (funneling a bunch of Nigerian oil money out of their banks, bribing prison guards, etc.). I think people have a lot more sympathy for tech support or "your grandson is in jail" scams than ones where people are promised a huge payout for sending some money now because they think that greed was a large element of why the scam worked.

Re:Stupid Tax

[ChromeAeonuim]

My understanding is that they deliberately try to be far fetched. If it costs as much to send out one spam message as it does a million, so they don't want to bother with the ten people who just might be dumb enough to fall for it; they want to specifically target the one person who is definitely dumb enough to fall for it.

They're not trying to tip marks off, they're putting that in there as a selection measure so that only the most likely to actually go through with the scam reply.

Re: Stupid Tax

[Anonymous Coward]

It's done on purpose. The outrageous claims are used to find the truly stupid marks just like bad grammer and spelling mistakes in a letter from a Nigerian prince. No use wasting time on smart marks.

Re:Stupid Tax

[CaptainDork]

Yeah, I'm in a gun forum (hell, I'm everywhere) and the subject of Cody Wilson and Defense Distributed and the 3-D printed files came up, so I shared what I knew.

I got a question, "You say those files are stored in a lot of places, where can I find them?"

I said, "Google '3-D printed files' but be real careful. The whole Internet knows you're coming and you'll get eaten alive if you don't know what you're doing."

Those gunheads are totally stupid.

Re:Stupid Tax

[ShanghaiBill]

I am genuinely curious about what she could have been referring to.

The translation in TFA didn't even get her name right (it is Meng Wenzhou). Google translate would have done a better job.

The questionable phrase in Chinese literally means "... also can discuss important life events", but it is ambiguous even in Chinese, and seems to have a sexual innuendo since it follows "if you are single ...", but could also mean help with "guanxi" connections to advance your career.

I did a quick image search, and I would definitely take help with professional connections over a roll in the sack.

Re:Stupid Tax

[Anonymous Coward]

I keep reading sentiments like this (without "almost") on Slashdot and elsewhere.
Why do dumb people deserve to suffer?

Because far more often than not, stupid people are constantly inflicting suffering on everyone else around them, refuse to understand why or believe that is the case, and refuse to stop.
That makes them deserving of the same treatment they use on others.

Are less intelligent people fair game for anyone smart enough to trick them?

Of course not, there are laws against taking advantage of stupid people.
No one said it was *right*, just that it is *deserved*

Are the physically weak deserving of being beaten up and robbed?
What is the difference?

Same answer as above, and there is no difference.
There are laws against taking advantage of the weak.
Again, no one said it was *right*, just that it is *deserved*

"Being civil" is when you do not give in to the temptation of what is deserved and instead do what is right. That is supposed to be one of the defining traits of being human.
Of course not all humans are capable of that, and that is why we have laws and jails, to handle just such people.

Re:Stupid Tax

[maralatho]

Natural selection.

Re:Stupid Tax

[quenda]

Natural selection.

If you have a reasonable way to stop dumb people from breeding, I'm all for it.
But making them even poorer does not seem to help.

Re:Stupid Tax

[fred911]

"Are less intelligent people fair game for anyone smart enough to trick them?"

Apparently, and we tax them legally. We just call it The Lottery. I don't think we need any more taxes on stupidity.

Re:Stupid Tax

[mentil]

Introducing... the Rubik's Chastity Belt!

Re:Stupid Tax

[mentil]

Sometimes, as in the case of Voltaire, lotteries are a subsidy to the intelligent.

Re:Stupid Tax

[jszpilewski]

This is a reason why greed along with lust and ego are listed as cardinal sins. They all make you act unreasonably and will get you smacked for that even without waiting for the Final Judgment.

Re:Stupid Tax

[_merlin]

I thought you were just saying that because your wife would kill you if you didn't, but then I found a recent photo, and the last ten years have not been kind to Ms Meng.

Re:Stupid Tax

[stealth_finger]

if you're dumb enough to fall for that you almost deserve to be scammed.

I keep reading sentiments like this (without "almost") on Slashdot and elsewhere. Why do dumb people deserve to suffer? Are less intelligent people fair game for anyone smart enough to trick them? Are the physically weak deserving of being beaten up and robbed? What is the difference?

Because failure makes us stronger? Overcome adversity and all that. If your hypothetical weak man accepted the offer of a fight from a stronger man (which is essentially what's happening here, people aren't being robbed, they are being asked for money) then yes, he deserves the shit kicked out of him.

Re:Stupid Tax

[Dahan]

The translation in TFA didn't even get her name right (it is Meng Wenzhou).

No, it's Meng Wanzhou. The translation in TFA isn't perfect, but it's fine; definitely a lot better than Google Translate ("Hello, I am Meng night boat.")

Re:Stupid Tax

[quenda]

Nope, you totally misread. And I'm even brave or foolish enough not to post as AC.

As it stands, the welfare system in Western countries, including the US even, gives more economic incentive to poor or welfare-dependent young women to have children, than it does to middle-class people. Those incentives can be changed, without starving people. And small incentives can make a difference.

Re:Stupid Tax

[spiritplumber]

Meng Nightboat is my next D&D character.

Re:Stupid Tax

[spiritplumber]

That's why I'm OK with lottery proceeds going to fund schools.

Re:Stupid Tax

[drinkypoo]

If it costs as much to send out one spam message as it does a million

It doesn't actually. Sending out a few thousand email messages takes some time. Sending out a million takes quite a bit more, and it's non-trivial to do right. If there really were a fair and free market for labor, all these scammers would have jobs because what they are doing is nontrivial and they are clearly pretty good at it. I've been paid to spam before, on behalf of N'Sync no less, whose management did not bother to find a company to manage their website who would even follow COPA. I protested about being ordered to spam illegally until I finally got let go... Fucking Rainer Poertner, die of ass cancer.

Re:Stupid Tax

[hesiod]

You seem to overlook the idea that the physically-weak may offer something else to the species that makes them "fit". Evolutionary fitness is not always just brute strength.

Re:Stupid Tax

[drewlake2000]

There is a theory that this is why they have so many grammar and spelling errors, it weeds out the merely greedy and focuses the attention on the greedy and stupid.

Re:Stupid Tax

[Frobnicator]

lottery proceeds going to fund schools.

There is fleecing going on there, too.

The increase from gambling revenue has always been met by a corresponding decrease from state funding. The result is always zero net change to school funding rather than a windfall that proponents suggest when creating the programs.

Schools don't get any improvement due to the lottery proceedings, despite how all the lottery marketing materials tells people the lottery supports the schools.

Re:Stupid Tax

[youngone]

I put the qualifier "almost" in because I don't actually think the hard of thinking deserve to be scammed, but was engaging in hyperbole.
That said, if it really is a come-on who would actually believe it?

Re:Stupid Tax

[Areyoukiddingme]

Introducing... the Rubik's Chastity Belt!

Somebody would just put a How To Solve video on Youtube. Sounds like an entertaining skit for one of the late late shows.

Re:Stupid Tax

[mentil]

Someone who admits they don't know and thinks to look up a solution on Youtube is smarter by far than someone who thinks they already know how to solve it (despite not knowing the first thing about it.)

Congrats China

[rsilvergun]

You're rich enough to have internet scams. You made it. You're one of the big boys now.

Re:Congrats China

[Fnkmaster]

It's all about the GDP/IQ ratio.

Seems unlikely but good if true

[110010001000]

Why would someone give you 200,000 shares of Huawei for only $2000? That's like $2 million US. I'll take that deal, how do I contact her? Also, don't I need the name of the bank?

Re:Seems unlikely but good if true

[stealth_finger]

I'll take that deal, how do I contact her? Also, don't I need the name of the bank?

You do realize that this is fake, right? And even if it were real the United States has federal laws against engaging in corruption overseas, even when it's legal in the country where the corruption occurs. It's called the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act and it specifically mentions bribing a foreign official among the list of punishable offenses.

Hey, look up, you see that? It's the joke flying right over your head.

Good lord

[JustAnotherOldGuy]

If you're dumb enough to fall for that shit you probably deserve to be taken for a ride. It's like the scammers aren't even trying any more.

(Yes, I know they deliberately write these pathetic letters to screen out all but the dumbest marks, but still...shouldn't it be just a little bit believable?)

Re:Good lord

[Arzaboa]

(Yes, I know they deliberately write these pathetic letters to screen out all but the dumbest marks, but still...shouldn't it be just a little bit believable?)

There is an emotional attachment in play with some folks. Some people may find that a couple of grand may be worth the gamble. Some may find the entire episode a way to make a noble gesture. Some may be paying the scammers off because they owe them a debt and don't want to pay taxes. Even if it is patently false, some people just want to believe.

--
We cannot despair of humanity, since we ourselves are human beings. -- Albert Einstein

Re:Good lord

[Dunbal]

...I hacked your router and I see what you're doing on your webcam (I don't have a webcam). Give me some bitcoin or I will send video of you doing perverted things while watching porn to all your friends...

I keep getting this one. Annoying as fuck.

Re:Good lord

[Dunbal]

Are you seriously comparing disease with stupidity? Bit of a false equivalence there.

Re:Good lord

[stealth_finger]

...I hacked your router and I see what you're doing on your webcam

What does your router have to do with it?

Re:Good lord

[Gilgaron]

Probably some nationalistic fervor going on, too. I'd be surprised if there aren't scams in circulation already purporting to be legal defense funds to protect the President from impeachment.

Re:Good lord

[hesiod]

To the technologically illiterate, a router is probably the most high-tech thing in their house (as far as they know) and protects them from tha net hakkerzz.

Re:Good lord

[stealth_finger]

To the technologically illiterate, a router is probably the most high-tech thing in their house (as far as they know) and protects them from tha net hakkerzz.

So, something like,

I have hacked the BLT on your router, this means all the content in your dolphin trench is available to quantum effects in the nanoscale. Pay me all the monies and i will secure your lotr drive safe from all future DMs

Re:Good lord

[Frobnicator]

Not my BLT! Please, kind sir, be kind to my router.

I have full faith that you, an anonymous hostage-taker, will happily correct all the flaws in my BLT and release me as a digital hostage if I send the bitcoins.

Re:Good lord

[JustAnotherOldGuy]

Yeah, I get those too. I always ask 'em what it's like to see a dick much larger than the one they have. :)

Re:So not only do you believe an obvious scam

[PPH]

believe that a guard in Canada can be bribed

It's actual US dollars.

The Taiwanese Prisoner

[Michael Woodhams]

This really is a return to its roots for advance fee scams. A famous 19th century version of the scam was the Spanish prisoner. A wealthy person is imprisoned, needs a little bit of cash to escape, and will reward you afterwards.

irony

[shentino]

Can anyone besides me laugh at the sheer irony of this?

China's busy ripping us off, and they're getting scammed.

Re:So not only do you believe an obvious scam

[Hognoxious]

I thought they were only a Yoorpan thing, but I looked it up and apparently not.

*sniff* They learn so fast...

[Opportunist]

Remember when this was a Nigerian prince targeting us? It's not even 10 years later and now the Chinese are already having it.

Re:Future us

[sabbede]

Why, will they have infinite resources? Because that's why money exists and greed matters.

Oh yeah?

[CRB9000]

When she gets out and shows up at my door and I'm getting laid, we'll see who laughs last.

Re:Guards can't be bought for $2k - even CAD

[Nidi62]

Nobody would give up a $50-$100K guard job for $2K.

Definitely a stupid tax, just like people who buy lottery tickets.

What country do you live in where prison guards are pulling in 6 figures? Maybe the warden, but certainly not your run of the mill guard, even with the mandatory overtime due to the prison being constantly understaffed?

Re:So not only do you believe an obvious scam

[Megane]

Do something about their in-store food prices and you might get their attention!

Re:So not only do you believe an obvious scam

[PPH]

Do something about their in-store food prices

Costco is just across the border.

Re:So not only do you believe an obvious scam

[molarmass192]

There's Costco in Canada, but $2000 will only get you 4-5 visits. :-\