Hate SPAM?

I just noted the best website I have ever seen about the prevention of SPAM courtesy of the Wall Street Journal 2/19/2003, Marketplace section. The website is called The Spamhaus Project and is located at http://www.spamhaus.org.

Unlike most SPAM-related websites, this one is actually asthetically pleasing and provides alot of detailed information in easy to understand language. The best feature is a database of major spammers. Some of these guys are real scoundrels and scofflaws. In some cases they even provide photos and real mailing addresses. As the WSJ says, "Write to the spammers in unmarked envelopes. They would love to hear from you." Apparently, some anti-spammers also thought this was a good idea. Mike Wendland, a journalist, says of one infamous spammer, "Ever since I wrote a story on him a couple of weeks ago (www.freep.com/money/tech/mwend22_20021122.htm), he says he's been inundated with ads, catalogs and brochures delivered by the U.S. Postal Service to his brand-new $740,000 home."

One current article explains that "Spammers have conducted a massive 5-month-long Dictionary Attack against the mail servers of Hotmail and MSN to grab the email addresses of millions of Hotmail and MSN users." (http://www.spamhaus.org/index.lasso...response=newsstory.lasso&-recordID=13&-search). I wondered how an MSN account that I only ever used once and never revealed the email address ended up with several hundred SPAM messages when I logged in to terminate the account.

P.S. Please remember, NEVER EVER purchase anything as a result of receiving SPAM. It only encourages these guys and allows them to buy their $740,000 homes.

Originally posted by Admin
It only encourages these guys and allows them to buy their $740,000 homes.

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Dude, we are in the wrong line of work.

No we're not! I'm not going to sell my integrity to make a few dollars. This guy has a rap sheet and many legal judgements against him. On the whole, these people are thieves. They are guilty of theft of services from the ISPs and companies whose networks and mail servers they hijack. Many more of them are guilty of fraud. Selling false get-rich-quick schemes, bogus snake oil medicine, bogus credit repair schemes and the list goes on and on. Claiming that "you are receiving this because you opted in to our marketing list" is fraud. FingerHut is being sued by the state of NY for this very thing as we speak.

What amazes me even more is how many people are either uninformed, desparate or lazy enough to buy into these schemes. If they didn't turn over their money, the spammers would not exist. Same with drugs. No demand, so supply.

I was just reading how one person was even dumb enough to fall for the Nigerian Scam and lost a LARGE sum of money. I'm sure you've received it at one time or another. "Hi, my husband is an official of the BS ministry. He has $20 million dollars in an account, but we can not get it out of the country. If you are stupid enough to give us your bank account number so we can transfer the money out of the country, we will give you 20% for your trouble." PUH-LEESE!! I've probably had a dozen of these guy's e-mail addresses cancelled by now. Usually hotmail, yahoo or netscape.

It takes a special kind of person to be able to check their conscience at the door, huh? I always think it's amazing that people get caught by these scams - but I'm always amazed that anyone would buy from a telemarketer, too, so....

Look Vrai's lost it; she's talking to herself.

J/K

Originally posted by pixiegirl
Look Vrai's lost it; she's talking to herself.

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The MPD's are gettin to her.

Here's a brand new variation of the Nigerian SCAM that so many people seem to lose thousands of dollars from.

------------------------------------

Your contact was availed to me by the chamber of
commerce. It was given to me because of my diplomatic
status as I did not disclose the actual reasons for
which I sought your contact. But I was
assured That you are reputable and trustworthy if you
will be of assistance.
I am Laurent Mpeti Kabila (Jnr) the second son of
Late President LAURENT DESIRE KABILA the immediate
Past president of the DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC OF CONGO in
Africa who was murdered by his opposition through his
personal bodyguards in his bedroom on Tuesday 16th January, 2001.
I have the privilege of being mandated by my father colleagues
to seek your immediate and urgent co-operation to receive into
your bank account the sum of US $10,000,000(ten million Dollars)
and some thousands carats of Diamond.presently, i am with the
nederlands government seeking for political asylum.
This money and treasures was lodged in a vault with a
security firm in the nederlands.
SOURCES OF DIAMONDS AND FUND
In August 2000, my father as a defence minister and president
has a meeting with his cabinet and armychief about the defence budget
for 2000 to 2001 which was US $700m. so he directed one of his best
friend. Frederic Kibasa Maliba who was a minister of
mines and a political party leader known as the Union Sacree de,
I opposition radicale et ses allies (USORAL) to buy arms
with US $200m on 5th January 2001; for him to finalized the arms
deal,my father was murdered. f.K. Maliba (FKM) and I have
decided to keep the money with a foreigner after which he will use it
to contest
for the political election. Inspite of all this we have resolved to
present your or your company for the firm to pay it into your
nominated account the above sum and diamonds. This transaction
should be finalized within seven (7) working days and for your
co-operation and partnership, we have unanimously agreed that you
will be entitled to 5.5% of the
money when successfully receive it in your account. The nature of your
business is not relevant to the successful execution of this
transaction what we require is your total co-operation and
commitment to ensure 100% risk-free transaction at both ends and to
protect the persons
involved in this transaction, strict confidence and utmost
secrecy is required even after the successful conclusion of this
transaction. If this
proposal is acceptable to you, kindly provide me with your personal
telephone and fax through my E-mail box for immediate
commencement of the transaction.
All correspondence is for the attention of my counsel:
I count on your honour to keep my secret, SECRET.
Looking forward for your urgent reply Thanks.
Best Regards
MPETI L. KABILA (Jnr)

Originally posted by Admin
Here's a brand new variation of the Nigerian SCAM that so many people seem to lose thousands of dollars from.

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The last mail I received in my SOMD email account was that little scam.

I got it too. At my home account.

I get it too - in my washington times account.

Originally posted by kwillia
I just don't get it... How come there are still people who don't understand that these things are really scams? Seriously, how come?

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cuz they're stooooopid

Originally posted by Admin
Here's a brand new variation of the Nigerian SCAM that so many people seem to lose thousands of dollars from.

Click to expand...

Here's what someone did with this scam. Read the emails/commentary
here