TOT: "AOL" scam
wrights...@aol.com
exactly as if it had come from AOL. There were links to other "AOL"
pages, "AOL" helplines, and God knows what else. It looked absolutely
genuine. Here's what it said:
---------------------------
Dear AOL Member,
We recently attempted to charge you $14.99 for your unlimited
cycle use plan
and your credit card issuer denied payment to our billing systems.
This usually occurs when billing information is out of date or billing
address is false.
In order to keep your AOL Service active, You must visit AOL's Service
Center
Immediately by clicking here.
If your account information is not updated within next 24 hours, We
will be
forced to terminate your AOL account.
Thank you for cooperation towards this urgent matter.
AOL Help Is Always Available
If you ever need help using the AOL service while you are online, we
have
online Customer Service representatives available at AOL Keyword: Live
Help.
Thank you for choosing the America Online service!
Regards,
Regina Lewis
Billing DepartmentAmerica Online Inc.
Quick Tip: Learn how to "bookmark" a page so you can always get back to
it.
AOL Keyword: Learn Favorite Places.
Coming Soon: Look in your mailbox next time you sign on for tips on how
to
improve your connection to the AOL service.
To unsubscribe from the "Welcome to AOL e-mail series", click here.
NOTE: AOL strongly recommends that you contact your local phone
company to
confirm that any access number(s) you have chosen for dial up access to
AOL
will not cause toll or long distance charges to appear on your phone
bill.
Simply because an access number has the same area code or city as your
dial-up
location does not necessarily mean that it is in your local calling
area. The
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company's billing designations and need to be carefully selected. If
you do not
contact your local phone company, you may unnecessarily incur phone
charges
when dialing an AOL access number. Only your local phone company can
provide
this information.
----------------------------------------
Of course when you click 'here' you go to a page that asks for all your
credit card numbers!
I'm just astonished at the sophistication of this scam. I bet a lot of
people are taken in.
Bill
Andrew
<wrights...@aol.com> wrote:
>Of course when you click 'here' you go to a page that asks for all your
>credit card numbers!
>I'm just astonished at the sophistication of this scam. I bet a lot of
>people are taken in.
It's called phishing and isn't exactly new.
--
Andrew, contact via interpleb.blogspot.com
Help make Usenet a better place: English is read downwards,
please don't top post. Trim replies to quote only relevant text.
Check groups.google.com before asking an obvious question.
wrights...@aol.com
I didn't say it was. I was remarking on how well done it is. How
convincing. I've certainly never had anything like that before.
Bill
Grumps
news:1109937651.0...@f14g2000cwb.googlegroups.com...
> >It's called phishing and isn't exactly new.
>
> I didn't say it was. I was remarking on how well done it is. How
> convincing. I've certainly never had anything like that before.
I'd have thought that a simple email "Please reply with your CC details" was
sufficiently convincing for an AOLer.
Tim Mitchell
"wrights...@aol.com" <wrights...@aol.com> writes
>>It's called phishing and isn't exactly new.
>
>I didn't say it was. I was remarking on how well done it is. How
>convincing. I've certainly never had anything like that before.
>
bank, someone else's bank, my credit card issuer...
They often include valid images and web links, but the clue is that the
main web link (where they are going to steal your details) is NOT at the
address you would expect. Often it is a numeric IP.
--
Tim Mitchell
Mark Carver
> You're lucky then, I get several a day, purporting to be from ebay, my
> bank, someone else's bank, my credit card issuer...
>
> They often include valid images and web links, but the clue is that the
> main web link (where they are going to steal your details) is NOT at the
> address you would expect. Often it is a numeric IP.
Same here. In the case of ebay just hovering over the link provided
reveals the source is Romania (*.ro). After that it's a simple case of
<shift-delete>.
--
Mark
Please replace invalid and invalid with gmx and net to reply
Dave Fawthrop
| Well! I got seven copies of the same email last night. It looked
| exactly as if it had come from AOL. There were links to other "AOL"
| pages, "AOL" helplines, and God knows what else. It looked absolutely
| genuine. Here's what it said:
Probably not an AOL scam.
Complain to AOL from their web site.
They have good reason and resources to chase down the culprit. and the
Credit Card companies.
The way I use to sort out the scams is to ****carefully**** click on the
link watching the site name at the top of IE. If it is not what you are
expecting it is another scam.
--
Dave F
Andrew
<hyp...@hyphenologist.co.uk> wrote:
>The way I use to sort out the scams is to ****carefully**** click on the
>link watching the site name at the top of IE. If it is not what you are
>expecting it is another scam.
Don't ever click on the links, you will either run the risk of getting
suckered or stand a good chance of getting a lot more spam. If you
think it is legit, manually go to the relevant website and perform
whatever tasks are needed from there.
Mark Carver
> The way I use to sort out the scams is to ****carefully**** click on the
> link watching the site name at the top of IE.
*Never* do that !
For IE 'right click' on the link, and select 'Properties'
For Firefox hover over the link, and read it from the toolbar at the
bottom of the screen (default condition for that browser)
use...@isbd.co.uk
>
> The way I use to sort out the scams is to ****carefully**** click on the
> link watching the site name at the top of IE. If it is not what you are
> expecting it is another scam.
>
Credit Card company, E-Bay, PayPal or whatever is a scam. I don't
think I've ever received a real one, or if I have I've ignored them!
--
Chris Green
Alan
"wrights...@aol.com" <wrights...@aol.com> wrote
>Of course when you click 'here' you go to a page that asks for all your
>credit card numbers!
>I'm just astonished at the sophistication of this scam. I bet a lot of
>people are taken in.
>
What makes you think it isn't a genuine AOL email and web site. :)
Alternatively it could be another Tory Blair stealth tax to raise more
money to flush down those inefficient black holes that are the NHS and
the education system.
Surely no-one is stupid enough to fall for these type of scams and if
they are that stupid they shouldn't be caught out a second time.
--
Alan
mailto:news2me...@amacleod.clara.co.uk
use...@isbd.co.uk
> Dave Fawthrop wrote:
>
> > The way I use to sort out the scams is to ****carefully**** click on the
> > link watching the site name at the top of IE.
>
> *Never* do that !
>
> For IE 'right click' on the link, and select 'Properties'
>
> For Firefox hover over the link, and read it from the toolbar at the
> bottom of the screen (default condition for that browser)
>
to see them in Firefox at all unless you copy the URL from the E-Mail
to Firefox.
--
Chris Green
Mark Carver
...or you're using a web mail portal?
But yes, well spotted, glad someone's awake. Anyway much same applies,
hover or 'right click properties' in your mail client, but never never
click to open.
steve
> On Fri, 04 Mar 2005 13:58:29 +0000, Dave Fawthrop
> <hyp...@hyphenologist.co.uk> wrote:
>
>>The way I use to sort out the scams is to ****carefully**** click on the
>>link watching the site name at the top of IE. If it is not what you are
>>expecting it is another scam.
>
> Don't ever click on the links, you will either run the risk of getting
> suckered or stand a good chance of getting a lot more spam. If you
> think it is legit, manually go to the relevant website and perform
> whatever tasks are needed from there.
If there are images displayed in the email then you have already reported
back that the email has been received and opened/previewed.
ie.
img src="http://spammer.com/titsnarse.gif?na...@domain.com"
You client will go and ask for that URL, the server will log it and return
the image.
Mike GW8IJT
news:1109937134....@f14g2000cwb.googlegroups.com...
> Well! I got seven copies of the same email last night. It looked
> exactly as if it had come from AOL. There were links to other "AOL"
> pages, "AOL" helplines, and God knows what else. It looked absolutely
> genuine. Here's what it said:
> ---------------------------
> Dear AOL Member,
>
> We recently attempted to charge you $14.99 for your unlimited
> cycle use plan
> and your credit card issuer denied payment to our billing systems.
> This usually occurs when billing information is out of date or billing
> address is false.
> In order to keep your AOL Service active, You must visit AOL's Service
> Center
I often get similar requests from someone purporting to be from Ebay.
I bounce them using 'Mailwasher'.
Regards Mike.
Andrew
wrote:
>If there are images displayed in the email then you have already reported
>back that the email has been received and opened/previewed.
That is why I use Courier for email, it allows me to turn off
automatic HTML rendering, but I can easily enable it for emails I am
confident of.
mike ring
@tega.co.uk:
>
> They often include valid images and web links, but the clue is that the
> main web link (where they are going to steal your details) is NOT at the
> address you would expect. Often it is a numeric IP.
I dunno about the address - I got one from HSBC allegedly with a very
convincing address.
I was tempted to click on it to check out the scam, but prudence won....
mike
wrights...@aol.com
details" was
sufficiently convincing for an AOLer.
Don't be so stupid.
Bill
Max Demian
Depends on what you mean by unsolicited. Some time ago when I logged into
Barclays Online Banking they asked me for my email address so they could
send me "occasional security and Online Banking service information". I
refused, but if I had done so I would have received emails from them, so I
would have had to decide whether they are genuine or not. Asking for someone
to set up a phishing expedition, especially as they said they would send me
'security' information.
--
Max Demian
Marky P
>----------------------------------------
>Of course when you click 'here' you go to a page that asks for all your
>credit card numbers!
>I'm just astonished at the sophistication of this scam. I bet a lot of
>people are taken in.
>
>Bill
Some are very convincing. I get ebay & Paypal ones all the time.
Some are so realistic, I have to pass them on to ebay or Paypal to
check their authenticity. They always come back as false.
Another giveaway sign: Dear AOL member. Official emails should
mention your name or some other alias only known to you or AOL (or
whatever company).
Marky P.
Andrew
<max_d...@bigfoot.com> wrote:
>Depends on what you mean by unsolicited. Some time ago when I logged into
>Barclays Online Banking they asked me for my email address so they could
>send me "occasional security and Online Banking service information". I
>refused, but if I had done so I would have received emails from them, so I
>would have had to decide whether they are genuine or not. Asking for someone
>to set up a phishing expedition, especially as they said they would send me
>'security' information.
I always wind up my credit card companies when they cold call me and
ask me for personal details before they can talk to me. I tell them I
am not going to divulge personal information to a stranger that phones
me up, and they get uptight about it!
Brian
> The way I use to sort out the scams is to ****carefully**** click on the
> link watching the site name at the top of IE.
>
It doesn't matter how carefully you click: you've clicked: that all that
counts. And having clicked using IE you could well have "inherited" God
knows what malicious crap from the scam site. Have you not seen the
warnings about IE vulnerabilities?
Do yourself a favour: dump it and use Firefox, Opera, *anything* but IE.
> If it is not what you are expecting it is another scam.
>
And how would I know what I'm expecting? Even legitimate sites redirect
to another site.
Bottom line: if you don't know what it is with full certainty, without
resorting to any careful clicking, just dump it. Microsoft have made all
sorts of online crap and dangers possible and they really shouldn't be
assisted by users.
B.
--
Te audire no possum. Musa sapientum fixa est in aure.
Max Demian
news:cnlh219c32d4jtc4t...@4ax.com...
> I always wind up my credit card companies when they cold call me and
> ask me for personal details before they can talk to me. I tell them I
> am not going to divulge personal information to a stranger that phones
> me up, and they get uptight about it!
There's no need to "wind them up". You're perfectly entitled to ask them for
proof of who they are as at least they know that they have got through to
the right house whereas they could be anyone.
--
Max Demian
Andrew
<max_d...@bigfoot.com> wrote:
>There's no need to "wind them up". You're perfectly entitled to ask them for
>proof of who they are as at least they know that they have got through to
>the right house whereas they could be anyone.
When the last one phoned, I said "I don't know who you are, I am not
going to tell you my personal details", the guy said "I'm Matt, I work
for xxxxxxx card", and then he sounded amazed that I wasn't convinced!
It is just as well I am honest, phishing for information sounds like
it must be a doddle in this country.
Lurch
>If there are images displayed in the email then you have already reported
>back that the email has been received and opened/previewed.
>
Not here, Mozilla Thinderbird blocks remote images by default, unlike
that wanky toss that is Outlook Express.
--
SJW
Please reply to group or use 'usenet' in email subject
Lurch
>The way I use to sort out the scams is to ****carefully**** click on the
>link watching the site name at the top of IE. If it is not what you are
>expecting it is another scam.
Not a good idea, the best bet is to use something along the lines of
Thunderbird and Firefox for a bit more security.
Dave Fawthrop
| On Fri, 4 Mar 2005 18:24:40 -0000, "Max Demian"
| <max_d...@bigfoot.com> wrote:
|
| >Depends on what you mean by unsolicited. Some time ago when I logged into
| >Barclays Online Banking they asked me for my email address so they could
| >send me "occasional security and Online Banking service information". I
| >refused, but if I had done so I would have received emails from them, so I
| >would have had to decide whether they are genuine or not. Asking for someone
| >to set up a phishing expedition, especially as they said they would send me
| >'security' information.
|
| I always wind up my credit card companies when they cold call me and
| ask me for personal details before they can talk to me. I tell them I
| am not going to divulge personal information to a stranger that phones
| me up, and they get uptight about it!
ROTFL
Must try that some day.
--
Dave F
Ad
I had a couple that says it comes from my back.
But since my banck do not send emails to my Yahoo account, I knew it was
fishy to start with, as they use my main email account.
Also there is no way I would be taken in like that anyway.
A lot of people have been taken in by it, but I think they are silly, it
just comes down to sense.
Ad
the only email I get from my banck is to say they updated their website
and to log in to see what it is like, but they never put a link in the
email. Also I get emails about their services now and again.
Max Demian
news:tpvh211063p7en0pd...@4ax.com...
> On Fri, 04 Mar 2005 16:42:17 +0000, steve <st...@nospam.invalid>
> strung together this:
>
>>If there are images displayed in the email then you have already reported
>>back that the email has been received and opened/previewed.
>>
> Not here, Mozilla Thinderbird blocks remote images by default, unlike
> that wanky toss that is Outlook Express.
Actually OE does block images by default if you have SP2.
--
Max Demian
Adrian
<snip>
> Surely no-one is stupid enough to fall for these type of scams and if
> they are that stupid they shouldn't be caught out a second time.
I read an article about a scammer who was caught. He sent out millions
of emails every day and said he got responses from 1 in 10,000 that
netted him about $20,000 per day.
--
Adrian
Lurch
<max_d...@bigfoot.com> strung together this:
>> Not here, Mozilla Thinderbird blocks remote images by default, unlike
>> that wanky toss that is Outlook Express.
>
>Actually OE does block images by default if you have SP2.
And XP, which not everyone does, and for the record, that is also a
wanky pile of toss.
steve
Just as well given the imaging security exploit in SP2 - does it block
images in webpages too?
Many people still run 98/ME/2K. Blocking images has been around for ages
(as has the reasonto do so), MS makes a marketing decision not to do
something very simple for their customers that have no reason to upgrade.
Switch to Firefox/Thunderbird and substantially reduce the risk of
ActiveX exploits to zero (other that windowsupdate) and get very reliable
spam filtering as a bonus.
steve
> On Sat, 5 Mar 2005 09:30:48 -0000, "Max Demian"
> <max_d...@bigfoot.com> strung together this:
>
>>> Not here, Mozilla Thinderbird blocks remote images by default, unlike
>>> that wanky toss that is Outlook Express.
>>
>>Actually OE does block images by default if you have SP2.
>
> And XP, which not everyone does, and for the record, that is also a
> wanky pile of toss.
Not it's the most secure reliable OS ever (C)
Graham
Have they introduced congestion charging in Sheffield Bill?
I can ride my bike as much as I like and never get charged.
--
Graham.
%Profound_observation%
wrights...@aol.com
I can ride my bike as much as I like and never get charged.
Sorry, I must have missed something. What are you on about?
Bill
Brian
Yep, that's right: Gates says it is and lo, it is so.
Trusted Computing. You know it makes sense.
<vomits>
B.
--
Canis meus id comedit.
Alan
<st...@nospam.invalid> wrote
>> And XP, which not everyone does, and for the record, that is also a
>> wanky pile of toss.
>
>Not it's the most secure reliable OS ever (C)
>
Yep, it's so secure that it's never required any security updates.
It's a pity that the XP inbuilt firewall is so flawed.
--
Alan
mailto:news2me...@amacleod.clara.co.uk