Should I admire their ingenuity?
Unlike most of the free world, for some reason I don't get spam regarding penis enhancement or pharmaceuticals, but I have been getting a rash of more creative and likely more dangerous emails these days.
The first, more innocuous one is variations on the "Deposed Foreign Dictator Needs to transfer funds to a US account" scheme. Some just ask for an email response. The more forward requests actually ask for bank account, name, address, and necessary passwords. A little unreasonable, but if it gets me $43 million, it must be okay.
The second, which has happened twice in the past two days, is a new one to me. We received emails from eBay and Keybank (address actually said "Kaybank"...a little fishy already) which reported that our accounts had been violated and we needed to provide info, or else the accounts would be disabled. A link on the email takes you to a very official looking Key Bank/ eBay site which has boxes for all of your account and credit card information, along with the usual security cautions, bells, and whistles. You enter your info, and then are redirected to the actual website of said company, thus completing the illusion of propriety while someone gleefully drains your account and purchases a new Ipod. Extremely clever.
I find myself very entertained by these. Most internet/email schemes are a little less sophisticated, and I can't help by admire the handiwork of these less than scrupulous individuals. I guess it gives me something to do until Charles Mgwabe transfers the promised funds into my account.
The first, more innocuous one is variations on the "Deposed Foreign Dictator Needs to transfer funds to a US account" scheme. Some just ask for an email response. The more forward requests actually ask for bank account, name, address, and necessary passwords. A little unreasonable, but if it gets me $43 million, it must be okay.
The second, which has happened twice in the past two days, is a new one to me. We received emails from eBay and Keybank (address actually said "Kaybank"...a little fishy already) which reported that our accounts had been violated and we needed to provide info, or else the accounts would be disabled. A link on the email takes you to a very official looking Key Bank/ eBay site which has boxes for all of your account and credit card information, along with the usual security cautions, bells, and whistles. You enter your info, and then are redirected to the actual website of said company, thus completing the illusion of propriety while someone gleefully drains your account and purchases a new Ipod. Extremely clever.
I find myself very entertained by these. Most internet/email schemes are a little less sophisticated, and I can't help by admire the handiwork of these less than scrupulous individuals. I guess it gives me something to do until Charles Mgwabe transfers the promised funds into my account.
posted by rob at 8:41 PM
1 Comments:
I am reminded of the Jack-in-the-Box commercial where Jack is attending a food services conference and spies a Gen Xer sitting alone at a simple table with a hand-written sign:
Food Consultant
Jack: What's that all about
Dude: I taste your product and and tell you whether I like it or not.
Jack: How much?
Dude: $25,000
Jack: (incredulous) How many people do you think are going to take this seriously?
Dude: It just takes one.
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