Goofy Spam and Phishing Emails – Keep your guard up!

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You really have to wonder who falls for this stuff.Phishing Emails

I will be posting some of the wacky phishing emails that I receive, all designed to make someone rich, but not me. Then we’ll see how you can recognize them and protect yourself.

Here is the text from a phishing email I received this morning requesting my assistance.

Sometimes they seem a little ridiculous.

“Greetings
I am sorry to encroach into your privacy in this manner, I
found you Listed in the Trade Center Chambers of Commercedirectory in Iraq,
I find it pleasurable to offer you my partnership in
business. I only pray at this time that your address is
still valid. I want to solicit your attention to receive
money on my behalf in the states or any safe country you are.
I am Capt. Dxxxx xxxxxn , an officer in the US Army, and also
a West Point Graduate I was serving in the Military with the 82nd Airborne Division Peace keeping force in Baghdad,
Iraq.
I Am now in Afghanistan from Iraq, and I really need your help in assisting me with
the safe keeping of two military trunk boxes which has just arrived the USA from the Iraq. I hope you can be trusted?
if you can be trusted will explain further when i get a
response from you.
Waiting for your early reply
Best regards.
Capt Dxxxx xxxxxn
US ARMY.

What’s wrong with this phishing email?

  1. Greetings – If this were really a personal email, my name would appear.
  2. I am being offered a partnership by someone who doesn’t even know my name. Would you want to partner with someone who uses such poor judgement?
  3. “that your address is still valid”. This is hilarious!! If my address is not valid, I won’t be reading this email.
  4. “any safe country you are”. Hmmm. He doesn’t even know where I am.
  5. Impressive that he is a captain.
  6. While there is an 82nd Airborne Division, a search for “82nd Airborne Division Peace keeping force” came up with variations of the above email at least 3 years old.
  7. Also, “Trade Center Chambers of Commercedirectory” was not only an example of poor spelling, or at least poor typing, but only seems to exist as part of this email, although this “Trade Center” is also in Japan and some other countries.

Here is another phishing email a friend of mine received.Hacking, Phishing

I am Mark Jude the General Audit Manager, Accounts Department in our bank. I have the opportunity of transferring the sum of (US$8.4 million).This fund originally belonged to one of our bank Customer who died in the year 2004.

My request for foreigner to stand as next of kin in this business is because the fact that the customer is a foreigner. Based on the fact that this is a deal, I propose that 35% of this fund for you and 50% for me. While 15% will be for the processing of the transaction , as soon as you show your interest in matter I will give you the full details.

Thanks and Regards,
Mark Jude

I hope you realize that none of this makes sense.

  • “Our bank” doesn’t have a name.
  • He waited 10 years to settle this account.
  • You are being appointed as next of kin.
  • If I had $8.4 million to move, I am sure I could find someone to do it without giving away $2.94 million of it. There a lot of people that would be glad to help him for a mere $500,00. Why give away $2.94 million if you don’t have to.

Share your story.

Did you receive a similar phishing email? Or perhaps one supposedly from Ebay, or PayPal, or your own bank.

Put it in the comments and we’ll analyze and share. Just take out your personal info before you post it.

Have a great day and be safe.

 

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