Private Message Spam - Wild Texas Forums: Parks, Travel & Recreation

lost_but_found · 11-01-2005, 01:58 PM

Did anyone else get a message from 'Miss Sandra Williams' trying to scam some money? I get these spammers thru my messenger sometimes too - same scam...

message read:
Dearest one,

Compliment of the season to you. I know that this letter will come to you as a surprise since we 've not met or know each other before,but please I beg you to treat it with love and care.

I am Miss Sandra William from Abidjan in Republique of Cote d Ivoire.my late Father Chief Robert William who was into cocoa/Cotton export, died last year after a brief illness. before his died he deposited two big trunk boxes containing us18.5m(eighteen million five hundred thousand united states dollar) with other Family valuables with security company here in Cote d'Ivoire registered it as art work belonging to his foreign partner who will be coming for the release and export to abroad.

Please,I want you to focus your mind in this transaction for this is risk free;legal an Genuine business. I ask for your assistance and permission to submit your name as my late Father foreign partner for release of this consignment and transfer/export to your cuntry for safe keeping and investment.

I humbly ask you to response to this email immediately with your Tel/Fax numbers to enable me forward to you the neccessary documents concerning this deposit. So as to conclude this transaction under 15 good working days.My Brother and I have conclude to give you 15 % of the total money after the release of this consignment for your noble assistance.

And note that this is the only hope for my me and my Brother therefore try to keep it confidential for the security of this money and our Dear life.

Waiting for your urgent response.

Best regards.
Miss Sandra William

ploddinTod · 11-01-2005, 02:19 PM

Yeah, I got the same one. However, this is the first time I've ever received anything like that.

Shannon · 11-01-2005, 04:03 PM

The spammer's account was banned, but as I mentioned to the couple of eagle-eyed members who contacted me about this, it's difficult to completely be rid of them -- they often send this nonsense through compromised computers or public accounts ("free" AOL accounts tied to false credit card numbers, etc.) so their IP addresses and other information changes frequently.

I apologize to all who received the message and I probably should have sent my own blanket email to everyone assuring them it's a scam and not something they should fall prey to.

This particular type of spam behavior is calling "phishing" and it's insidious. Read more about it on Wikipedia (a terrific open source encyclopedia) -- http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Phishing

Again, I apologize for the frustration and waste of time. I know I've been markedly absent as of late, but I still do all I can to keep WildTexas.com reliable, usable and pest-free.

copuswalker · 11-01-2005, 06:06 PM

Hey! How come I didn't get one.
I always miss out on the money makers

lost_but_found · 11-02-2005, 04:11 PM

No need for apologies - these people are pros at breaking through walls - that's how they make a living. I just thought I would make sure everyone else was aware of these scammers/pests.

Turn Key · 11-03-2005, 01:59 PM

Me, too :no:. Can't believe any one would fall for something like that but as it's been said, "There's a sucker born every minute". Of course, it's also said that "You can't get anything for nothing".

Happy Camping!