Internet ScamBusters Subscribers Share More of Their Favorite Stories About Email Fraud
We want everyone to be aware of all the scams we've found on the Internet so check out these previous email scam winners. They might still be around!
Email Fraud 2
"This is one I received recently about needing to confirm my email account, password, billing address and credit card number to ensure that my account would not be stolen. I became suspicious and called my ISP (Earthlink) which they confirmed they never sent an email to me asking for such information."
Dear Earthlink Network Member,
We here at Earthlink wish to make our service the most secure and safest internet service possible. We do this by asking all Earthlink members to change their passwords at least once a month. Although we have sent out many repeated warnings many people are still having their accounts stolen and used by other people! Due to this problem we here at Earthlink have decided to randomly request our users billing information. Because we want you to continue to enjoy our service, we are giving a free month of unlimited access to each account that is processed and found valid.
To prove that this is your account and to recieve your free month of unlimited access to our service please respond with the information below.
First Name:
Last Name:
Billing Address:
Apt #:
City:
State:
Zip Code:
Phone#Type of Credit Card:
Card #:
Expiration Date:(MM/YY)If this information is not recieved or is recieved with invalid or false information we will have to assume your account as stolen and it will be terminated. We are sorry if this has caused you any trouble. Thank you and continue to enjoy Earthlink.
Justine B.
"You send $25 US and receive $100 back (in a useless currency not worth 2 cents on the dollar).
"PLEASE warn people. This was circulated offline about 8 years ago and has now moved online. Enclosed is the letter I received."
Dear Friend:
If you have already responded to the following announcement a few days ago, that means your package is already on its way and it should be arriving soon! If you have not responded to this before, please pay attention to it now. This is very important!!!
IMPORTANT ANNOUNCEMENT
IMPORTANT ACCOUNCEMENT
Your future May Depend on it !Before you know about this 'Important Announcement', you must first read the following 'Editorial Excerpts' from some important publications in the United States:
NEW YORK TIMES: "In concluding our review of Financial organizations to effect change in the 90's, special attention should be called to a California based organization, 'WORLD CURRENCY CARTEL'. Members of this organization are amassing hundred of millions of dollars in the currency market using a very LEGAL method which has NEVER been divulged to the general public. While their purpose is not yet known, their presence has most certainly been felt".
NBC NIGHTLY NEWS: "Members of 'World Currency Cartel', who always keep a low profile, are considered to be some of the most wealthiest people in North America".
More excerpts later, but first let us give you this very 'IMPORTANT ANNOUNCEMENT": We are glad to announce that for the first time and for a very short period of time, WORLD CURRENCY CARTEL will instruct a LIMITED number of people worldwide on 'HOW TO CONVERT $25 INTO ONE HUNDRED OF LEGAL CURRENCY'. We will transact the first conversion for you, after that you can easily and quickly do this on your own hundreds or even thousands of times every month. TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THIS "SECRET FLAW" ! It is even more explosive than we have yet disclosed. While currency does fluctuate daily, we can show you 'HOW TO CONVERT $99 INTO $588 AS MANY TIMES AS YOU WANT'. That means, you will be able to EXCHANGE $99, AMERICAN LEGAL CURRENCY DOLLARS, FOR $580 OF THE SAME. You can do this as many times as you wish, every day, every week, every month. All very LEGAL and effortlessly!
It takes only 5 to 10 minutes each time you do this. You can do this from home, office or even while traveling. All you need is an access to a phone line and an address. Best of all, you can do this from ANY CITY ON THIS EARTH!!!
<snip>
Editor's Note: This letter is still being emailed but now it's going by the name of INTERNATIONAL EXCHANGE ALLIANCE.
John K.
AOL RIOT JUNE 1, 1998
WARNING: You must forward this letter to 10 people or your account will be terminated on June 1, 1998. All recipients of this e-mail are being tracked. When you received this, when you forwarded it, who you forwarded it to, is all on record. We are AOL's most elite hacker group, known as LcW. We have hacked AOL's (easily infiltrated) systems on numerous occaisions. We have shut down AOL keywords, we can kick any AOL Staff member off for 24 hours, we have gained access to Steve Case's account, we have created AOL's most famous hacking programs (Fate X, HaVoK, HeLL RaIsEr, MaGeNtA) and we can certainly get your credit card info. However, if you send this to 10 people, like you are told, you will escape unharmed. We won't terminate your account and you will be able to continue using AOL. So if you know whats best for you, you will send this to 10 people as soon as possible. If you think we are bluffing....just wait till June 1, and see if you can sign or not.
CAUTION: THERE WILL BE A VIRUS UPLOADED ON AOL'S MAIN SERVER ON JUNE 1, 1998. ANY USERS WHO HAVEN'T FORWARDED THIS MESSAGE WILL AUTOMATICALLY HAVE THE VIRUS DOWNLOADED INTO THEIR SYSTEM. WE SUGGEST YOU FORWARD THIS MESSAGE OR YOUR COMPUTER WILL BE FRIED.
*****
Because of the outrage of AOL's increasing prices, LcW has decided to create a riot on May 1, that will cause havoc on AOL. We will be sending viruses out to thousands of AOL users. We will be terminating accounts. We will be hacking into Guide chat rooms and kicking guides offline. There will be no AOL Staff - just complete pandemonium. If you want to join this riot, we urge you to! You won't have to worry about being TOSed or Reported because there will be no Guides online! So do whatever you want - punt, scroll, tos, just turn AOL into a war zone!....
Editors Note: As in Bill Gate's beta tracking system, it just ain't so. <g> Check out our Urban Legends page for more info on email hoaxes.
Khrystn
VIRUS WARNING !!!!!!
If you receive an email titled "WIN A HOLIDAY" DO NOT open it. It will erase everything on your hard drive. Forward this letter out as many people as you can. This is a new, very malicious virus and not many people know about it. This information was announced yesterday morning from Microsoft; please share it with everyone that might access the Internet. Once again, pass this along to EVERYONE in our address book so that this may be stopped. Also, do not open or even look at any mail that says "RETURNED OR UNABLE TO DELIVER" This virus will attach itself to your computer components and render them useless. Immediately delete any mail items that say this. AOL has said that this is a very dangerous virus and that there is NO remedy for it at this time. Please practice cautionary measures and forward this to all your online friends ASAP.
Editors Note: For a virus to spread, it must be executed. Reading a mail message does not execute the mail message.
AJP
Subject: FCC/Telephone proposal
I am writing this to inform you of a very important matter currently under review by the FCC. Your local telephone company has filed a proposal with the FCC to impose per minute charges for your Internet service. They contend that your usage has or will hinder the operation of the telephone network. It is my belief that Internet usage will diminish if users were required to pay additional per minute charges. The FCC has created an email box for your comments, responses must be received by February 13, 1998. Send your comments and tell them what you think.
mail to: FCC isp@fcc.gov
Every phone company is in on this one, and they are trying to sneak it in just under the wire for litigation. Let everyone you know hear of this one. Get the e-mail address to everyone you can think of. Since you e-mail a lot, if you are not yet aware of this effort, take time to write to the FCC and protect yourself from the TelCo.s"
Editors Note: This is a hoax. The FCC keeps anouncing that they will NOT do this.
Vance M.
"Went to a COWLEYS JOB site in Australia to find out if I could get some EXTRA work to supplement my business income and there was a listing that says "Earn up to $1,000 weekly."
"Here is the e-mail I recieved back from them (address was *****@arex.com and I mailed arex to inform them after searching for this person's name.... and they informed me that he used to "work" for them!)
"This "fool" made himself easy to find, by using his original service provider! That is how I found out his name.... Thanks to arex.com for taking some action on this (although he can obviously redirect his incoming e-mail).
"I am curious to say the least, what is in these envelopes, are they to be mailed to persons within Australia, and 40% of each sale of what? Also testing to see if this is an autoresponder replying! Thanks."
"Dear Friend:
Thank you for requesting more information on this home mailing program. The program follows:
HONEST, INDUSTRIOUS PEOPLE
WANTED TO HELP US IN OUR BUSINESSEARN $5 PER ENVELOPE FILLED AND SENT TO US ACCORDING TO OUR INSTRUCTIONS, PLUS 40% OF EVERY SALE!!!
That's right. We need people who can spend a few hours a week working from their home securing envelopes and filling them with our circulars according to our instructions, and you won't have to give up your present job to do it.
You can easily make $2000 or more a week. Anyone should be able to fill 400 envelopes a week. 400 x $5 each = $2000. If you can do this, we will show you how you can make this amount of money immediately by securing envelopes and filling them with our circulars according to our instructions...."
Editors Note: This email goes on and on. We would like to remind our readers that if it sounds too good to be true then it's not.
David R., Australia
"*Receive up to $5,000,000 of VENTURE CAPITAL GRANTS!!!* CLICK HERE.
"This money is granted to those who wish to pay off old debts, clean up bad credit ratings, or simply to use these funds for a new business or profitable investment.
"If you are at least 18 years old and you do not exceed a net worth of $250,000...then you qualify for a venture capital grant up to $5,000,000. This money does not have to be paid back at any time. it is a grant, yours to keep forever.
"We require no credit checks, no co-signers, no employment checks.
"For more information on how to obtain an application, please CLICK HERE or....... send Self Addressed Stamped Envelope for application to:
P**** W**** Strategies
San Diego, CA 92109"
Daryll
"Well, this is the first scam I've come across directed at me on the Internet.... (regarding sweepstakes site)
"Tells me I've won third prize in their travel contest. Hurray. All I have to do is pay them $10. Then in the fine print I need to pay another $95. Yeh, right. I replied to their e-mail, telling them what they could do with their contest.
"....I got an e-mail from them saying that they were going to have their lawyer contact me. That when I told them I thought they were ripping people off and that they were running a scam they considered that "liable". They couldn't even spell "libel" right.
Gabriele R.
For Urban Legends, click here.
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