Tech: New scam

Subject: Tech: New scam UK (fake police message)
From: Don(Wyziwyg)T
Date: 02 Jul 12 - 08:57 PM

Picked up a virus scam this evening.

It must have been a drive by script on an otherwise safe website, because I received a very official looking warning screen purporting to be City of London Police.

It informed me that my PC was blocked and gave half a dozen possible reasons, from "using or distributing copyright material illegally" to "downloading obscene images".

They even tried to convince me that this might be happening without my knowledge or consent, but that if such were the case, I would be guilty of "failure to exercise reasonable care".

In any case, they said, the matter could be settled by payment, within 72 hours, of a £100 fine.

Two methods of payment were authorised: eKASH, or prepayment card. Non payment within 72 hours would "result in criminal action", and my PC would remain blocked.

Ten minutes with my antivirus/antimalware took care of that, but be warned, it does look particularly genuine.

Don T.

Subject: RE: Tech: New scam
From: JohnInKansas
Date: 02 Jul 12 - 11:42 PM

From the description, about the only way it could be "genuine" is if the cops in your area are legally authorized to solicit bribes, isn't it?

Of course that would be the case in much of Mexico, but in the US I think it's mostly limited to Philadelphia and Chicago, although there are rumors about a few local areas "down south."

John

Subject: RE: Tech: New scam
From: Ebbie
Date: 03 Jul 12 - 02:19 AM

Careful. Keep in mind that to us in Alaska, Minnesota is down south. You can just imagine where Kansas is. :)

Subject: RE: Tech: New scam
From: Richard Bridge
Date: 03 Jul 12 - 03:02 AM

http://www.cityoflondon.police.uk/CityPolice/Media/News/150612-ransomwarescam.htm

Subject: RE: Tech: New scam
From: Don(Wyziwyg)T
Date: 03 Jul 12 - 05:39 AM

I realised instantly that it was a scam, simply because I'm aware that British Police forces do not collect fines. That is the domain of the courts.

Police may issue tickets, but the recipient's response is always to the court.

However, there are many gullible people who may not be aware of this and may indeed pay up.

For that reason, this should be broadcast as widely as possible.

Don T.

Subject: RE: Tech: New scam
From: GUEST,Paul
Date: 03 Jul 12 - 08:20 AM

this should be broadcast as widely as possible

No it shouldn't. Only really, really stupid people would fall for anything like that.

eKASH or prepayment card only

Yeah, right. That sounds so official...

Your post amounts to spam. Please stop.

Subject: RE: Tech: New scam
From: EBarnacle
Date: 03 Jul 12 - 09:28 AM

Sorry, Paul. You are wrong. It's a public service.

Subject: RE: Tech: New scam
From: Steve Gardham
Date: 03 Jul 12 - 10:26 AM

I honestly can't think of a reason for any organisation to solicit or demand payment of money by email. I certainly wouldn't fall for it.

Subject: RE: Tech: New scam
From: alex s
Date: 03 Jul 12 - 10:44 AM

GUEST Paul - only a REALLY REALLY stupid person would say what you said.

Thanks, Don T, we need this kind of info.

Subject: RE: Tech: New scam
From: GUEST,leeneia
Date: 03 Jul 12 - 02:23 PM

Thanks, Don. I suspect such messages will soon be coming to people in other parts of the world, with the name of the police force changed to something local.

Subject: RE: Tech: New scam
From: autoharpbob
Date: 03 Jul 12 - 02:51 PM

Thanks Don. I know many people who would fall for this, my Mum amongst them. I can now warn them.

Subject: RE: Tech: New scam
From: Megan L
Date: 03 Jul 12 - 03:11 PM

The driving instructor who got me through the test told me the time to engage brain was before you got in the car, in those days we didnt have sat nav people who drive into rivers and the like and say their sat nav told them to do it obviously never heard the maxim or perhaps didny hae brains tae engage.

The same seems tae be true of onybuddy wha thinks the polis wid send ye a wee message if ye hid din onythin no legal instead o clappin ye in irons.

Subject: RE: Tech: New scam
From: Don(Wyziwyg)T
Date: 03 Jul 12 - 05:30 PM

""I honestly can't think of a reason for any organisation to solicit or demand payment of money by email. I certainly wouldn't fall for it.""

If you re-read my opening post you will understand that this wasn't an E-Mail.

It took over my monitor screen and blocked my access to the ISP.

The only way to get out of it was by switching my PC off, then re-booting after disconnecting my cable modem and running a full virus and spyware scan.

As for Guest Paul's pig ignorant intrusion, I don't bother with rude, anonymous, and totally erroneous crap.

There are vast numbers of computer innocents who are able (just) to access E-Mail or Farcebook, but who are woefully unaware of the ways in which unscrupulous crooks can relieve them of their cash.

Don T.

Subject: RE: Tech: New scam
From: alex s
Date: 04 Jul 12 - 05:41 AM

Well said, Don T

Subject: RE: Tech: New scam
From: GUEST,Paul
Date: 04 Jul 12 - 06:24 AM

There are vast numbers of computer innocents...who are woefully unaware of the ways in which unscrupulous crooks can relieve them of their cash

Agreed, but how many of these people have eKASH accounts?

Subject: RE: Tech: New scam
From: JohnInKansas
Date: 04 Jul 12 - 08:54 AM

As just one example of stupid things people do, that expose ALL OF US to persons of ill intent, I've been trying for several years to get a couple of acquaintances to STOP SENDING ME CHAIN LETTERS in email. I can just trash their trash, but they absolutely refuse to stop putting the addresses of all their "huge crowd of needy people" in the "To" line in their email, so I receive the addresses of everyone they know, and if they include me, EVERYONE THEY SEND IT TO has my email address.

Giving ANYONE another person's email address without permission is an invasion of privacy, and I may be forced to sue (or whack with a 2x4) a couple of them.

By now, anyone that uses email should know that when you send the same mail to multiple people you put the addresses in the BCC line, so that each person gets the mail with only their own address displayed. It's so simple that even the local pub does it RIGHT when they send notices of who's playing on Wednesday nights.

This phenomenon is possibly more common when you have lots of "elders" as acquaintances, but it seems to be a particular problem here in Kansas, substantiating, perhaps, the recent study that reported that those who identify themselves as "born again" suffer, on average, about twice the brain atrophy as others of the same age.

John

Subject: RE: Tech: New scam
From: EBarnacle
Date: 04 Jul 12 - 09:14 AM

John, read this past Sunday's article on early onset Alzheimer's in the New York Times Magazine. It explains a lot.

Subject: RE: Tech: New scam
From: Don(Wyziwyg)T
Date: 04 Jul 12 - 09:53 AM

""Agreed, but how many of these people have eKASH accounts?

Guest Paul.....again.""


If you keep banging on about what computer users might or might not have, as an argument against warning them about new scams, people may start to wonder if you are perhaps one of the scammers, protecting your fraudulent income.

I prefer just to believe you are an inconsequential anonymous troll.

Don T.

Subject: RE: Tech: New scam
From: GUEST,Paul
Date: 04 Jul 12 - 11:19 AM

If you keep banging on about what computer users might or might not have

A single, reasonable, point about the likely users of eKASH does not constitute 'banging on'.

...as an argument against warning them about new scams, people may start to wonder if you are perhaps one of the scammers

Ah, you have to love a non sequitur...

Subject: RE: Tech: New scam
From: Newport Boy
Date: 04 Jul 12 - 04:31 PM

A note of light relief - this is a new one for me, sent from [e-mail] (honest!):

Re: PAYMENT NOTIFICATION!!!

We are writing to know if it's true that you are DEAD? Because we received a notification from one MR. GERSHON SHAPIRO of USA stating that you are DEAD and that you have giving him the right to claim your funds. He stated you died on a CAR accident and he has been calling us regarding this issue, but we cannot proceed with him until we confirm this by not hearing from you after 7days.

Based on this, if you are alive, be informed that this Anti-Craft agency has made all arrangements for you to receive and confirm your funds without any further delays. All we need to confirm now is to know if you are DEAD or still alive. Because, the message by this man, brought shock to our minds.

However, we just can't release the fund to him until we confirm he is doing this in your interest OR not. But if we don't hear from you after 7days, then we say:
MAY YOUR SOUL REST IN PERFECT PEACE" Never the less, if you are still Alive then you get back to us in confirmation of your below information so that we can direct you on which bank to contact for immediate release of your fund.

Your full names and residential address...........
Your private e-mail address: ....................
Your direct telephone number: .................

YOUR JOY REMAINS THE GOAL OF THIS GOVERNMENT THROUGH THIS COMMISSION!
May the peace of the Lord be with you wherever you may be now!

Yours Faithfully,
Mr. Olaolu Adegbite
EFCC Director of Operations

Subject: RE: Tech: New scam
From: JohnInKansas
Date: 04 Jul 12 - 05:18 PM

Of interest perhaps, is a recent study/analysis of why scammers always sound so stupid:

Why Nigerian Scammers Claim to Be From Nigeria

A full analysis (as summarized at the above link) is also at:

Research paper - pdf

(The second link may demand that you run "Zeon" which is a substitute for Adobe's pdf reader. I - and my Norton - have found it safe enough, and probably safer than Adobe(?).)

The full research paper is pretty deep reading, unless you're fluent in linear analysis and statistics, but the first link summarizes pretty well.

John