SPAMS & SCAMS
    An Experiment on the Vulnerability of Web Posted E-mail Addresses

 

 

 

FIRST SCAM ARRIVES THIRD DAY OF TEST

The first test message was sent to the experiment's e-mail address at 7:26 AM on October 4, 2003. A little over 56 hours later, the first scam e-mail arrived, claiming to be from a refugee in the UK with 6 million dollars in a bank in South Africa that he help to obtain.

 

 

Today there were two posts to the test address. 

One was  the W32.Klez.H@mm virus with the message:

This is a special good tool
I wish you would like it.

The other was another scam asking for help in obtaining funds supposedly located overseas. (see below)


From: Senator Dr.L.P.Estrada <luisamama22@netscape.net>
To: (deleted)
Reply-To: luisamama22@netscape.net
Subject: HELLO .
Date: Wed, 08 Oct 2003 11:26:33 -0700

Dearest,

Difficulties encountered in efforts to establish a business abroad necessitate this search for someone to assist me in securing and investing the sum of USD18,000,000 (eighteen million dollars) deposited in my name with a security company in Amsterdam,The Netherlands. By way of summarized profile of myself,I am Senator Luisa Pimentel Estrada,a 74years old lady and the first wife of Joseph Ejercito Estrada(former head of state and President of Philippines) who is presently held in detention in a hospital outside manilla,Philippines.This money was kept with a Security Company in Amsterdam and I have all documents with me as of when it was deposited in a Security Vault for safe keeping. However,the current administration of Gloria Arroyo(The President of Philippines) is seeking the death of my husband.In pursuit of this vendetta,the present Government have resolved to freeze all known assets of Joseph Ejercito Estrada including properties at home and abroad and are presently embarking on to seize the various bank accounts of my Husband in Switzerland,UK and Australia. In fact, the attack on our family (The Estrada's) is so devastated to an extent of seizing our travelling passport,family accounts,trying some members of our family in court for offences allegedly committed by my Husband and even restrict us from seeing my husband. My son was released from detention on the agreement to refund $1.5 million to the Government of Philippines allegedly stolen by my Husband. You can find this on;

http://latelinenews.com/ps/english/29432.shtml

http://www.time.com/time/asia/magazine/2001/0129/cover1.html

http://www.estrada.com

We are not ready to comply to this as most of the family assets and bank accounts abroad have been Frozen by the Arroyo regime. In view of this grevious threat to our Economic and personal survival, our family trustee have secretly protected the deposit, you are to assits us travelling to Amsterdam to lay claims of the consignment with the aid of all legal documents that will be forwarded to you as time goes on. In the meantime,there is a travelling embargo on the family members and our local accounts are seized as well as our telephone lines have been bugged.For this reason,telephone conversation will not be an ideal means of communication because our calls will be recorded.We are currently being catered for by the Government of Philippines in other to monitor and control our financial activities.we cannot be held responsible for the sins of my Husband. In view of this plight, I expect you to be trustworthy and kind enough to respond to this distressed call to save ourfamily from a hopeless future.And if you agree to help, we shall discuss the disbursement ratio in our next correspondence after we have been acquainted.

To summarise this traumatic story,I have decided to offer 20% of the above sum to anyone who assists us to secure this funds overseas or 30% share for possible help on investing in any reliable venture. If you would want to proceed under these terms, please reply for detailed information. If you do not accept my offer, please in good fate treat with utmost confidentiality.

Please note that email correspondence will be safer due to the fact that all our phone lines have been bugged. Sincerely yours, Senator Dr.L.P.Estrada