Is this a scam

[ninak]

I got this in my email today (It doesn't show up in my private email on the forum)

 

 

This is a message from elizamark at WHMCS Forums ( http://forum.whmcs.com/index.php ). The WHMCS Forums owners cannot accept any responsibility for the contents of the email.

 

To email elizamark, you can use this online form:

http://forum.whmcs.com/sendmessage.php?do=mailmember&u=25720

 

OR, by email:

mailto:hmmd_b@yahoo.com

 

This is the message:

 

Hello dear,

I am the manager of bill and exchange at the foreign remittance department SG-SSB bank limited, The board of directors mandated me to look for any known relation of late Mr. Morris Thompson who deposited a huge amount of money in our bank without claim, so l decided to contact you with self confidence, ,so you can apply for the claim of this funds with my full corporation so I can join you later in your country after you claim the funds, more details and confidentiality contact my private email addresses elizamark1@rediffmail.com or elizabethmark28@gmail.com God will surly bless you,

Yours truly,

Miss. Elizabeth Mark.

[bear]

Obvious spam, and we've taken steps to prevent any further mischief from this one.

Spammers are getting more creative.

[ninak]

Obvious spam, and we've taken steps to prevent any further mischief from this one.

Spammers are getting more creative.

Boy you should see some of the stuff that has been leaking through in my WHMCS too.

All You Can Do is just ban the IP's at this point.

[othellotech]

I believe one of my ancestors from the late 1800's must have been extremely well travelled and promiscuous, as I have long-lost-very-rich relatives in virtually every country - today alone I hear their estates are valued in excess of 291,375,000,000$ and I can collect that simply by paying a small release fee and giving away my passport and bank account details.

 

One lawyer in Nigeria who must have an army of staff to send me so many different emails from different @hotmail addresses this morning, says he can help with all the arrangements ...

[ninak]

Gee that boat or log your relatives came in on must have been very sturdy and large because I think mine were their with yours.

Have they offered to cut the fees by 80% yet?

Best thing to do is use the name of the director of the CIA and the address of the main government building for this. As far as passport tell them to call a certain phone number and give them a special code so that they can be verified (The number should be to your police precinct or some other fraud investigation agency in you local area that you have contacted and set this up)

Doesn't stop them but it does make them move on a bit.

[bear]

I have long-lost-very-rich relatives in virtually every country

Me too, but unfortunately each and every one is dying of cancer or accidents at an alarming rate. At this rate, they will all be gone, and I'll only have the memory and all that cash to remember them by.

[easyhosting]

I believe one of my ancestors from the late 1800's must have been extremely well travelled and promiscuous, as I have long-lost-very-rich relatives in virtually every country - today alone I hear their estates are valued in excess of 291,375,000,000$ and I can collect that simply by paying a small release fee and giving away my passport and bank account details.

 

One lawyer in Nigeria who must have an army of staff to send me so many different emails from different @hotmail addresses this morning, says he can help with all the arrangements ...

 

we must be related as i seem to have the same ancestors, also i have been lucky playing the casinos in Las Vegas, even though i am in the UK and have never been to LV.

[GGWH-James]

Obvious spam, and we've taken steps to prevent any further mischief from this one.

Spammers are getting more creative.

I don't know if it's available for vBulletin v3.8.x offhand, but v4.x has a really effective Stop Forum Spam plug-in available for it. Something which may want to be considered here, if available for the version used here that is.

[Austdata]

If everyone responded, those very helpful Nigerian lawyers would be worked off their feet.

[easyhosting]

If everyone responded, those very helpful Nigerian lawyers would be worked off their feet.

 

True, but people must respond or they would not keep sending such SPAM as it would not be worth the effort.

[bear]

Hmm, sounds like you didn't read what you'd quoted, there Terry.

[Austdata]

Hmm, sounds like you didn't read what you'd quoted, there Terry.

 

Thanks Bear, thought I'd lost my touch.

[ninak]

Have now created a e-mail template for my self to send to the email address that these people have listed in their e mail to me.

I indicate that I too have recently come into a fortune but am unable to claim it in my name because I am on disability and claiming this money would hinder my disability status etc. All responses should go to the email of the guy who sent me the info regarding my other fortunate circumstances the week before.

[easyhosting]

Have now created a e-mail template for my self to send to the email address that these people have listed in their e mail to me.

I indicate that I too have recently come into a fortune but am unable to claim it in my name because I am on disability and claiming this money would hinder my disability status etc. All responses should go to the email of the guy who sent me the info regarding my other fortunate circumstances the week before.

 

most of these emails are sent to random emails hoping some are live emails. if you do send a reply this informed the SPAMMERS they have hit a live active email address and will then continuing targeting this with more spam or sell this email to more spammers. the best action is to forward the email including header to the spammers DC, but bot to reply directly to such emails.

[ninak]

Sounds like a plan.

[bear]

Umm, no.

For the most part the reply to and return addresses are faked. They may include a Hotmail or Gmail address to contact, but most often will include something to mail or a phone number. If you're reporting the reply to, you're likely reporting a victim.

[easyhosting]

Umm, no.

For the most part the reply to and return addresses are faked. They may include a Hotmail or Gmail address to contact, but most often will include something to mail or a phone number. If you're reporting the reply to, you're likely reporting a victim.

 

 

a header of an email will contain the IP address of the actual sender, so even if they use a gmail/hotmail email address as the reply address, the header will contain the actual IP where the mail originated from. it is the DC of this IP you report the email too along with the header. this is industry standard practice in reporting spam email.

[bear]

the header will contain the actual IP where the mail originated from

And what IP would show in the case of being sent from Gmail? (hint: Gmails server)

 

It's easy to spoof these, and pass it through a compromised computer or mail account. The odds of you reporting and affecting the actual spammer are incredibly low. Trust me, I've been doing this a very long time, and so have the spammers.

 

The IP you mention is whatever system was used to send, along with every box it hit on the way to you. Spoofs, open relays, hijacked servers and hacked mail accounts likely account for the bulk of it and pro spamhauses with overseas and untouchable servers the rest.

Quixotic to report these days, unless it's to spamcop or similar to add IPs to RBLs and other lists. It's big business, and they hide well.