Posted on 11/18/2004 11:35:29 AM PST by Cableguy
William Jackson never thought he would be grateful for going bankrupt.
Nine months ago, the 44-year-old resident of Katy, Texas, got an e-mail message from what appeared to be eBay's PayPal online payment division. It warned him that his account would be suspended unless he updated it with his personal financial data. The e-mail directed Jackson to a Web site that looked like PayPal's. He keyed in his checking, credit card, bank routing and Social Security numbers, his birthday, his mother's maiden name and the personal identification number for his bank card.
The Web site was a fake. Within a week, the people who created it used Jackson's data to steal $200 from his PayPal account and run up $1,000 in credit card charges.
Jackson cleared up the problem with his bank after two months, and a short while later the activity ceased. But late this summer, his car insurance company sent him a letter rejecting an application for a $30,000 car loan that he never requested.
The only thing that stopped this latest attempt to use Jackson's identity was the 1997 bankruptcy filing that he and his wife made after the military base where he was stationed closed and his civilian job left them with a hefty pay cut in the face of mounting debt.
"Basically every piece of personal data about me had been compromised," Jackson said. "It's pretty simple to get another credit card number and [e-mail] address and switch banks, but what do you do when these guys know the stuff that doesn't change?"
(Excerpt) Read more at washingtonpost.com ...
I get two a day from 'Citibank' and I have gotten them from 'Wells Fargo', with whom I don't even have an account.
Does anybody trust the Washington Post to handle their sign-up information with integrity?
I don't.
He deserves what he got. Dumbasses get no sympathy from me.
I got one of these emails and was fooled into giving over some of my info. The page looked like it was an ebay page. It's really did. Well, after filling it out, I got a little suspecious and contacted ebay. I was able to change all of my passwords within a few minutes. Believe me, it's easier to get fooled by these people. I'm a computer engineer and I was fooled for a moment.
No one deserves to get ripped off. Get serious.
I also get at least 2 a day from Citibank - I don't have an account with them either - they go directly to fraud site with my isp.
Idiot. That's what this guy is. Anyone who clicks any link in any email that is supposed to be from eBay, PayPal, or any other company with which you do business is an idiot.
Instead, force your mail reader to show all header information, then forward these emails to spoof@eBay.com or spoof@PayPal.com, or whatever abuse address the company in question makes available.
Click nothing in emails. Period. Even emails that seem to come from someone you know may be spoofing the supposed "from" address.
I have not opened an attachment or clicked a link in any email for over three years. I don't care who it's from or what the attachment or link might be. It's a rule I never violate. If something comes from a trusted source, I contact that source and ask them what it is that they sent me. Only then, once I assure myself that it's harmless, do I do anything with it. Even my sainted old mom has forwarded malware to me by mistake. Trust noone.
The result? Even though my machine is scanned by anti-virus software every 24 hours, I have never had any virus on any computer I have owned.
Once more, if you didn't get it: DO NOT CLICK ON ANY LINK OR OPEN ANY ATTACHMENT IN AN EMAIL. TRUST NOTHING!
I forward mine to the Nigerians.
Check IP addy in lowest 'received from' in email header. Is this IP a dialup in Brazil?
Check IP addy in lowest 'received from' in email header. Is this IP a dialup in Brazil?
I've received this type of email from someone professing to be Wells Fargo Bank (which I have no dealings with). I NEVER respond to any emails asking for information updates no matter who it appears to be from. Instead, I call the telephone number that I know is legit and inquire about the request.
Like everyone else I get tons of junk mail in my bulk mail folder, much of it phishing and wishing.
Is everyone also getting $400K mortgage approvals, real cheap software offers, and of course various "erectile dysfunction" remedies as well as various bank and credit cards who need me to "reaffirm" my identity by giving them all my user names and passwords to everything I've ever owned in my entire life. Not to mention the people who want to share hundreds of millions of dollars with me for just a few minutes of my time.
Why are all those strings of random words down at the bottom? Why are they there. Why do I get junk mail addressed to other people?
You are pathetic, are you a spammer ?
Not to worry. Bill Gates says spam is a problem.
Help is on the way. The real deal.
Exactly. But if a stranger walks up to you on the street and says "I am your banker. Give me your checkbook and PIN number", it's best to refuse.
"You are pathetic, are you a spammer ?"
I beg your pardon. I just finished telling people how not to get stung by these spammers and phishers. Did you even read what I wrote?
I almost got a virus from an American site that was selling Japanese kitchen knives of all things. It was advertised in a good national cooking magazine. I think someone hacked their site and planted the virus there. I emailed them to tell them what happened. Never heard from them. That's the only time I've ever experienced that. Luckily my McAfee caught it and cleansed it.
Phishers should be summarily shot after trial and conviction.
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