19 replies to this topic

[Brinybay]

I get them every once in a great while, variations of the old "Nigerian e-mail scam". Waste of time trying to report them to anybody other than your ISP. I always just look at the domain it came from, and if it's not a common one like Yahoo, etc, I block the domain.

[ScubaSis]

Don, I love it!!! That makes it FUN!!!

[Cajun Diver]

These pages have info on who to send stuff like this to:

http://www.ftc.gov/spam/

http://www.usdoj.gov/spam.htm

419 scams are "handled" by the SEC or at least they were a few years ago. I only know this because I forwarded the first one I got to the FBI and they responded and told me about a special task force that deals with them. Now I mostly ignore them, but once in a while I read one to see how they've evolved.

Now I get more of the fake cashier check emails than the 419 emails, or at least more get through my spam filter. Those are the ones that what you to receive money for their company. The way they work is to send you a fake cashiers check, ask you to cash it, keep your part and wire the rest to them. By the time the cashiers check bounces, they have your money and you are SOL.

Ross

The second link had info about forwarding investment related information to the SEC. If any get through the spam filters I just laugh and delete...

[Cajun Diver]

I usually report spam that makes it through my filters via Spamcop.net, which parses the email to find out what IP sent it to you, and sends a complaint to their ISP and to the ISPs of the websites mentioned. Not as effective on "419" scams, where they are trying to get you into a conversation to pry bank information out of you via email, but still useful.

For amusement, some people bait the scammers and post the responses at places like 419Eater. This is a decent one; I especially like the picture of the scammer holding up the sign "I Shag Sheep"

That 419 site is funny! Makes me want to get a scam e-mail so I can bait them

[DandyDon]

That 419 site is funny! Makes me want to get a scam e-mail so I can bait them

Here's one you can write to. "She" will pretend to remember you....

Hello Dear,

My name is Roselen, Am 35 years of age, am single, b'cos have been into a relationship before and the guy broke my heart and have make up my mind that i will never been into any relationship again but a friend of my told me that Men are not the same and she introduce me to this site and right now am searching for a real relationship and once i saw you on the profile my heart go sraight to you and i belive you like me also this is the email i want you to contact me on Mecus_mec1@yahoo. com and its also the email i use for charting okay you can add me but first i want you to email me if you are interested okay.. Take care of your self and have a wounderful day.

Stay Blessed.

Roselen...

I don't get many on myspace now that I require Captcha codes on mail from non-friend, but now and then. I know a gal who's BF actually sent several thousand to someplace to pay for a ticket for his penpal to come over from Africa. Lost money of course...

Edited by DandyDon, 25 March 2008 - 08:10 PM.