I got this email from a “friend” of mine.

When I called her, because I had a feeling that it was bogus, she told me someone had sent that from what appeared to be her email, but in fact it was a fraud.

This is a classic case of e-dentity theft. E-dentity theft is similar to identity theft, only it is where a person “clones” your email and sends an email that appears to be from you, but in fact, is not. It is dangerous in that if well written your friends and family could be taken advantage of because they think you are in trouble and need help.

ALWAYS report e-dentity theft to your local authorities. It is a serious crime and will continue to escalate until enough pressure is put on our legislature to really do something about it.

Please i want you to know that I’m writing this with tears in my eyes,i and my family came down here in SCOTLAND UNITED KINGDOM for a  short vacation unfortunately we got mugged at gun point last night at the park close, close to the hotel where we lodged.All cash,credit cards and cell got stolen.

I’ve been to the embassy and the Police here but they’re not responding to the matter effectively and the problem now is that,our flight leaves in 3hours but we’re having problems settling the hotel bills and our return ticket.The hotel manager won’t let us leave until we settle the hotel bills, so i need your help in getting back home. Need you to loan me some money for hotel bills and return ticket (1,810Pounds)which is 2,200 US dollars, Now am freaked out, don’t know what to do.Please reply and let me know if you can have the money wired to me as a loan through western union money transfer. Please use my name and the address given below to send the money and i promise to pay back as soon as i return.

Here is the information you need to send the money:

NAME    :  LEFT BLANK TO PROTECT E-DENITY
STATE   : Cambridge Cambridgeshire CODE LEFT OFF TO PROTECT E-DENITY
COUNTRY :United Kingdon

As soon as it has been done, kindly get back to me with the confirmation number. Let me know if you are heading to the WU outlet now???

Please how soon can you get the money sent?? Await to hear from you

The obvious answer: YES!!!

Get the idea that these guys are like the evil underworld version of advertisers. If they can get your attention, then by god, they will! Shy of running decapitation videos, they will stop at nothing. Although, that may soon become a gray area…

One security specialist from ZScaler, Michael Sutton, (who by the way, has an uncharacteristic resemblance to the dad from the Movie “The Incredibles”, so, how can you not believe him), stated something to the effect that Spammers who are targeting Olympic fans look so bonafide it is hard to tell that you are being hit with Malware. While that statement may make one feel less feebleminded about the fact that they foolishly got infected with something it nonetheless doesn’t change the fact that it is rampant and very dangerous for the end user.

Ultimately, this is a problem that has to be dealt with in the same way any vicious crime is dealt with, severity, incarceration and possibly public hangings, okay the last might be a little rough, but until then the best defense is a good offense.

Don’t download ANYTHING that you don’t FULLY understand. If you have an IT person make sure you have the latest Malware detection and the most up to the minute Spam solution to prevent the door from opening in the first place. If you are your own IT person talk to a friend, get on message boards, and do your research on real solutions to the problem of Spam!

One of the major issues with Spam is that much of the American public don’t even understand that they are in effect becoming “zombie computers” (a computer that is basically being run by some type of software that has “taken over” the actual computer and now turns out email etc that isn’t actually from the person who owns the computer) for the big Spammers.

Many Americans log onto a site rather innocently only to have their computer become a drone (like a worker bee in a hive, in this case used to illustrate the computer then is “working” for a spammer without the knowledge of the owner) for such large scale botnets as “Zeus” (a designer name for a type of spam/virus) or “Koobface” (another designer name for a type of Spam/virus). Unbeknownst, they become a carrier of viruses, spyware etc.

In real terms, it would be like someone carrying the HEPC virus, not knowing they had it and walking around French kissing everyone they came into contact with – graphic – I know, but nonetheless illustrative.

The recent increase in this doesn’t appear to have a level off point in sight, which is a major problem for the hi-tech industry at large. If the Spam problem continues on this trend the need for anti spam, anti virus, anti Malware solutions could explode.

He took home the Gold in 2006 as an Australian Mogul Skier though he hails from Canada (another subject for discontent).

Begg raised more notoriety for his business dealings than for the fact that he took home the Gold. A fact that clearly left him with bitter feelings toward the media and possibly his own fortune made before becoming an Olympiad.

Now that he is back for the 2010 Olympics new questions about his very decency are being raised. Is he a Spammer? Did he pay his way to the Olympics both times on Spyware? Has he been instrumental in propagating Malware on computers?

More basically, if he were Miss Universe would he have his title stripped because of engaging in illegal activities if in fact the alleged illegal activities are factual?

He drives a $300,000.00 car and can pay for anything he needs where his training is concerned, unlike most Olympic hopefuls who have to work tirelessly just to keep up with basic essentials until hopefully they take home the Gold and can make a living via endorsements.

Ultimately, if he is a Spammer, Spyware, Malware propagator, does his perceived odious behavior have any bearing on his mogul skiing and any Olympic medals he might take home?

Isn’t there some irony that he went to Australia, the 1800’s criminal colony for the Brits to perform his alleged illegal activities?

Maybe SPAM would offer him an endorsement:)

Dear Customer,

This is your official notification from Western Union. Your account has been limited due to a login attempt failure. To remove this limitation, you have to confirm your information on file with us. To continue, visit our website by clicking here >>

If you do not confirm your information, your Western Union online account will be permanently suspended and deleted from our system.

We are continually improving our website to better serve you. Be sure to check back with us often as we add exciting new services to meet your financial needs.

If you have questions or need assistance, our customer service team is here to help. Just visit our website.
Be sure to remember and protect your Username and Password. You will need them next time you sign in to our website.

___________________
DO NOT REPLY TO THIS EMAIL. IF YOU HAVE QUESTIONS, PLEASE VISIT OUR WEBSITE.

Results show that in the weight-loss category, a significant percentage receiving spam-mail pitches purchased the products.

• 18.5% of those who described themselves as suffering from weight issues bought products
• 5% of those without those hurdles purchased them.

Even, the lesser 5% conversion rate dwarfs direct mail and likely much of so-called permission-based email.

Open rates were also high:

• 40%-plus of those with weight problems opened messages
• 18% of those without weight troubles opened the messages

Helps to answer why people keep sending spam out.

The study appears in the latest issue of the Southern Medical Journal and was conducted by Joshua Fogel, an associate professor in the Brooklyn College economics department, and Sam Shlivko, a former student at the college.

More information:

Losing Argument: Study Finds Spam Works For Weight Loss Pitches

Spam Works for Weight Loss

I have even heard some with the URL being said over heavy breathing (porn site you think?).

From what we have seen there is nothing dangerous with the MP3 file itself, but you don’t want to visit those websites.  Delete the file, you will be fine, nothing critical will be lost.

The word Mal comes from the Latin word Malus which means bad. Ware is usually used to refer a kind or class of merchandise or of a manufactured item like, silverware; glassware, software.

The derivation of this is Germanic and is a literal translation of the word ware.

So, basically this new mad up word means any type of software that is malicious in nature that could cause harm to your computer. This type of software is easily downloaded by visiting a site that offers “free” things. If your computer is not protected by a service that guards against this type of activity you may find an infected computer that no longer operates up to par.

I am thankful for my family, friends, health and happiness.  Here is to more and many spam free days :)

There is an ever increasing number of fake Spam products that are disguised as real protection for your computer.

This is known as Scareware. It’s those little flicker boxes that jump up on your screen telling you “click here for a free trial - you’ve been infected” or some other such scare tactic.

Imagine for a moment you are walking along a bustling metropolis street and a guy jumps out at you and “Hey hey I got the real deal designer bags over here, come take a look!” he then proceeds to show you “Prada”, “Chanel”, “Fendi” and all sorts of other “real” designer bags at one one hundredth of the cost it would be in Saks or Neiman Marcus etc. Now, you may consider buying one of these bags, but you would have to know somewhere in your mind that they are fake being that they are being sold in a dark alley on a side street by a guy who clearly doesn’t look legit.

That is not unlike Scareware. So, if you imagine the little pop up boxes etc that hit your computers the way you would in real life it is likely you wouldn’t bite.

If someone offered you a free security system for your house you just have to give them a set of keys you probably wouldn’t go for it right?

You get what you pay for.