The FBI’s ATM Card

“Good thing I’m not dumb as a box of rocks, or I might think the Director of the FBI wants me to send him $110.“

Folks, for years now I sometimes play a game here on T4E called Let’s Count The Typos! where I post samples of 419 scam e-mails, various phishing scam e-mails, and other cybercrime ‘attack’ e-mails (such as emails with a virus attached). I do this for two reasons: one, to educate readers about online fraud; and, two, the Engrish is often hilarious.

An alert reader (thank you Larry C.) sent me this 419 scam e-mail, and when I read it, all I could say was “wow”. It is insulting on many levels, but it does have this going for it —> I think it just may be the All Time Winner of the game, and I think you are going to say “wow” too…

Once Again It’s Time To Play Let’s Count The Typos!

> From: mueller.cv@ic.fbi.gov

> Subject: Beneficiary
> Date: Tue, 18 May 2010 22:42:50 +0700
> To:
>
> Attn: Beneficiary,
>
> This is to Officially inform you that it has come to our notice and we have thoroughly Investigated with the help of our Intelligence Monitoring Network System that you are having an illegal Transaction with Impostors claiming to be Prof. Charles C. Soludo of the Central Bank Of Nigeria, Mr. Patrick Aziza, MrFrank Nweke, none officials of Oceanic Bank, Zenith Banks, kelvin Young of HSBC,Ben of Fedex,Ibrahim Sule,Larry Christopher, Puppy Scammers are impostors claiming to be the Federal Bureau Of Investigation. During our Investigation, we noticed that the reason why you have not received your payment is because you have not fulfilled your Financial Obligation given to you in respect of your Contract/Inheritance Payment.
>
>
> Therefore, we have contacted the Federal Ministry Of Finance on your behalf and they have brought a solution to your problem by cordinating your payment in total USD$11,000.000.00 in an ATM CARD which you can use to withdraw money from any ATM MACHINE CENTER anywhere in the world with a maximum of $4,000 to $5,000 United States Dollars daily. You now have the lawful right to claim your fund in an ATM CARD.
>
>
> Since the Federal Bureau of Investigation is involved in this transaction, you have to be rest assured for this is 100% risk free it is our duty to protect the American Citizens. All I want you to do is to contact the ATM CARD CENTER via email for their requirements to proceed and procure your Approval Slip on your behalf which will cost you $110.00 only and note that your Approval Slip which contains details of the agent who will process your transaction.
>
>
> CONTACT INFORMATION
> NAME: Mike Williams
> EMAIL:mikewilliams18@yahoo.cn ¹
> Telephone Number: +234-803-357-0260
>
>
> You are adviced to contact Mr mike williams with the informations as stated below:
>
>
> Your full Name..
> Your Address:…………..
> Home/Cell Phone:…………..
> Age
> Current occupation:
>
>
> So your files would be updated after which he will send the payment informations which you’ll use in making payment of $110.00 via Western Union Money Transfer or Money Gram Transfer for the procurement of your Approval Slip after which the delivery of your ATM CARD will be effected to your designated home address without any further delay.
>
>
> We order you get back to this office after you have contacted the ATM SWIFT CARD CENTER and we do await your response so we can move on with our Investigation and make sure your ATM SWIFT CARD gets to you.
>
> Thanks and hope to read from you soon.
>
> FBI Director Robert S.Mueller III.
>
> Note: Do disregard any email you get from any impostors or offices claiming to
>

¹ .cn = China

… “Federal Ministry Of Finance”… “Intelligence Monitoring Network System”..
Wow. Good thing I’m not dumb as a box of rocks, or I might think the Director of the FBI wants me to send him $110.

Hey, Cyber Czar. I am fed up with this *stuff*. Can you do something about this please? Pretty please with sugar on top?

The following is not scam-related (nor Engrish)…

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To enter the drawing, please see: Software License Giveaway: SYNCING.NET
Enter my current giveaway and (possibly) win a pair of licenses!

Entries must be received before midnight (Pacific) tonight (Thurs. May 20th) so act now.

Copyright 2007-2010 © Tech Paul. All Rights Reserved. post to jaanix.

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Facebook Password Reset Confirmation! Your Support.

E-mail Attachment Delivers Virus – Old Tricks Die Hard

I got another e-mail from “Facebook support”. This one tells me that my password has been reset, and my new password is contained in the attached Zip file.
[update: I just got two more. This time from “Facebook Networks”, and “Facebook Messages”.]

“Dear user of facebook,

Because of the measures taken to provide safety to our clients, your password has been changed.
You can find your new password in attached document.

Thanks,
Your Facebook.”

According to Sophos, the malware inside the .zip is: Malware: Mal/TibsPk-A

“About this threat:

Mal/TibsPk-A is a malicious program that contains highly obfuscated code that has been encrypted and compressed. This program typically arrives in the form of a hoax email with an accompanying file attachment.

This program tends to:

• Harvest information
• Download code from the internet
• Open a backdoor allowing a remote intruder to gain access
• Sell fake anti-virus/security related products” (see, Your Computer Is Lying To You… The Epidemic Of Rogues)

Short version: open it and you’re thoroughly hosed.
Sophos continues..

“Fake package delivery or password reset messages trick users

This week, Mal/TibsPk-A arrived as an email attachment in a variety of ways. A typical email containing this malware can be one of the following formats:

Subject: Facebook Password Reset Confirmation! Customer Support.
Attached file: Facebook_password_<random characters>.zip
Subject: DHL Office. Please get your parcel
Attached file: DHL_Label_<random characters>.zip
Subject: Amazon Shop! Your order has been paid! Parcel NR.5014.
Attached file: Postal_label_&ltrandom characters>.zip”

two more attacks - same day

I cannot stress enough to you, Dear Reader, that cybercrime is a bigger industry than the illegal drug trade, and they are stealing billions every year. Why not? All it takes is one wrong click!

Don’t be a victim. Exercise “paranoid common sense” when online. This is just one “for instance”.. sent to tens, maybe hundreds, of thousands of e-mail addresses (I never have signed up for Facebook).
Oh, .. and visiting here regularly can help.

Unrelated: Do you like free software? Own a laptop? See my current software license giveaway: Software License Giveaway Drawing. Entering is easy.

Copyright 2007-2010 © Tech Paul. All Rights Reserved. post to jaanix.

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Ten Point Five Million

Once again it’s time to play Let’s Count The Typos

From: Mrs Rita kone.
Introduction.
Cote d’Ivoire
My Dear,
Good day, it is my pleasure to contact you for a business venture which I and my Son Mack, intend to establish in your country. Though I have not met with you before but I believe, one has to risk confiding in succeed some times in life.

There is this huge amount of ten million five hundred U.S dollars ($10,500,000.00) which my late Husband kept for us in the Security Company in Abidjan , Cote d’Ivoire before he was assassinated by unknown persons. Now I and my son decided to invest this money in your country or anywhere safe enough outside cote d’lvoire for security and political reasons.

We want you to help us claim and retrieve this fund from the Security
Company and transfer it into your personal account in your country for investment purposes on these areas:
1). Telecommunication
2). The transport industry
3). Five star hotel
4). Real Estate or other profitable investment.

If you can be of an assistance to us we will be pleased to offer to you 15% of the total fund. I await your soonest response.

Respectfully yours,
Mrs Rita kone.

Now some of you might think that today’s title – the number – was based on the dollars. But it’s not. It is the number of Inboxes this was sent to. In an hour. By your neighbor’s computer (maybe, possibly, yours ). Please read Our Modern Nightmare – Zombie Attack and find out more about where spam really comes from, and what you can do to make sure you’re not part of the problem.

Copyright 2007-9 © Tech Paul. All rights reserved. post to jaanix

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I am a dying woman

urgent reply

Mrs. A .Fardiyah Zaini

My name is Mrs. Agustati Fardiyah Zaini; I am a dying woman who had decided to donate what I have to the Charities. I am 49 years old and was diagnosed for cancer about two years ago, immediately after the death of my husband,. I have been touched by God to donate from what I have inherited from my late husband for the good work of God, rather than allow his relatives to use my husband’s hard earned funds ungodly.

As i lay on my sick bed, i want you to help me in carrying out my last wish on earth which will be very profitable to you. i want to WILL a total sum of $5.6million USD to you which i want you to distribute part of it to any charity home for me, please for further information contact me ASAP.
agustatifardiyah@mailserve.co.uk

Regards,
Mrs.A. Fardiyah Zaini.

I often read these scam e-mails for laughs.. and as a peek at the inner workings of the minds of my fellow humans.. If I can trust my memory, I first saw this e-mail ten years ago. Somebody must’ve clicked…

But that’s Old-school. New School seems to include a Sender named “Me”.. and Subjects like “I need a ride”…

Or come from legit-seeming services…

Greeting to you

Greeting to you,
How are you and how is your work? i hope that all is well with you, My name is miss Marny.higo, i know that you may be suprise how i get your email, i got your email today when i was browsing looking for honest partner,then i feel to drop this few line to you , and  i will like you to contact me through my email so that we can know each other and exchange our pictures, and we maybecome partner.
Remember the distance does not matter what matters is the love we share with each other.
i am waiting  to hear from you soon.
kiss regards Miss Marny

What?

Hey. Mr. Brightbulb. Spellcheck (F7) has been around for.. 20 years?

Copyright 2007-9 © Tech Paul. All rights reserved. post to jaanix

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Scareware Targets Macs — MacSweeper

MacSweeper marks the first time a rouge “cleaning tool” has been developed and targeted to Mac users, indicating the platform is gaining enough users that it is catching the attention of malicious code writers, according to security firm F-Secure.

Windows users should already be aware of the rogue antivirus products, which use pop-ups and/or fake ‘scans’ to produce a list of “problems” that sound really scary or important (thus the moniker “scareware) — if you purchase the product to ‘solve’ the issues, your problems have just begun.
This is simply a version targeting Mac users.

Here is a video from F-Secure explaining the details and methods used.

Yes, all you Apple fans.. it’s time to stop thinking you’re immune from hackers, cybercriminals, and malware.

Copyright 2007-9 © Tech Paul. All rights reserved. post to jaanix

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Business of Mutual Benefit

*** Today’s Nigerian Scam ***

Business of Mutual Benefit
From: Anna-marie Schultz

I am Prince Abdul Hakeem Jefri Bolkiah of the Brunei Royal Family.

Due to the current global economic down turn, I am seeking for a private business partner who has viabale business proposals or have good investment projects in your country.

You will be required to:

[1]. Seek viable investment opportunities with an annual ROI of at least 10%.
[2]. Receive the funds in cash or into a business/private bank account.
[3]. Invest and Manage the funds in the specified areas of investment.

The total sum available for investment is between Five Million United States Dollars and a half a Billion United States Dollars.

I am willing to pay aparticipation fee for your role as the receiver partner of the funds and a subsequent 10% “Management Commission” of any income generated from the invested funds.

Absolute confidentiality and professionalism is required in the handling of these funds and subsequent investments for my family.

I look forward to your swift response.

Sincerely Yours.

Prince Abdul Hakeem Jefri Bolkiah
Brunei Darussalam

Copyright 2007-9 © Tech Paul. All rights reserved. post to jaanix

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