did the email actually get through to my email addy? "You have a cashier's check of $800,000.00 which awaits Delivery Contact Mr. Eric" It's from: im9muh34@ q.com and it's to: FEDEX DELIVERY <fdexcpak@outlook.com> How did 'FEDEX' get to end up in my email box?
...which is kind of my question. Get a friend to send an email to someone and put your email address in the bcc field (blind carbon copy) - the recipient can't see that you've been cc'd (hence "blind" carbon copy). When you get the email does it reproduce what you saw with the scam email?
For once a question I can answer Think of it like a letter. On the envelope you have the name and address that is used by the post office to route your letter. Inside the envelope is the letter that is probably also addressed probably with a more friendly name. The two addresses don't need to match, and as the recipient you probably ignore what's on the envelope and look at the letter itself. It's the same with email. There is an envelope which you don't see which is used to route the email, and then there is the email content itself. This contains things like the To and Cc addresses that the email client will display to you. There's nothing that says that this needs to match what's on the envelope. This is one of the loop holes in email that spammers frequently use - forging the displayable details of the email to make it look like it came from someone else. In your case they have also forged the recipient address. Don
Chust sent an email to two of my other accounts (I know I know...) with one being bcc'd. The main recipient obviously had no reference to a copy being sent elsewhere, but my bcc'd email addy showed clearly the main recipient and the fact that I was receiving a bcc'd copy. So quite different to the scam email - that only had the one receiving address - which wasn't even mine 'cos I ain't FEDEX...
Interesting, Don - thanks. So, that email WAS sent to my proper email addy? Only I cannot see my email addy referred to anywhere. That seems a bit crazy. Wouldn't it have been better for them to have SHOWN my correct email addy 'cos then it would look more 'real' and I'd have replied to claim my $800k. Perhaps it is real and I do have a cheque waiting for me? I think I'll reply - what's the worst that could happen?
I spent 5 years creating software to block spam. You won't believe how stupid some spammers can be, but the scary part is how genuine some of the scams can look. Even now I look at some emails and it takes me a while to spot it as a scam even with my trained eye. Originally spam started off as opportunist amateur guys trying to make a quick buck. Now it is big business generally run by criminal organisations.
There's often a link or button (depending on your client) to read the headers of the email. Look for x-rcpt-to and to.
I was still trying to work out who addy is ! Ah yes I get it now -address! Just delete it. I just wonder whether the internet will still be fit for purpose in a few years time.
Can't find any of that - sorry, btiw. In any case Gmail had identified it as a phising attempt and it was emblazoned with red warnings. I'd been helping out elderly friends/near-neighbs recently with their TalkTalk broadband, using TT's forum which was very helpful. Darn me if they didn't get a phone call from TT a couple of days later about their 'faulty computer'... Although in their late 70s/early 80s, they ain't daft - he's an ex-Headteacher - but he was convinced it wasn't a scam because I'd asked TT to carry out tests on their line... I came home to a distressed phone message from the guy - he was upset because he couldn't follow the Asian guy's instructions properly and thought he was letting TT down by being unhelpful . When I went round, they had got as far as downloading the 'remote control' software but weren't able to follow the rest of his instructions (strong accent, partially deaf, you get the drift!). So thankfully all was ok. (Not that they would have entered any bank details anyway - they wouldn't have coughed up for something they knew they hadn't invited.) Apparently the Asian guy was laughing and chuckling with his mates during the long drawn-out process, and every time my friend told them "Sorry - I'm struggling with this, I'll need to get someone to help me on this end!" he'd go "NO! Keep going - I'll guide you through it!" Makes me sick. If I could track these bar stewards down, I'd get Chippie and go visit them...
The sad bit is that it is relatively easy for a lot of the ISP's to filter out a lot of the dodgy emails but they are very reluctant to put in the controls or processes to reduce it.
Why is that, Sos? I have to say, googlemail seems pretty good - they pick up on thpam before I do. And this example had a large warning banner across it.
The vast majority of spam messages have a very simple profile and can be tracked very easily to the source and blocked very quickly. However, the big ISP's won't put in the efforts to stop it. Like wise a lot of the sites on the internet with very, very dodgy content could be restricted and shut down. It is bizarre world where terrorists openly have social media pages and post very gross messages and videos. I am not pro internet censorship or snooping but some things like criminal spamming and attempts and fraud should be tackled. Same as some eastern websites that exploit minors
I'm pretty sure that if the powers that be (eg CIA/FBI) were really able to shut down ISIS sites, for example, they would.
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