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Author Topic: Nasty scam  (Read 13854 times)

Chrysalis

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Re: Nasty scam
« Reply #15 on: October 25, 2018, 09:27:01 AM »

yeah i had a few of those emails is funny
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Bowdon

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Re: Nasty scam
« Reply #16 on: November 09, 2018, 06:16:34 PM »

I got the scam email with the password included, it was even listed in the subject header.

The strange part of this is that the email in question isn't on any of the pwned sites, which I find interesting as its my oldest email account which I got with pipex.

The password isn't one I've used to login anywhere in the recent years so it must be a small password leak from some place.
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kitz

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Re: Nasty scam
« Reply #17 on: November 10, 2018, 11:17:37 PM »

Yes I notice that they have now started to include the password in the subject header.

One of the places that I can trace this back to is the Medion (Aldi) forums, which I have not used for >7yrs.  Therefore I suspect they are obtaining details of hacked databases from long ago in an attempt to scare people.

I've also just realised within the past few days, that one of the other addresses relates to an email address that I set up for a very close friend of mine who died in Nov 2003, so they are using some very old databases.
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sevenlayermuddle

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Re: Nasty scam
« Reply #18 on: November 11, 2018, 12:16:27 AM »

Also the problem that as recently as 7 or 8 years ago, folks who really should have known better, were handling, storing and sharing passwords, unencrypted and in plain text.

Dredging through my inbox, searching for occurrences of “password” I find an email from PC World, 2011, after I’d followed their “forgotten password” procedure.   Their email confirms I have changed my password, and states the new password, in plain text, in an unencrypted email.  ::)

Another problem is (or might be) that people don’t properly destroy disk drives, before dumping them.   An HDD is a treasure trove of cached browser passwords, which are always unencrypted despite appearance of asterisks blanking (unless the disk itself is encrypted).   Further, there is the contents of any swap partition, deleted files, etc.     This is one reason I prefer magnetic disks over solid state, the former are so much easier to convincingly trash with a great big hammer and nail, after zero filling. ::)
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Weaver

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Re: Nasty scam
« Reply #19 on: November 11, 2018, 02:17:30 AM »

I also burn stuff that needs to be disposed of. Things go straight into the big stove.
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4candles

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Re: Nasty scam
« Reply #20 on: November 11, 2018, 12:03:06 PM »

One of the places that I can trace this back to is the Medion (Aldi) forums, which I have not used for >7yrs.  Therefore I suspect they are obtaining details of hacked databases from long ago in an attempt to scare people.

I've also just realised within the past few days, that one of the other addresses relates to an email address that I set up for a very close friend of mine who died in Nov 2003, so they are using some very old databases.
I've had five or six of these in the past week, all addressed to a Plusnet alias I used only once, with a unique password, to order some plants from Urban Jungle - in 2010.
« Last Edit: November 11, 2018, 04:54:17 PM by 4candles »
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Bowdon

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Re: Nasty scam
« Reply #21 on: November 11, 2018, 02:44:10 PM »

I'm not that educated about bitcoin wallets. But is it possible to trace the bitcoin code that these emails give out to a bitcoin account?

I'm thinking that even if we never found out the identity of the person('s) it might be possible to make it as inconvinient as possible for them by keep closing their bitcoin accounts down?
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4candles

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Re: Nasty scam
« Reply #22 on: December 04, 2018, 11:20:08 PM »

 :hmm: All quiet since I deleted the Plusnet alias mentioned on 11/11, but a variant received today - with increased demand.
No mention of passwords this time, but slightly concerning as it's addressed to an alias which has never been spammed before, and is used solely for the Kitz forum.  ???
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kitz

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Re: Nasty scam
« Reply #23 on: December 13, 2018, 05:47:52 PM »

No mention of passwords this time, but slightly concerning as it's addressed to an alias which has never been spammed before, and is used solely for the Kitz forum.  ???

When you say alias do you mean addressed to your username here?   
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4candles

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Re: Nasty scam
« Reply #24 on: December 13, 2018, 08:53:46 PM »

Not username. Addressed to the Plusnet alias email address which has only ever been used to receive notifications from the Kitz forum.Lots more identical ones in the last few days, but no problem now as I've deleted the alias and changed my Kitz contact email.
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kitz

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Re: Nasty scam
« Reply #25 on: December 13, 2018, 11:53:54 PM »

Thanks :)


Not sure how long you have been with PN, but years ago their email system was hacked and 100's of 1000's of their email addresses got leaked into the public domain.    I get occasional spam to some of my PN email aliases which I assume related to that issue despite the fact it was so long ago.  In fact within the past month I have gotten several of these bitcoin blackmail mails to 3 PN aliases which I don't think I've used anywhere which has been compromised.  It's a loooong time since I've used PN mail for anything other than mail directly to Plusnet about my account and the last time I used my ISP mail services outside of PN correspondence would date back to the days before I moved to BE*.

I strongly suspect they are just using this particular scam on any email lists they can get their hands on.   :(
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Chrysalis

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Re: Nasty scam
« Reply #26 on: December 14, 2018, 05:57:23 AM »

Yes I dont want to attack plusnet and as such will keep this as passive as possible, but some of us remember they had not even implemented encryption on their email servers and this was several years after it was common place elsewhere, so if you consider the approach to security on that side of things its plausible there was security holes that allowed the list to get leaked.  I dont know if they have implemented encryption now as I have long lost interest in their email servers.
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jelv

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Re: Nasty scam
« Reply #27 on: December 14, 2018, 04:56:39 PM »

Sometimes scam emails are so well crafted you have to think about it before you realise what they are.

Other times...

Quote
Subject: Your building is under my control 14-12-2018 05:32:44

I host a forum in the darkweb, I sell all kinds of services - above all it is damage to property and injury. Basically, all but the shooting. Often main reasons are rejected love or competition at bussiness. This week he contacted me and gave me the order of empty sourness in your face. Default order - quickly, painfully, for life. Without too much fuss. I get receive only after completing the order. Therefore, now I offer you send money to me to be inactive, I suggest this to almost all the victims. If I do not receive money from you, then my man will fulfill the task. If you send me money, besides to my inaction, I will provide you the info that I have about the client. After completing the order, I often waist the performer, so I have an option, to get $1900 from you for info about the customer and my inaction, or to receive $ 4000 from the customer, but with a high probability of spending the performer.

I’m getting payments in BTC, here’s my bitcoin address - 11B68RbmyxQys2CXXbAZxcwVXnaWCNBbw

The summary I indicated above.

One day to decide and pay.
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Chrysalis

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Re: Nasty scam
« Reply #28 on: December 14, 2018, 06:03:42 PM »

Apparently my router (pfsense unit, closed off to WAN on services) has been hacked and they will tell all my family of my porn viewing habits if I dont pay up within 48 hours, what should I do?
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sevenlayermuddle

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Re: Nasty scam
« Reply #29 on: December 14, 2018, 10:28:46 PM »

I know nothing at all about bitcoin.   But I do believe, the best way to beat scammers in general is not to ignore them, or to swear at them, it is to waste their time.   For to them, time is of value, and if you waste that time it does impact their business model.

Hence I wonder... would it be possible to respond to these ransoms by paying a tiny, tiny, tiny. fraction of a penny?   It must be so tiny that, even multiplied by millions upon millions, it is still nearly nothing, ie reward for sending 500 billion emails == 1 bag cheese&onion crisps.   

If that were possible, the logistical overheads for the scammer would presumable become very unpleasant, plus law enforcement would have better chance of tracing by brute-forcing analysis of the millions upon millions of infinitesimal payments?
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