Wow, another scam... a good one...

[Ozz]

http://www.snopes.com/computer/virus/ups.asp

[sfish]

Thanks for the heads up Ozz.

[H. John Kohl]

Yep got one from UPS too. Sent an email to UPS'FRAUD email address and they confirmed it was FRAUD.

[Waynem]

Sure happy I'm on a MAC. It will not run and .exe file in standard mode.

Thanks for the heads up, as I'll pass it along, again, to other interested parties.

[DQDick]

Our spam blocker has been picking these up for several months now. We've also been getting Fedex ones and a whole bunch of ones saying that our EFT payment or credit didn't go thru. Bad folks are always thinking ahead.

[DQDick]

Here's one that's new on the Good Sam site:This was the email:

===
* Dear Customer PayPal
From: paypal@paypal.com
Subject: PayPal Online : Message Alert!
Date: Sunday, Nov 20, 2011

Resolution Center: Your account is limited.

Regarding this, please Click Here in order resolve the problem.

PayPal - NUMBER: ID831959-PayPal/2011

Please allow us 1 to 3 days to your resolve problem.


Our head office address can be found on our web site at http://www.paypal.com

Thank you,
PayPal

http://www.paypal.com
===

This is the link from a mouse-over of the above link. It is the same for the PayPal link.

http://www.mdgr.jp/ok

This is the link you are taken to from the above link:
http://chozai-yakkyoku.com/oks/

We dont use PayPal.

I went to the site out of curiousity. Here is what it looked like. Every link will display an Error message indicating you must first login. Doing so would provide them with your login and password.

They have even stolen the Paypal Avatar/Favorite image for the URL bar. But if you go to Paypal, there is a difference in the display.

Notice they even have the Verisign Identity Protection symbol at the bottom of the page.

[Rondo]

We've been getting an email from our credit union saying that our account had been frozen and to hit the attached address to get it cleared up.. Since I'm the head of the Supervisory Committee for the credit union I know this is not the way they contact you and have let them know about it and also the internet provider about this scam coming through! So far no problems except for it coming under or from different addresses!

[DQDick]

The sad part is that those folks could probably get a good real job if they put their talents to constructive use.

[8.1al]

Never,ever click on the link in an email, go to the site on your own. That way you won't be re-directed to a site where they steal your password of give you a free virus.

[HOOK]

Received a text from a neighbor today saying that you should take a magnet with you when you use passkeys in motels and before returning it, strip the card. Some people have had their info picked up from these cards. Larry

[Carl n Susan]

quote:Originally posted by HOOK

Received a text from a neighbor today saying that you should take a magnet with you when you use passkeys in motels and before returning it, strip the card. Some people have had their info picked up from these cards. Larry

Yet another false rumor. Check with Snopes (or any of the other urban myth sites) and you will learn that while the magnetic strip on the back of a room key can be encoded with personal information (or just about anything you want to store there), hotels don't do that and it would make no sense for them to do so. You can read the whole article here
http://www.snopes.com/crime/warnings/hotelkey.asp

[luvmywestie]

There isn't any personal information on hotel keys. It is a key that allows it to open a specific room# for a specific period of time. That's it. No other info is on those keys. But if it makes you feel better you can put it in the pocket with your car remote and it will often demagnify it for you.

[patbarton]

Saddest thing about these scams is that people actually fall for them. It's kind of like cold-calling (you ex-salesmen will know about that). SOMEONE will bite on these scams; you just have to send out enough of them and you'll eventually find a pigeon.

Most of these slimeballs operate out of internet cafes and are virtually uncatchable. The FBI won't get involved unless they steal over $100,000 or so.

I don't know of any business that operates on the internet that will send an e-mail that says, "Dear customer," either. Just be careful and use the "mouseover" feature to see if that link that's supposed to go to PayPal's web site actually says something like "www.catchapigeon.co.hk/stealmoney.php" and you'll be safe.

For those of you who use an e-mail client resident on your PC (not webmail), I recommend Mailwasher. You screen the mail while it is on the remote server and delete the spam on the server; that way the bad stuff (and imbedded viruses & such) never gets to your PC. Written by some geniuses in New Zealand who could use the money after the earthquakes there.

[Waynem]

Never click on an embedded link in an email. Also, it is not a good idea to visit the site. If you don't know what it is, don't do it. Web sites can also have embedded code that can try and access information on your computer. Example: Do a Google search on something. On the left hand side look to see if they have your location. This may depend on how far out in the boonies your are, but there will be a location there. I change mine to 10001 and it ends up in Manhattan, NY. When I really want to see something in my area I'll change it back to a zip code close by. Hey! At least they give you the option of changing it.

I gave a real nice presentation on Identity Theft several years ago. Things have changed, and since I am retired I have not been keeping up with it - much.

The statement about the hotel/motel keys are correct. There is no personal information on them. However, they are used as credit cards. Those who have acquired credit cards will use a card writer/reader to reprogram the card with a stolen credit card. They only use them in places where one can self swipe the card. They know what the "store limit" is and they will not exceed that amount, but they can go back through the line and re-use the card several times. When the get back to the hotel/motel they just tell the clerk the card does not work and they will be given a new one, or the code for the door will be reprogrammed.

The Federal Trade Commission is the responsible entity for Identity Theft and for reporting SCAMS. It used to be the Secret Service. I'm not sure when they turned it over to the FTC. If you have "Nigerian Scam," ("419 scam") It was first started over 30 years ago by snail mail (letters) than by FAX, and now by email. At its height, it was the 3rd per capita income in Nigeria. The Secret Service investigated for over 20 years, and it wasn't until it was being run from within the Unite States that arrests were made, but it was just a small portion of the perpetrators.

Anyhow, just a little history. If you are getting SCAMMED, the FTC is the agency you need to report it to. The newer thing is calling telling you that you can "lower your interest rates on you credit card." If you push the button asking you to push you will be connected to a operative. If you ask them what credit card they are referring to, they will hang up. They want to ask "you" the questions and have you give them the CC number and other information. Good luck with that one.

Happy trails.

[DQDick]

The other side of the room key issue is that if you drop it in your pocket with your cell phone you are now locked out of your room. Ask me how I know!