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Hi,
The other day I posted an ad for some extra Hp calcs and stuff I have no need for. I got 5 or 6 replies. That seemed good until I realized maby 2 are for real, and the rest are either verifying my E-mail address is good, or seem to expect me to "send them all I have", a check will be in the mail! I guess I'm nieve, wouldn't have thought of it before.
Today the spamm started arriving, a fake paypal one luring me to "log in", and someone wanting to send me 25 million to look after (now that would be nice!)
My point is, these creeps are out there and must spend a lot of time finding obscure sites like this to raid information, and maby rip off a few people.
Anyway, no harm done. I'm hoping not to get to many more phishing expeditions, and maby even the calcs will find new homes.
Was hoping to avoid E-bay, but may find that is the best place.
thanks
Allen McLaughlin

I have also posted a few ads in this forum. I have received at least 7 emails that are from these parasites (last five days). Is there something we can do to stop this abuse? I have used this forum for about 5 years, it has come to a point that I will not use it anymore and if I do, I will not post my email address anymore. Many of these parasites want your bank accounts, mailing address and login IDs. PLEASE BE CAREFUL.

Hi Al,

Well, the thing to realize is that the spam phishing is automated. Sure, there are lots of people doing it (an image comes to mind: some creepy unemployed russian, watching porn and eating snacks in some dismal flat, with a cobbled together server, and an "alarm" on his program which will notify him when he has "caught" either an open port, or a live address etc. Then, he switches off the porn and goes over to his computer to "set the hook and reel 'em in".....I don't mean to pick on russians---probably just as many americans----just that the span got so bad at one of the US' major ISP's about a year ago--and over 50% of the spam came from an "ru" domain--and another huge chuck was originating from china---for a while, they simply shut down all comms from .ru).

But the point is that the phishing is automated. One day, our chief of IT and programming, set up a server, with a simple password, and ramped it onto the internat to see what would happen. Within 30 minutes, a phisher had cracked the code, and replaced command files, and therefore had a direct control. It was a demonstration test---and very effective! Having an unprotected port for even a few moments can lead to catastrophe if you have a mission-critical machine accessible thru that port.


The best remedy IMO is to *never* leave your real address---either cloak it --- and something better than NOSPAM (as the phishers filter for that) OR better yet, put your address on a web-site, in graphics, and point all potential contacts to that website:

http://plattdesign.net


where they will get your current address. As this requires hand-work, a phisher will not do it (he would rather watch porn.....)


Don't give up on the Forum--it is just a matter of staying one step ahead.

Best regards,


Bill

In addition to cloaking your email address as Bill suggested, the next version of the forum software that is coming soon will add another option which allows only registered users to email you (and without actually seeing your address.) The ability to hide your email address and registering will be optional.

Thanks for the above advice, for sure. I've been online about 5 years now and have never had a single spam sent to my telus address, until yesterday, and this morning, wow! It was actually fun reading 6 or 7 pathetic pleas for help in moving millions from the middle east, africa etc.
One person "Ms.Linda" has offered me $300. for my calcs (top dollar), and wants to send $3000. for shipping, a total of $3200.! I figure Ms.Linda desperatley needs a calculator, (and english lessons)but may have a little trouble with RPN! I stopped using my other E-mail accounts way back (msn, hotmail) because of the enormous volume of crap I got, but maby I should use one of them for any future posts I may do, it would be easy to give my telus (real) address to people that I wish, and avoid the phishers. Anyway thanks again for the feedback! And Bill, I checked your website, and thought I'd mention I am myself a shipwright, mostly electrical systems and woodworking,

I do get legitimate e-mail from .ru. But for while I could not get it at work as the firewall blocks lycos and by extension anything routed through lycos. Lately I am agian getting the e-mail, I guess the routing has changed.