By now we’ve all be 419’ed in our email. If you’re really lucky, someone has tried to 419 you via IM.
Today I learned about a new 419 variant. Now, a 419 no longer has to do with dead relatives. It is simply a scheme designed to extract money illegally from you as an overseas business arrangement. The reason they are called 419 is because they typically originate from Nigerian Cybercafes where people are told what to type and how to run them.
They are becoming more and more effective because they prey on holes in our system.
This was today’s experience: click and return here to comment.
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Scam
Heh, cute.
I love that you baited this one. I’ve just deleted the two attempts on my extensive wealth. 😉
Yeah, I’ve been seeing this now a few times. Either the cashier’s check or the “shipping materials” one. I mean, come on – if you’re a real business, great – you have better (e.g. real) options to contact people for this. Emailing a random person is just obviously a scam now.
…on an unrelated note…
those “buzzes” on yahoo have got to be the most annoying, obnoxious thigns ever. whoever came up with the idea should be strung up naked by their toenails and left for crows to peck at. one of the reasons i stopped using yahoo.
Re: …on an unrelated note…
what are they?
Re: …on an unrelated note…
arg…basically, if someone wants to get your attention, there’s a “buzz” feature that if they click it, the chat window shakes and lets off a loud buzzing sound. tends to be used by random people who you’ve never talked to before sending you mesages “hi. wanna chat?” and 3 seconds later…”buzz!” “buzz!” “buzz!”
nicely done, I applaud your taking time to slow these bastards down…
though I’m sure your boss might not feel the same way, while you’re at work 😉
and yeah, what’s the deal with the buzz!! thing??? I use Trillian for all my IMs so I haven’t experienced this apparently mindnumbing Yahoo feature…
Thanks for sharing. I hadn’t seen this particular mutation, though I rarely look in the spamtrap.
I thought the point of cashier’s checks was that they’re certified through reputable authorities. I always assumed that the bank checked the source right away, like while you wait. (Mind, the only times I’ve dealt with such checks were when making real-estate down-payments. I’ve never cashed one, only bought them.)
nice baiting there! I had never heard of IM 419’s. I guess they’ll resort to anything…
I’m talking with this criminal now
This is in regards to the IM you were talking about with the user : ojabenji2004. here’s my IM with him/ her.
2005-05-12 13:01:34) ojabenji2004: hello how u doing can we chat?
(09:33:03) aaronis31337: who is this?
(09:33:11) ojabenji2004: Janet u?
(09:33:19) aaronis31337: do I know you?
(09:34:25) ojabenji2004: nope
(09:34:25) ojabenji2004: where u from?
(09:34:37) aaronis31337: utah. why did you contact me?
(09:35:41) ojabenji2004: i do come to state very often
(09:35:47) ojabenji2004: do u see my pics?
(09:35:58) aaronis31337: no
(09:36:11) aaronis31337: where are you from?
(09:37:07) ojabenji2004: UK
(09:37:14) ojabenji2004: see my profile for my pics
(09:37:31) aaronis31337: hang on, I’m on a call
(10:09:42) aaronis31337: so, what can I do for you?
(10:09:57) ojabenji2004: what do u do for a lving?
(10:10:11) aaronis31337: I work.
(10:10:14) aaronis31337: yourself?
(10:10:48) ojabenji2004: i manage my dad company what work do u do?
(10:11:57) aaronis31337: can I ask you something?
(10:12:08) ojabenji2004: what?
(10:13:09) aaronis31337: how does it feel being a criminal. I mean I know you must be really poor and all, but really. That shit your doing will make you goto hell. Don’t you realize that you’re helping to make the world a terrible place. you’re a evil person. You really need to just stop.
ojabenji2005@yahoo.com, Janet
I had the same person contact me, but she took a different aproach. I staeted message archiving a little late. but I will add it. I was being very nice so that I could get the info from her.