spoofs galore

[GoodOlBoy]

So anyway I come back to check my email for the first time in a week and poof. Nine ebay spoofs, and two paypal spoofs. . . .

Gotta be VERY careful boys and girdles. These things look very close to being real, but they arent. NEVER EVER log into one of them. If you think the email MIGHT be real go to the home sight (NOT their provided link) and ASK. Or just send them to spoof@paypal.com or spoof@ebay.com

So far every email about maintenance, unauthorized access, etc I have EVER gotten I have sent to those addresses and so far ALL of them have been spoofs.

Watch yer topknot

GoodOlBoy

[Rocky Raab]

Amen to that, GoB.

I got burned once, as many of you know. For me, it turned out to be more trouble than costly, but I caught it within hours.

Here's the ONLY rule to follow: if it comes in an email, it's FAKE. Period.

[Gunslingergirl]

That is a really good reminder, GOB. I get hit by phishing e-mails all the time, both on my business and personal e-mail addresses. I'm always very cautious.

It's a good rule: If you're not absolutely certain don't open the e-mail.

GSG

[Rocky Raab]

Have gotten three more of them in the past few days, and they are getting harder and harder to tell from the real thing.

I automatically ignore emails from PayPal or eBay, although I will check my accounts there on a regular basis to make sure everything is still kosher (using my direct bookmarks, NEVER an embedded link).

I likewise ignore emails from anyplace where I do not have an account, such as "First Third National Bank" or any such.

But I also am getting suspicious emails from my cellphone service provider, credit card company and other places where I do have active accounts. If possible, I always check those out just in case. ALWAYS with my own bookmarks, again, and NEVER by clicking on a link.

While thinking about this, I had a thought. Most of the "phishing" schemes attempt to have you divulge secret information like username and password. Then they clean you out. If you DID choose to reply to one of those, would it be smart to reply with a FAKE password? If their reply is "The password is not valid" you'd have some indication that they do know your password. If they reply "You account is confirmed" then you know that THEY are fake.

Either way, you learned something with no risk except to confirm that you have a valid email addy - which will spawn lots more scam mail. Hmmmm... On second thought, that fake password idea isn't so smart.

[GoodOlBoy]

Yep my four rules of email safety.

1. Unsubscribing only validates your email account so that they can sell it to thousands of other junkmail dealers.

2. I don't have a bank in omaha nebraska, tinbucktwo, nor the virgin islands so I dont have an overdraft, a bank error, or anything else there.

3. Ebay, Paypal, and all the others never ever ever send out emails asking you to log in to confirm anything.

4. AOL, Microsoft, MSN, Foxnews, CNN, etc etc do NOT send out patches, or virus removal tools VIA email.

ANY of these items simply go to the trash bin and are wisked away leaving me in happy bliss.

GoodOlBoy

[Rocky Raab]

This would have been impossible for me to view before I got broadband.

Enjoy!

Fake Emails (http://info.org.il/irrelevant/may02-smilepop-soapbox4.swf)

[Skyline]

Embedded links are a real danger.....................and that is why I never get to see half of what people put in their posts. If it isn't actually in the post I will not click on a link to see it.

I had the unfortunate experience in the past of having a computer destroyed by checking a link...............never again.

This goes for photos as well, if I can't post it directly into the post through the photo upload system in the forum, i won't post. I will not use any of the photo upload sites like photobucket, etc.

I get enough junk mail and tracking cookies just visiting a couple of forums without adding to the problem.