The Web Design Group

... Making the Web accessible to all.

Welcome Guest ( Log In | Register )

 
Reply to this topicStart new topic
> What kind of email scam is this?
pandy
post Dec 29 2021, 12:57 PM
Post #1


🌟Computer says no🌟
********

Group: WDG Moderators
Posts: 20,716
Joined: 9-August 06
Member No.: 6



I've received a bunch of these lately, well, 4 or 5 anyway. Same setup but assumedly from different companies and sent from different email addresses.

I don't get it. I'm supposed to have bought something already. They don't ask for money. There is no link to click in the email. What's the point? wacko.gif

Note, the To address isn't mine!

CODE
Date: Wed, 29 Dec 2021 17:45:56 +0000
From: Payment - Confirmed <tomhldjdf@gmail.com>
Subject: Payment Received
To: uneloquent@gmail.com


Dear customer,
      
                                We are so happy to tell you that your McAfee subscription service is automatically renewed for 3 years. Because your McAfee account is set for auto-renew we automatically debited the payment for your service. All the details for your service are indicated below.

Our customer service tried to contact you for renewed services but they didn't get any response from you. So we renewed your subscription but this time we gave you a discount of $100 for 3-year service last time to pay us $500 but this time you paid $400 for the same service.

Now if you have any questions related to this subscription or if you want to cancel this subscription you can simply contact with us @1-(804)88-50060

Order Id: 288HY4T85R41
Order Software: McAfee computer security  
Activation code: 414H-2Y82-4BY5-084K
Amount paid: $400.00

McAfee


User is offlinePM
Go to the top of the page
Toggle Multi-post QuotingQuote Post
Brian Chandler
post Dec 29 2021, 02:27 PM
Post #2


Jocular coder
********

Group: Members
Posts: 2,460
Joined: 31-August 06
Member No.: 43



Perhaps if you have a McAfee account, you phone the number given, and they immediately offer to refund your money. But somehow this involves telling them just enough credit card details for them to really extract $400. Or $4000. Or $40000000. Or perhaps something else entirely. If you spend much time trying to work out these things you may or may not go mad, but you certainly won't get much work done.
User is offlinePM
Go to the top of the page
Toggle Multi-post QuotingQuote Post
Christian J
post Dec 29 2021, 04:12 PM
Post #3


.
********

Group: WDG Moderators
Posts: 9,628
Joined: 10-August 06
Member No.: 7



It could possibly also be a pay number they encourage you to call.
User is offlinePM
Go to the top of the page
Toggle Multi-post QuotingQuote Post
pandy
post Dec 29 2021, 05:34 PM
Post #4


🌟Computer says no🌟
********

Group: WDG Moderators
Posts: 20,716
Joined: 9-August 06
Member No.: 6



Hmm. Didn't think about the phone number, but I guess that's possible. Odd anyway, they don't encourage me to call. Maybe if I was really stupid I would try to use the activation code and when it doesn't work try to call them. unsure.gif

Who wants McAfee anyway? biggrin.gif
User is offlinePM
Go to the top of the page
Toggle Multi-post QuotingQuote Post
Christian J
post Dec 29 2021, 06:39 PM
Post #5


.
********

Group: WDG Moderators
Posts: 9,628
Joined: 10-August 06
Member No.: 7



Actually they do encourage you to call:

QUOTE
if you want to cancel this subscription you can simply contact with us @1-(804)88-50060

tongue.gif

The idea is that the victim will already be stressed by the unexpected $400 payment and thus easier to trick further once on the phone. Also the phishing mail will single out those gullible enough to fall for the scam in the first place.
User is offlinePM
Go to the top of the page
Toggle Multi-post QuotingQuote Post
Brian Chandler
post Dec 29 2021, 10:04 PM
Post #6


Jocular coder
********

Group: Members
Posts: 2,460
Joined: 31-August 06
Member No.: 43



Remember that if you are operating one of these scams, to reduce the time you waste on intelligent people, you need to select for stupidity. So if it does not actually make sense, this helps. Spelling mistakes and bad grammar also help.
User is offlinePM
Go to the top of the page
Toggle Multi-post QuotingQuote Post
pandy
post Dec 30 2021, 09:31 AM
Post #7


🌟Computer says no🌟
********

Group: WDG Moderators
Posts: 20,716
Joined: 9-August 06
Member No.: 6



QUOTE(Christian J @ Dec 30 2021, 12:39 AM) *

Actually they do encourage you to call:

QUOTE
if you want to cancel this subscription you can simply contact with us @1-(804)88-50060

tongue.gif

The idea is that the victim will already be stressed by the unexpected $400 payment and thus easier to trick further once on the phone. Also the phishing mail will single out those gullible enough to fall for the scam in the first place.


Ok ok ok. I should have read properly. blush.gif laugh.gif
User is offlinePM
Go to the top of the page
Toggle Multi-post QuotingQuote Post
Christian J
post Dec 30 2021, 03:43 PM
Post #8


.
********

Group: WDG Moderators
Posts: 9,628
Joined: 10-August 06
Member No.: 7



On a related note, mobile spyware Flubot is apparently spreading like wildfire now though SMS: https://www.theregister.com/2021/11/30/andr...atching_flubot/



User is offlinePM
Go to the top of the page
Toggle Multi-post QuotingQuote Post
pandy
post Dec 30 2021, 05:45 PM
Post #9


🌟Computer says no🌟
********

Group: WDG Moderators
Posts: 20,716
Joined: 9-August 06
Member No.: 6



As long as it's required to click on something I'm not worried. Of course, someone in whose address book I am may click and then they get my contact details that way. IPB Image

Do you use AV on your phone? Haven't got around to it on my new mobile.
User is offlinePM
Go to the top of the page
Toggle Multi-post QuotingQuote Post
Christian J
post Dec 30 2021, 07:22 PM
Post #10


.
********

Group: WDG Moderators
Posts: 9,628
Joined: 10-August 06
Member No.: 7



I've tried Malwarebytes just to check. It's a slight annoyance with "critical" warnings about the database not being up to date, so I disabled the entire app.

Not sure how Android works, but if malware gets root access I suppose AV apps will be compromised as well, unless they have root access too?
User is offlinePM
Go to the top of the page
Toggle Multi-post QuotingQuote Post
pandy
post Dec 30 2021, 07:42 PM
Post #11


🌟Computer says no🌟
********

Group: WDG Moderators
Posts: 20,716
Joined: 9-August 06
Member No.: 6



No idea. AV has become both dumbed down and complicated at the same time. I used to have control, but now I just run the built in AV on Windows with TinyWall on top of it. At least I have control over TinyWall...

I'm trying Intercept X on my phone now. So far it isn't too bothersome. I think it feels it needs to tell me I don't have screen lock every time I reboot, but once I've swiped the notification away it stays silent. Says I, after one hour's use...

Side note - I have found a great phone-computer synch program though. It's been around forever, free, no ads, but happy for donations. I don't understand why I haven't found it before. It's pure bliss. You can connect through wi-fi, bluetooth or USB. I use wi-fi. Can type SMS on the computer, can access and transfer files as easy as with Explorer and other things I'm not so interested in. Can mirror the phone on the computer screen and, I think, lets you do and manage things on the phone with the mouse and keyboard, but that's USB only. Haven't tried that yet, more than to see the screen actually was mirrored. It's mainly SMS and file transfer I'm interested in. I've used MightyText before, but it uses their server and synch doesn't always work, so can't be trusted for critical things. This is so much better.

I hate to write on the phone, but people don't use email nowadays, they text instead. And I have to sit there and fumble with the answer. No more. If you are interested it's here https://www.fjsoft.at/en/ .
User is offlinePM
Go to the top of the page
Toggle Multi-post QuotingQuote Post

Reply to this topicStart new topic
2 User(s) are reading this topic (2 Guests and 0 Anonymous Users)
0 Members:

 



- Lo-Fi Version Time is now: 19th March 2024 - 04:15 AM