Email - How to know if it is a scam

**hopthwoks** · #1 27th Jan 2009, 17:08

After reading about the Nigerian Scam I see a small problem . Everyone is trying there best to have a safe time on the internet .But no one is telling the reader what to look out for to spot a possable scam .
Example you open your email and see that your bank sent an email telling you about a security breach. Well most of us would open it and place in our password without thing about it. This is were most run into problems The ones behind this type of scam are only looking for you personal information that way they can drain your account.
If you ever get one Don't Open it is what most will say, phone your bank and ask questions. If you do open it and they tell you to logon to you account through a link STOP. That link will not go to your bank. Type your banks address in a new window in the browser this way you will go to your bank.
As for other scam there are many way to spot them if you get an email that tells you you won a million dollars it is a scam.
If you open and email and you see Good day , Sir ,Madam yes that is right it is a scam , reason for the person sending it has know idea what your name is . You can look for mis-spelled words another sign of a scam.
And if you see anything like asking for personal information do not in any way reply.
Some to look out for :
Lottery , Emails addresses ending with edu, Googles. Ebay, and many more. There are many new ones each and every day.
Hope this helps keep you safe.
And were possable please report them it is the only way to stop them.

**Hybr!d** · #2 27th Jan 2009, 18:23

Good advice. Bottom line is you don't get something for nothing, no one is going to give you a free lunch. With bank, ebay, paypal emails etc. always use your own link to login not the ones in emails and if in doubt call them, using numbers on your paper statements or via the telephone operator.

**evilfantasy** · #3 27th Jan 2009, 19:26

Nice post! I've wanted to make a tutorial on this very issue. There are a lot of resources out there to help quickly find out if it's real or not. I touched on it briefly in this post: Web, email, chat, password and kids safety

Here are a few other links for quick referencing scams and reporting them.

**Bubba** · #4 27th Jan 2009, 19:26

I always give them Dave's email and tell them to contact me further there...............

**hopthwoks** · #5 27th Jan 2009, 21:51

If you are like I am you need to find a way to try to help make things safe for kids.
The other one that we all have seen is the one on the free laptop computer that pop up on many wed site. IT IS NOT FREE . It is a way for places like Sony, Dell,Gateway to get feed back for you will need to answer anywhere from 7 to 10 survey's and pay for shipping and handling that can cost $75.00 and up. And they will show you the top of the line computers but the one you get will look like the top of the line without all the things you had hope for inside.
I have reported many in the past and I know I will report many to come.
There is many thing to say to keeping everyone safe and I don't mind writing here as long as it is ok with the forum. Been told not allowed at other forums,

**hopthwoks** · #6 27th Jan 2009, 22:12

Just got the work on this one Aol . Problems with billing . Remember if you get something like this DO NOT ENTER YOUR PASSWORD. ISP'S Well not ask for your password!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

**hopthwoks** · #7 28th Jan 2009, 01:00

Here is one that is when you think about it you have two scams in one I will explain as I go.1, First when anyone see and email from the FBI we all seem to go what on earth did I do now. And we open it . Well if the FBI wonted you I don't think they would send you a email first.This is one of the many ways to get you to read there email.And I think it is safe to say that they are not going to help you collect any money from any scam.2. In many of these emails you will be asked to use an ATM CARD or WESTERN UNION by now I hope you know what is going to happen . The money will never get to the person they tell you to send it to, And you will be out of up to 1000.00 .Now the reason I have place these things here is I hope the more the reader knows what these scamer will do and the way they will try to get to you, will give the reader the upper hand. And know when to just delete it.I only hope in the long run that the more the reader know the less scams we will see, This not only keeps the reader safe but can help your lower the cost for you and your ISP.

**Hybr!d** · #8 28th Jan 2009, 03:41

All the info you will ever need, plus a few giggles, it's amazing what these scammers will do to try and convince their targets that they are not scamming.

http://www.thescambaiter.com/

**hopthwoks** · #9 28th Jan 2009, 11:05

Now for all that live in the USA if you get an email that tells you that your email won some lottery over seas I hate to be the one to brake it to you but the laws of the USA will not allow you to collect. A few years ago in the USA many were getting letters in the mail that they could buy lottery tickes from Canada many fell for it the only problem was these were old tickets . And when they said you won you could not collect the prize by laws of the USA.Now with the internet they are doing the same thing, you send the money but you will never see the prize.So what is going on well you are helping someone you don't know make money your money.

**serverguy** · #10 28th Jan 2009, 12:41

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dave Hybrid

All the info you will ever need, plus a few giggles, it's amazing what these scammers will do to try and convince their targets that they are not scamming.

http://www.thescambaiter.com/

Oh goodness, don't get me started.

Anus Laptops ha ha ha.

Butch Driveshaft lol

And the good old Cole freight baits... how many old junk computers did he order, and Ovens? and Toilets and Dishwashers... hahahahahahaha.

For anyone who has no idea what this is about, it is where very funny people turn the scammers around, and basically get them to do ridiculous things.

They make videos of themeselves, take countless pictures doing stupid things, join crazy religions (lol they are some real funny ones down this road) and pay with real money to ship the heaviest possible junk people can find, such as Anus Laptops dressed in a dishwasher outfit, in the hope that they will make millions from it.

Unless you have a lot of free time, don't visit the website. The reading is addictive. Possibly one of the most ammusing websites on the internet.