I know this is OT but I've really been getting a lot of ridiculous spam lately informing me that I have acquired vast sums of money. If these reports are true, by present accounting, I'm now wealthier than Bill Gates so I'll post whatever I want now and woe to anyone who would try and stop me :)

I used to just delete these emails on sight but lately I've been getting quite a kick out of actually reading them and revelling in how absurdly funny they are. Here a just two of the most recent ones I got today:

========================================================================
*Dear Friend,

Due to your effort, sincerity, courage and trust worthiness you
showed at the course of the transaction I want to compensate you and
show my gratitude to you with the sum of $250.000.00 (Two Hundred and fifty
Thousand United States Dollars) I have authorized the finance house
where I deposited my money to issue you international certified bank
draft cashable at your bank.

My dear friend I will like you to contact the finance house for the
collection of this international certified bank draft. The name and
contact address of the Person with your Bank Draft  MR. John Murham,
is as follows.

   COMPENSATION AND FINANCE HOUSE HEAD OFFICE
   CONTACT AGENT MR. John Murham
   EMAIL:compensation_sec_financehouse@yahoo.co.uk
   Alternate e-mail:compensation_sec_finance@yahoo.dk

You are to fill the below information and forward it to the claims
agent whose name and email address is given above,to enable the easy release
of your claim.

FULL NAME (S):
COUNTRY:
RESIDENCE ADDRESS:
OFFICE ADDRESS:
TELEPHONE NUMBER (S):
OCCUPATION:
SEX:
AGE:
MARITAL STATUS:

At the moment, I am very busy here because of the investment projects
which myself and my new partner are having at hand. Finally, remember
that I have forwarded instruction to the finance house on your behalf
to send the  bank draft to you as soon as you contact them without
delay. Please I will like you to accept this token with goodfaith as
this is from the bottom of my heart. Thanks and God bless you and your
family. Hope to hear from you soon.
   My sincere advice to you as a christian is that you should endeavour
to pay your tithe to a bible believing church when you get the prize.

   Yours Faithfull
Mr Jack Bruce

=========================================================================

      This is to inform you that you have won a prize money of  FIVE  HUNDRED THOUSAND US DOLLARS
($500,000.00) for the YEAR 2007 Lottery  promotion which is organized by YAHOO LOTTERY INC for
the introduction of the new YAHOO BETA AMILwhich all YAHOO users are required to switch onto.
    YAHOO! & MICROSOFT WINDOWS, arrange and gather all the e-mail addresses of the people that
are active online, among the millions that subscribed to Yahoo and Hotmail, and others we only
select FIVE (5) candidates per annually as our winners through Electronic Balloting System (EBS)
without the candidate applying, we congratulate you for being one of the people selected.

                                                  PAYMENT OF PRIZE AND CLAIM

      We are sorry that your Payment Approval File was sent to Africa due to we have 3 lucky
winners in Africa so that you can be cleared and paid simultaneously there. You are to contact
our  African Location Claim Agent on or before your date of Claim.

Yahoo Beta Lottery Prize must be claimed not later than 14 days from date of Draw Notification
after the Draw date in which Prize has won.
 Note: Any prize not claimed within this period (14 days) will be forfeited.

These are your identification numbers:

Batch number.....................YBM-EBS-390AF
Reff number........................YBM-EBS-719AF
Winning number...............YBM-EBS-798AF To claim your prize money,you are required to contact
Barrister Mr Felix Uche Nna
 with your Batch number,Reff number,Winning number through his email below.

BARRISTER AT HIS E-MAIL:mrfelixuchenna@representative.com

 You are therefore advised to send the following information to him to facilitate them and
process the transfer of your fund with the appointed paying bank.

Send your Identification Numbers/Your Personal Information to him immediately:

Personal Information

1. Full name..................
2. Country....................
3. Contact Address...........
4. Telephone Number.........
5. Marital Status..............
6. Occupation..................
7. Age.........................
8. Sex.........................

 Congratulations once again.
Yours in service,

We hope you're enjoying your new Yahoo! Mail account.
Now take the next step and claim your money and say thanks to Yahoo!.
You select how to transfer the prize money to you:
 Cheque Delivery To Your Address
 Bank Account Transfer
 Electronic Money Transfer

 See what's happening on Yahoo.com today. Do you Yahoo!?

If you have questions or wish to claim your prize money kindly contact this  email,
mrfelixuchenna@representative.com

Check Out the new free AIM(R) Mail -- 2 GB of storage and industry-leading spam and email virus
protection.*
========================================================================

Actually, in terms of syntax, these aren't too bad and I've recieved a lot worse but I'm wondering if the perpatrators actually ever succeed in convincing anyone that they are genuine?

Since Renderosity is an international website I wondered if anyone here knows the people behind these asinine emails? If so, could you please suggest to them that while their pigeon English may be good enough to sell their mothers and sisters to GIs that they need to study up on a little English syntax if they really hope to scam any English speaking people with these lame attempts.

I know that stupidity isn't a moral category but sometimes it rises to the level of a sin - or at least a crime. I believe this is the case with all of these silly attempts to perpetrate such lame frauds. I'm wondering if the persons behind these emails are also considered moronic by the people who live in the same backwater regions they hail from or shudder are they considered 'the smart ones' :)

If you know of such a person could you please send me their address. I'd like to send them a small donation so they can buy a bowl of soup - or a nice dress for their sheep :)

• Rick

MMMmmmm they just arrested a couple of africans in Amsterdam just last week..
And they did these kindt of scams ... well ..... no need to buy em some soup.. the amount of money involved was over 30 million euro...
So ...

One ohter thing .. i got so many Enlargement pill offers i have a extra job now..
They use me as a road divider in straffic jams :lol: 

Chris

Attached Link: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Advance_fee_fraud

see here

Advance fee fraud

An advance fee fraud is a confidence trick in which the target is persuaded to advance relatively small sums of money in the hope of realizing a much larger gain. Among the variations on this type of scam are the Nigerian Letter (or 419 fraud) and "The Spanish Prisoner."

'well ..... no need to buy em some soup.. the amount of money involved was over 30 million euro...'

Oh jeez, how is that even possible?!!! I mean, their attempts are so clumsy and readily apparent it boggles the mind that someone could be taken in by them. Not to mention that after recieving a few hundred of these emails you'd think that people might be a bit more cautious :)

Heh heh, I don't mind a good or clever scam - it's the mind numbing stupidity of these hackneyed attempts that wears you out after a while. I could understand them maybe playing in Nigeria and the likes but in America?! Well, I guess they figure that any people who could elect George Bush for president - twice! couldn't be all that bright and maybe they'd have a chance of succeeding after all :)

The Nigerian Letter indeed :) lol :)

• Rick

LOL@BAR-CODE's comment. Well how about the topics on these stupid emails? Like this one... "Helen, you'll be amazed at the size of your p***s". Let me tell you if I stood in front of a mirror and saw one of those dangling from me, no matter the size, I'd be amazed. Roflol.

' "Helen, you'll be amazed at the size of your p***s".'

ROFLOL! Well I guess they weren't lying - you would be amazed. So would everyone else in your family as well :)

I remember when the Viagra emails first started appearing and I didn't know that it was a mass mailing spam campaign. I thought they honestly knew something about me and I got defensive ... I mean,  I know I'm getting older and the ol' gray mare - she ain't what she used to be - but that's none of their damn business! lol :)

• Rick

Yea I'm getting shit loads of these every day too!
Some get picked up by my spam filter and some don't, the ones that get through I add to my Blocked sender list but they seem to have a way around that too and still get in!
Really pisses me off having to delete this crap every day!

Quote - Let me tell you if I stood in front of a mirror and saw one of those dangling from me, no matter the size, I'd be amazed. Roflol.

I'd be more than amazed....first I would be horrified..then I'd be rich :laugh:

Sort of reminds me of that star trek movie, you know, the one where Bones gives the woman a pill and she grows a new kidney.

"The doctor gave me a new pill and I grew a new P***is!"

Quote - Sort of reminds me of that star trek movie, you know, the one where Bones gives the woman a pill and she grows a new kidney.

"The doctor gave me a new pill and I grew a new P***is!"

ah. that would be a problem Mrs Harris.

LOL!

I get about 20 of these a day too!! OH, and how to enlarge my penis and do I need Viagra and my fave is that one from the dying person saying they wanna leave me mucho casho! LOL. I hate it!!! And if I do the spam blocker, it blocks the bots from Rendo! grrrrrrrrrrr  

I hate spam!! 

This has been my favorite so far in the sudden wealth sweepstakes...

*OFFICE OF THE PRESIDENT
FEDERAL REPUBLIC OF NIGERIA.

Attention: Sir/Madam

        OPERATION PAY THE INTERNET SCAM VICTIM(OPIS)

We are pleased to inform you of your email address and name that is included
in Nigeria Scam victim.It takes fate, courage and God’s fearing to remember
foreigner that was in involve in scam victim, that is why the New president
of Nigeria( Musa Yar' Adua ) mapped out 2.8 Billion Dollars to compensate
all internet Scam victims.

You are entitle to received One Million dollars United state
dollars.(1M)Meanwhile, I must inform you that the payment will be Bank
Draft.Please  contact the Account Officer  who is in charge of your Bank
Draft via email below :

Name Mr David Edward
E-mail: accountofficer_d@yahoo.dk
Tel: +234-8022687725

And also Make sure you send your

1. YOUR FULL NAME & ADDRESS
2. YOUR TELEPHONE NUMBER

He will advise you further about the shipment of the DRAFT  to your
Residence Address or Office Address you may provided. Feel free to reach him
via email address.We Appologise on behalf of the New president and the Good
Citizen of Nigeria for the internet scam victim.

Best Regards

Dr.James Oke
Office of the President
FEDERAL REPUBLIC OF NIGERIA.*

Oh those crafty Nigerians. What will they think of next?  :)

Selling Puppies...

;)

DR. DATTI WILLIAMS
NO 10 FRANK LAOUT IKEJA,
LAGOS NIGERIA.
EMAIL:datti_williams2007@yahoo.com.hk
Dear Friend ,
RE: TRANSFER OF USD25.500,000$ (TWENTY FIVE MILLION,
FIVE HUNDRED THOUSAND UNITED STATES DOLLARS ONLY)TO A
SAFE ACCOUNT.
I wish to intimate you with this proposal in my
capacity as Chief Accountant and in full agreement
with the Auditor-General of this Company(NIGERIAN
NATIONAL PETROLEUM CORPORATION ) We scrutinized all
records and the accounts of awarded and executed
contracts of this company (NNPC) during the previous
military regime, since the inception of democracy in
Nigeria and carefully uncover and mapped out a
whopping sum USD25.500,000 hundred thousand dollars,
which we want to transfer into your account as the
beneficiary.
As top civil Servants, we are not authorized to
operate foreign bank accounts hence our decision to
use your account in full trust and confidence to
transfer this money outside Nigeria. We have accepted
you as our foreign partner and will regularize and
update the approvals to reflect you as the true
beneficiary of the contract sum USD USD25.500,000
(TWENTY FIVE MILLION FIVE HUNDRED THOUSAND UNITED
STATES DOLLAR).
Moreover, it is pertinent to note that it is not risky
and does not require much engagements since we have
taken care of the deal in full capacity. We have
resolved to give you 30% of the total sum for your
assistance. If you are interested in this deal.
Remember to give to me your, contact address, phone
and fax lines through which l can send you approved
documents for your perusals. You will send me a letter
of invitation immediately the money get into your
account.
I am anxiously waiting for your response with hope
that you will understand the confidentiality of this
transaction.Note, reply at my altanative email
address:datti_williams2007@yahoo.com.hk
Best Regards,
Dr.Datti Williams

Sorry I've been unable to keep up with this thread but I'm trying to determine a purchase strategy to enact just as soon as I collect the vast sums of monies that have been promised to me.  Dr. Datti Williams' offer has put me right where I need to be now so I've decided to purchase NIgeria!

With so many scam artists running about I think I will have no trouble in staffing my new State Department :)

• Rick

Sooo, you'll be the new New President -- Just remember you owe me money!

(Hmmm... could have sworn I posted this earlier, but I don't see it...)

Sorry kalon ... any and all disburses will be handled by my new State Department :)

Well, how much does that position cost?

I have it on the highest authority that Lady Peggy Morrison is due to pop off at any moment and there's a Letter of Authority with my name on it. Yeah, sure the proceeds from the Late Sir Richard Morrison are supposed to benefit the widows and orphans, but I feel very certain that I can benefit them all the better with a position in the State Department... er, any State Department.  :sneaky:

Well, 'I wish to intimate you with this proposal**':** send me all of the info regarding your bank accounts and credit cards and such. Not only will this entitle you to a premiere position in the State Department but I think Dr. Datti and I could even swing a good position for you in the Executive branch :)

I am anxiously waiting for your response with hope
that you will understand the confidentiality of this
transaction.

• Rick

Attached Link: http://www.jackbruce.com/revamp/html/menurevamp.html

   Yours Faithfull
Mr Jack Bruce"*

Oh dear, how the mighty fall.  I knew he hadn't been doing much since Cream broke up in 1968, but internet scams!?  At least Ginger Baker earns an honest living as a wheel-tapper for Virgin Rail.  And all that terrible syntax and spelling -- too much "Strange Brew" in days gone by if you ask me...

lol :) Well 'I'm so glad' that Mr. Bruce didn't end up in 'the white room'.

groan I know .... :)

• Rick

Well I've discovered recently that someone is stealing email addies to send some of this stuff. I keep getting junk mail from myself! Imagine an email from yourself telling you that you've just won the huge Austrailian Lottery! LOL And if that isn't bad enough, my antispy prog just notified me of 2 sitejackers and one trojan that got past my firewall...sigh.

I seriously of the opinion that Rendo has a huge security issue. I have a private e-mail address and yet I, like others, started receiving more and me spam and scams.

I get those from me to me but if you check the from address it is not your address but someone elses just your userhame.

You're talking about email addies being stolen and send to themselves.
That is a sure sign of someones system infected with a trojan and producing spam send to all addies in the local address book(s).
Or, if you only would go through the trouble of checking out the header information of the emails you're receiving, you will discover that the actual sender is not what it says in the "from" field but it's someone else. That is called "spoofing", a trick almost as old as the internet.
So don't blame Rendo, blame the ones you've sent mail to and that don't have a clue or care to protect their system against viri and hackers.

How many of you rely on the built-in firewall that comes with XP/Vista? Keep in mind this firewall will protect your system from hostile intrusions but it won't protect others from virus generated emails sent from your system. For all you know there could be a trojan on your system sending hundreds of spam mails....

And don't confuse IM's (Instant Messages, the notes you send through Sitemail)  with E-mail.
IM's never leave the Rendo servers, whereas e-mails travel the internet from the sender to a mail server to another mailserver and to the recipient. And a lot can happen on that journey.

You might wish to re-examine your stance and check the vulnerability on your own system. I have the filters in place from APLUS.net. I have a router and the Firewall up. I have a Navy Trained Tech running the show on this side.

I'm not having an issue with spoofed. I am having an issue with Increased Nigerian Scams being sent to me. The site e-mail list has been hijack apparently and you want to throw your credentials in our faces like you know better.

You might want to see who is stealing your e-mail list internally... But do not attempt to talk down to the members who as experiencing legitimate issues and have traced the cause to this site.

Ever heard of trojans gathering information such as email addies from an infected system and sending the data to whoever planted the trojan OR has the right scripts running to intercept these kind of data???
Guess not.

I have, Andy. I have a clue about what I am talking about.

However, have you considered that Renderosity has been compromised?

I have, Andy. I have a clue about what I am talking about.

However, have you considered that Renderosity has been compromised?

Attached Link: http://www.renderosity.com/mod/forumpro/showthread.php?thread_id=2704078&page=1#message_3021668

"I have a clue about what I am talking about."
Then, why are you blaming Renderosity? I DID consider Renderosity might have been infected but knowing the Rendo/Bondware admins I've dismissed this.

As you may know in the last year there has been an enormous increase in trojans and these have been "improved" a lot too. From the specialized agencies we also learned that there's been an increase in the illegal trade of data like addies and scripts/techniques ( a good script is worth a fortune). So a rise in spam could coincide with an overhaul of the Rendo/Bondware servers, yes, but is not neccesarily related.

Oh, mine isn't from someone here at Rendo getting my site mail addy.

It comes through on my master email account on my regular server.

I use a different email for here.

Someone got it wayyy back and my server won't let me change my master name....sigh.

I don't put names in my address book because of it.

But soon I will change servers and fisx that.

As for the Nigerian junk, that comes through on almost all emaol accounts and is hard to stop.

I just delete without opening it period. :)

Wanna new hobby? www.419eater.com/