[semi-amusing] Craigslist Scammer/Spammer Alert...

8 replies
I just received an email that I KNOW is a scam.

It is supposedly FROM craigslist (spammers keep needing to come up with new ways to trick victims).

Now I KNOW the this is a scam, because my CL account is NOT associated with the email addr this email came TO. The only way they got my email is they SCRAPED it from WITHIN my CL posting itself (the posting used the 'hide' button (cannot be replied to via email) -- but the listing DID have the email addr. *IN* the ad itself.

The scam email tells me my acct. has been suspended -- and I must reconfirm my acct -- by clicking on the link provided, etc.

Absolute nonsense.

Somethnig that's a little scary though... the email addr. the msg is FROM is craigslist(at)grants.gov

Now, grants.gov *IS* a legit site. So, somehow the scammer has apparently hacked into that site + turned it into a zombie of some kind.

Here's what makes this kinda amusing...

When I highlighted the email to copy it (to post it here), there was some invisible words that were in WHITE -- but they DO show up when you highlight the entire email contents.

Here's the email (notice typos galore)...

Dear [my email addr they scraped from the posting] ,

Fraud Prevention Team works continuously to identify and reduce online scams and fraud. Potecting yourself and your financial transaction.
Therefore, if you are the rightful account holder,click on the link below to verify your's account.


ht[xxx]tp://accounts.craigslist.org/ <---- (((I'm guessing this link leads somewhere that is NOT what it appears to be)))

Account Status: ON HOLD

To remove your listing limitation follow the link above, or click the button below.

Remove Limitation <---(((this is a link)))

if you choose to ignore our request, you leave us no choice but to permanently suspend your account.


__________________________

Now for the FUNNY...

The 'invisible' part of the email (in white + only shows up when you highlight the entire email (I'm serious -- this really is there in the email I DO NOT know how in the world this ended up as part of the email!)...

Nobody thought she never hearing of tea on the dead lull upon me (as I always wanted, Mrs Joe's forge was flying, and stood on Joe's housekeeping property as fellow- sufferers, and came back, with the jack-towel betwixt you, Pip. A man can't get our business, I was squeezed into the beacon by hand.' Mrs Joe, and with some one upon them, the eyes. I should have betrayed him? Worth my young man. Close up `by hand`. Having at the expression) a young man. `Quickly' `Pip, ma'am.' `Pip?' `Mr
#alert #craigslist #scammer or spammer #semiamusing
  • Profile picture of the author Esteem Ladder
    I get these all the time. The "hidden" text is to boost word count and to mask the real subject matter to get past spam filters. Unfortunately, it must work because they keep sending them!
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  • Profile picture of the author Tashi Mortier
    Originally Posted by TimothyW View Post

    Somethnig that's a little scary though... the email addr. the msg is FROM is craigslist(at)grants.gov

    Now, grants.gov *IS* a legit site. So, somehow the scammer has apparently hacked into that site + turned it into a zombie of some kind.
    You aren't necessarily right here. If your mail server doesn't stop you, you can just enter any domain as the sender.

    Some e-mail providers warn you, though, if the IP address isn't associated with the domain the e-mail is coming from. This is also a criteria for many spam filters. But I could send you emails from @ebay.com etc. It's like with a letter, you can decide what you write on the envelope.
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    • Profile picture of the author TimothyW
      Originally Posted by Tashi Mortier View Post

      You aren't necessarily right here. If your mail server doesn't stop you, you can just enter any domain as the sender.

      Some e-mail providers warn you, though, if the IP address isn't associated with the domain the e-mail is coming from. This is also a criteria for many spam filters. But I could send you emails from @ebay.com etc. It's like with a letter, you can decide what you write on the envelope.
      then I don't get it -- why wouldn't the spammer choose @craigslist.org ?
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      • Profile picture of the author JimmyD
        then I don't get it -- why wouldn't the spammer choose @craigslist.org ?
        Yes agree, very petty. There can't be much you can do with a CL account until you get banned, I would have thought it was easier to buy TVAs for CL instead of phishing...
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  • Profile picture of the author erichammer
    Originally Posted by TimothyW View Post

    __________________________

    Now for the FUNNY...

    The 'invisible' part of the email (in white + only shows up when you highlight the entire email (I'm serious -- this really is there in the email I DO NOT know how in the world this ended up as part of the email!)...

    Nobody thought she never hearing of tea on the dead lull upon me (as I always wanted, Mrs Joe's forge was flying, and stood on Joe's housekeeping property as fellow- sufferers, and came back, with the jack-towel betwixt you, Pip. A man can't get our business, I was squeezed into the beacon by hand.' Mrs Joe, and with some one upon them, the eyes. I should have betrayed him? Worth my young man. Close up `by hand`. Having at the expression) a young man. `Quickly' `Pip, ma'am.' `Pip?' `Mr
    The reason they add things like that is to get around the spam filter. By adding material which appears to the spam filter to be talking about a book or some personal business, they are more likely to get it into your mailbox. I'm seeing this kind of thing more and more in material that I get as spam.
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    • Profile picture of the author AnniePot
      As far as my email accounts were concerned, all that type of crap emails had died down to a trickle, but over the past few weeks they are back in force.

      I check all my emails actually on the server using Malwasher so all the rubbish gets deleted without ever being downloaded onto my computer, but during the last two weeks, I've won countless millions on the Swiss Lottery (in the Netherlands???) over and over, bank accounts I don't even own have been suspended until I fill in the attached form, UPS packages cannot be delivered, relatives I've never heard of have died and their lawyers need my bank account information so that they can deposit my inheritances, etc., etc.

      What is with these people? And more to the point, are people so stupid and gullible that they really allow themselves to be sucked in by these emails?
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  • Profile picture of the author Gail Sober
    I got a similar email yesterday from "Craigslist" wanting me to log in to "verify" I was the account holder.

    Then comes the emails from "buyers". It's amazing how many people are out at sea/out of country right now, no phone access, want to offer more for my vehicles than I'm asking so I won't sell it to someone else, want to do business through paypal and have buyers agents in my area that are able to come by and pick up their purchase.

    aye yi yi
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