Be warned, there's some nasties out there !

To all forum members.

Please take note & be warned !!!!!!!

The latest scam that arrived in my postbag today seemed too good to be true and of course.... it was !

This is what the e-mail said (I have replaced the link with a row of Xs)
　
Tax Refund Notification
After the last annual calculations of your fiscal activity, we have determined that you
are eligible to receive a tax refund of 988.50 GBP. Please submit the tax refund
request and click here by having your tax refund send to your bank account in due time
Please Click Here xxxxxxxxxxxxxto have your tax refund to your bank account, your tax refund will be sent to your bank account in due time take your time to go through the bank we have on our list
Note : A refund can be delayed a variety of reasons, for example submitting invalid
records or applying after deadline.

Best Regards

HM Revenue & Customs
　
I did my usual of GOOGLING with HM Revenue & Customs scam, which threw up quite a few results, the best of which was one from the Revenue Department itself.

HM Revenue & Customs: HM Revenue & Customs related phishing examples

Just thought I'd pass it on.

Ron



Have just recieved that e-mail this morning telling me i had a tax rebate for £250 knew it was a scam the idiots had spelt rebate as rabate so be careful it must be doing the rounds

 

This in the Daily Telegraph:

You have been warned !

By Richard Evans 4:59PM BST 29 Mar 2011


The bogus offer of a refund comes in an email purporting to be from British Gas. One email headed “refund notification” said the recipient was due a refund of £722.80, but would need to fax copies of a passport or driving licence in order to receive it.

It said: “After the last annual calculation of your gas and electricity activity, we have determined that you are eligible to receive a refund of 732.80 GBP. Please submit the refund request and allow us 5-7 days in order to process it.

“Please fax the following 2 documents in order to have us process your request ... a legible, colour digital photograph or scan of both sides of your government-issued ID (eg driver’s permit or passport).”

It also asked for the customer’s name and full address and gave a fax number with a Bristol dialling code. The email included a British Gas logo and gave the sender’s address as “info@britishgas.co.uk”.

The energy company advised anyone who received the email not to do as it asked.




Ron

 

Anybody who divulges their personally details in response to an email is an idiot.

I've just received a free annual Identity theft insurance policy through work and some of the facts and statistics are quite frankly shocking. Scary stuff!

 

Anybody who divulges their personally details in response to an email is an idiot.

I've just received a free annual Identity theft insurance policy through work and some of the facts and statistics are quite frankly shocking. Scary stuff!

I agree, its my day job to be computer savvy but this whole internet thing freaks me out at times and you just dont know where your data is going to end up or how its going to be used. For example, I posted a new thread on this forum earlier this morning on the subject of Service mens wills and testaments. I dont if it was coincidental but it freaked me out when I submitted the thread when the the forums Google Ad banner started advertising "Online Will and Testiment services" In the spirit of this thread, i know its not a "nasty" but i just wanted to make the point. "Targeted Advertising" I think its called (nothing we do online is sacred)

 

With my apologies to bonafide Irish

Greetings, You have just received the "IRISH VIRUS". As we don't have any programming experience, this Virus works on the honour system. Please delete all the files on your hard drive manually and forward this Virus to everyone on your mailing list. That would be grand!

Paddy O'Hacker



---

Would you believe there are people enough devoid of humour and simply idiotic to take the above seriously??? Link.

 

Please delete all the files on your hard drive manually and forward this Virus to everyone on your mailing list. That would be grand!

Would you believe there are people enough devoid of humour and simply idiotic to take the above seriously??? Link.

Dear Paddy O
Being Irish, I just want to thank you for your clever tip to get rid of the dreaded "Irish virus", Being stupid though, can you send me clear instructions that I can follow for tip, especially with directions to the Delete button as the lettering on my keyboard is all worn out.

go raibh maith agat, Slán go fóill. !!

 

I suggest you take a photocopy of a keyboard in better condition and paste it over yours :p

 

The most dangerous part of any computer is the carbon-based interface in front of the screen.

Thanks for the reminder about the Irish Virus - haven't seen that in about 10 years! Slainte!

 

I dont if it was coincidental but it freaked me out when I submitted the thread when the the forums Google Ad banner started advertising "Online Will and Testiment services" ... "Targeted Advertising" I think its called (nothing we do online is sacred)

Sounds like you have accumulated a load of tracking cookies. To get rid of them and clear out other junk get CCleaner; you can select what cookies to keep.

CCleaner - Optimization and Cleaning - Free Download

It's one of the best programs ever. Even after a short live session you will find that you've collected about 90Mb of junk files. I've been using it daily for a good few years now and I wouldn't dream of running a computer without it.
CCleaner - Reviews

Peter

 

Sounds like you have accumulated a load of tracking cookies. To get rid of them and clear out other junk get CCleaner; you can select what cookies to keep.
Peter

Thanks for the tip, CCleaner looks the business. Except i dont run Windows and its not compatible with my OS. My computer is the Linux based Ubuntu Operation system but I googled and found the equivilant cure.

 

On other OSs it's not so much of a problem. On my iMac I use Cocoa Cookies (Mac) - Download to stay clear of trackers, it's another good freebie.

 

Another scam in today's mail.

Complete with a very convincing Tiscali heading but not very convincing as I am not a Tiscali customer

I have disarmed the link so feel free to examine

Ron


Dear Customer,
This e-mail has been sent to you by Tiscali© UK Forms to inform you that we were unable to process your most recent payment of bill.This might be due to either of the following reasons:

1. A recent change in your personal information. (eg: billing© address, phone)
2. Submitting incorrect information during bill payment process.

Due to this, to ensure that your service is not interrupted, we request you to confirm and update your billing© information today by clicking here (LINK DISARMED)

If you have already confirmed your billing© information then please disregard this message as we are processing the changes you have made.

Regards,
Tiscali© UK
Billing© Department
Thanks for your co-operation.


Accounts Management As outlined in our User Agreement, Tiscali© (r) will
periodically send you information about site changes and enhancements.

 

have had one from the HSBC bank telling me that my account needs a new password didn't open deleted it straight away ,don't have an account with them same as my other nastie the other day simple spelling mistakes in the title of the e-mail

 

This just arrived in my mail box.
Funny..............
I don't bank with the Royal Bank of Scotland !!!!

I've added my comment in RED




You have an incoming payment slated for your account. This transaction cannot be completed due to errors present in your account information.

You are required to click on the Logon below to fix this problem immediately.

Log on (which was a URL before it was deleted )

Regards .
Matt Mongoven
Current Account Manager
Retail Banking

Royal Bank Of Scotland Plc is committed to ensure the safeguard of each customer's personal information, making sure only authorised individuals have access to their accounts. It is all about your security.
Accounts Management As outlined in our User Agreement, RBS will
periodically send you information about site changes and enhancements.
Visit our Privacy Policy and User Agreement if you have any questions.
Another link deleteed here !

 

An update on tracking cookies. It's not been highly publicised, but Firefox 4 now has a built-in tracking cookie blocker.

When you download FF4, it is switched off by default, but it's very simple to activate: just go to Tools>Options>Advanced>General and check "Tell websites I do not want to be tracked". Click "okay" and you're done! It works too.

And for the really paranoid, there's now a Firefox extension called "Disconnect", which blocks tracking from social network sites like Digg, Facebook and Twitter.

 

I must say these scammers are cheeky bxxxxxxds !!!!

Look at my posting # No.54 (supposedly from the RBS)

See the name of the current account manager Matt Mongoven ?

Now look at the e-mail I received today, automatically stashed in my deleted box by my everwatchful anti virus protection.

It's Mr.Mongoven again but surprise !, surprise. ! ..... he's now working for Nat West

You have to laugh !!!!

Ron




You have an incoming payment slated for your account. This transaction cannot be completed due to errors present in your account information.

You are required to click on the Logon below to fix this problem immediately.

Link deleted !

Regards . Matt Mongoven
Current Account Manager
Retail Banking

National Westminster Bank is committed to ensure the safeguard of each customer's personal information, making sure only authorised individuals have access to their accounts. It is all about your security. Accounts Management As outlined in our User Agreement, Natwest will
periodically send you information about site changes and enhancements.
Visit our Privacy Policy and User Agreement if you have any questions.
Another link deleted

 

Just have a look at this cheeky bugger !!!!!

INTERNATIONAL REMMITANCE DEPT,
WEST AFRICAN PAYMENT DIVISION(2)
FRAUD VICTIMS / COMPENSATION.
OUR REF: xxxxxREMOVED BY RONxxxx
YOUR REF: xxxxxREMOVED BY RONxxxxx
22TH MAY, 2011


Good day to you ,


This is to intimate you of a very important information which will be of a great help to you
if you are there to read this message.I am Mr.Antony Moore the Finance Director Of the
Compensation Office West African District Division(2).Your long over due payment from the Nigeria
Governments for Fraud Compensations which we believe you have received several emails on is now
completelty ready to be released to you.


There is presently a counter claims on your funds by one Mr.Peter Desmond , who is presently
trying to make us believe that you are dead and even explained that you entered into an
agreement with him, to help you in receiving your fund.He is also ready to pay for the
release charge of $255 USD on your funds which makes us want to make this last confirmation
before going ahead to pay this Mr.Peter Desmond.


Here comes the big question. Did you sign any deed of assignment in favor of ( Mr.Peter Desmond )?
Thereby making him the current beneficiary the sum of $2.500.000.000.00 with the
following account details:? Mr.Peter Desmond , ac/number: 6503809428. Routing/122006743,
b/name: Citi Bank, address: New York ,usa, we shall proceed to issue all payments details
to the above named person if we do not hear from you within the next five working days.


Respond to this e-mail on ( xxxx MADE SAFE BY RONxxxxxxx) with immediate effect and we shall
give you further details on how your fund will be released.Just like i said ealier supposed
beneficiary Mr.Peter Desmond is ready to pay the only release charge on your funds which is $255
USD,if we allow him pay this fee that authomatically makes him the owner and the money will
be transfered into his account so do respond to this message if you are alive so that we can
be sure of doing the right thing due to the hugh amount of money involved. Also call me as
soon as you send the e-mail so that you will be given an immediate response:


Below again is My Contact Info:


Contact Agent Name: Mr.Antony Moore
Email xxxxxx REMOVED BY RONxxxxxxx )
Tel : (xxxx REMOVED BY RONxxxxx)


If you are alive then i want you to send us your following details so that we can begin

process for the release of your funds :


1.Full Name:.....
2.Full Address;........
3.Phone Number :........
4.Sex:...........
5.Ocuupation:.........



Get back to me with the below informations so that i can inform you how you are to send the
only needed charge of $255 for the release of your funds which we told Mr.Peter not to pay
yet untill nothing is heard from you in 7 working days which will make us believe that
truely you are no more and that Mr.Peter Desmond is right.


Regards,
MR.ANTONY MOORE .
DIRECTOR WEST AFRICA DISTRICT DIVISION(2).
INTERNATIONAL REMMITANCE DEPT,FOREIGN OPERATION

 

Watch it! It's a con!

 

Just have a look at this cheeky bugger !!!!!
If you are alive then i want you to send us your following details so that we can begin process for the release of your funds :

1.Full Name:.....
2.Full Address;........
3.Phone Number :........
4.Sex:...........
5.Ocuupation:.........

Get back to me with the below informations so that i can inform you how you are to send the only needed charge of $255

..and what information does he expect from you if you're dead?...
Michael

 

I had a message the other day purporting to be from Youtube stating that my video had been approved.

I was intrigued as I have a couple of short videos on the site.

However when I placed the cursor over the youtube icon or any of the hyperlinks supplied to reply I saw that the websites address was not from Youtube and so deleted it.

The icons used look very good and can easily fool many people into opening what may well be a very nasty surprise.

Watchword is beware.

Regards
Tom