Most impressive phishing email yet

[JAG]

This one is actually fairly legit-looking.


From: "[email protected]" <[email protected]> Add to Address Book
Subject: Unauthorized Access:NA (Routing Code: C840-L001-Q-T-S111)
Date: Thu, 17 Feb 2005 15:20:03 -0700






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Security Center






Military Grade Encryption is Only the Start

At PayPal, we want to increase your security and comfort level with every transaction. From our Buyer and Seller Protection Policies to our Verification and Reputation systems, we'll help to keep you safe.








PayPal is committed to maintaining a safe environment for its community of buyers and sellers. To protect the security of your account, PayPal employs
some of the most advanced security systems in the world and our anti-fraud teams regularly screen the PayPal system for unusual activity.

Recently, our Account Review Team identified some unusual activity in your account. In accordance with PayPal's User Agreement access to your account will be limited. This is a fraud prevention measure meant to ensure that your account is not compromised.

In order to secure your account we may require some specific information from you. We encourage you to log in by clicking on the link below and complete the requested form as soon as possible.


https://www.paypal.com/cgi-bin/webscr?cmd=_login-run


Ignoring our request, for an extended period of time, may result in account limitations or may result in eventual account closure.

Thank you for your prompt attention to this matter. Please understand that this is
a security measure meant to help protect you and your account.
We apologize for any inconvenience.


Sincerely,
PayPal Account Review Department


PayPal Email ID PP522

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CWDGYSCRFCUDGFMPPKVLPIKRQQUHJSPLWEBGYQ

[Ksyrup]

Speaking of scams...




Twice bitten, but still not shy
By James L. Rosica
DEMOCRAT STAFF WRITER

<!-- begin body-content -->A part-time Florida A&M University business instructor fell for an Internet "Nigerian scam" and now faces grand-theft and bank-fraud charges, Tallahassee police said Tuesday.

James Clay Edwards, 61, already had been warned by police in July about a similar scam, in which he lost $3,400, and was told not to get involved in another one, reports said.

Edwards, an adjunct business professor, taught in the university's industrial arts and vocational-education program, according to FAMU spokeswoman LaNedra Carroll. He was paid $602.41 biweekly, she said.

Carroll said she did not immediately know Edwards' job status. He has no prior criminal history in Leon County, records show.

Here's how the traditional Nigerian scam works: You receive an e-mail saying you've won a lottery, were left an inheritance or you're offered a business opportunity.

It asks the recipient to put up cash as security, basically putting up money now to get more money later. Then the sender is never heard from again, and the victim is out of luck.

In Edwards' case, he was offered part of an inheritance out of Lagos, Nigeria, through an e-mail, he told police.

He was sent checks, told to cash them and wait for further instruction. Eventually, he was supposed to wire some of the money back and keep the rest for himself.

On Jan. 3, Edwards deposited a $29,250 check into his savings account at FAMU Credit Union and took out $100 - even though he had only $55 in the account, according to an arrest report.

The next day, he deposited a $37,500 check into the credit-union account and took out another $100, the report said. Both checks were later returned as fraudulent, according to police.

Then, on Jan. 14, reports show Edwards tried to cash a check for $12,765 at Bank of America on Apalachee Parkway, where a teller immediately determined the check was counterfeit and called police.

Edwards told investigators he was "in dire financial straits and desperate for money," the arrest report said. The Tallahassee Democrat could not contact him Tuesday.

He posted $18,500 bail Saturday after his arrest and was released from the Leon County Jail, court records show. TPD did not release the information until Tuesday.

"He went to two different institutions (and) he was stung before," said Sgt. Bill Bierbaum of TPD's Financial Crimes Unit. "The message is, don't try it."


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[JeeberD]

Speaking of scams...


How does this kind of idiot become a business professor?!?!?

[Joe]

How does this kind of idiot become a business professor?!?!?

its not like he was a full-time professor.

[AlexB]

so does that mean he's only a part-time idiot?

[Ksyrup]

The story confuses me, actually. On one hand, it seems like he was legitimately conned, as hard as that is to believe. On the other hand, I almost think he did it on purpose, knowing the checks weren't legit but trying to get money out of them anyway because he needed the money. And now, he's just playing stupid.

Either way, he's up on charges.

[mhass]

I feel sorry for him. PM me your bank account number so I can support him.

[Airhog]

Jag: that one is legit AFAIK. It takes you right to the paypal website!

[Easy Mac]

How did he post 18K bail with $55? Wonder if he gave them a fraudulent check.

[JeffR]

Jag: that one is legit AFAIK. It takes you right to the paypal website!

The original e-mail probably used HTML to point the link to a different site, despite appearing to go to paypal.com. You wouldn't notice unless you checked the address bar after clicking.

[Young Drachma]

How does this kind of idiot become a business professor?!?!?

He was 61 and not internet savvy. And A&M is a black school, so maybe he thought it was some sort of under the radar thing and that "no one would know."

That said, they said he worked in the industrial arts division. Not exactly mergers and acquisitions.

Still, pretty dumb.

[MacroGuru]

JAG,

thats an email that looks legit....has PayPal called you yet?

I used to receive those a lot as I had clients pay me through paypal, and I was pushing a lot of money monthly through them, so they actually locked my account, and I had to fax information to them and such. Took me about a month to unlock it.

Give them a call, let them know about the email...just in case.

[JAG]

I highly doubt it is legit. For one thing, I received three of them. For another, almost always a company that has had a lot of phishing done to it tells you not to click on any links in their emailsl and to type in their URL to get to their website. Lastly, I went to their website for the heck of it and looked at my account. There was no email or message from PayPal and I had no recent account activity. So, I still think this email is bogus.

[Joe]

i still get those emails despite having my expired credit card information in my account. so i'm nearly positive its not legit.