BEWARE

[Oceanscience]

Beware of fraud.
Got the following email today!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Hello, Hope you get this on time, I made a trip to Spain, Madrid had my bag stolen from me with my Cash and credit cards in it. The embassy is willing to help by letting me fly with my passport, I just have to pay for a ticket and settle Hotel bills. Unfortunately for me, I can't have access to funds without my credit card, I've made contact with my bank but they need more time to come up with a new one. I was thinking of asking you to lend me about (1,550 Usd) to pay for my bills. please Let me know if this will be possible so I can forward you details on how you can get the funds to me.

I await your response
Bill Haynie

 

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[Treasure_Hunter]

Hope no one is naive enough to do so.

 

[signumops]

Yep, got the same email. Called Bill. He had a video card failure and during the repair, the tech disabled his Norton. Trojan for certain.
ps. If Bill went to Spain, they would have him in irons when they found out he was a treasure hunter.

 

[Goldminer]

I am certainly not in Spain!! I also received this BS signed by ME!! This has totally fouled up my Yahoo acct. I can't access my emails or even log in because Yahoo does not recognize my ID or password. I hope this ***hole rots in hell.
Bill

 

[gord]

Happened to me a week or 2 back, also on Yahoo! They locked up my account, changed or deleted all of the backup addresses, put in their own crap, including a local phone number. One of my contacts copied me with the email. I was able to use the contact link for lost password, and after a lot of effort got things restored.

They sure went to a lot of work on it, especially since none of my contacts cares enough about me to send a wooden nickel.

 

[Goldminer]

Terry,
Maybe it WAS the Spanish gov't. getting back at me for Lucaya.
Bill

 

[stefen]

Beware of fraud.
Got the following email today!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Hello, Hope you get this on time, I made a trip to Spain, Madrid had my bag stolen from me with my Cash and credit cards in it. The embassy is willing to help by letting me fly with my passport, I just have to pay for a ticket and settle Hotel bills. Unfortunately for me, I can't have access to funds without my credit card, I've made contact with my bank but they need more time to come up with a new one. I was thinking of asking you to lend me about (1,550 Usd) to pay for my bills. please Let me know if this will be possible so I can forward you details on how you can get the funds to me.

I await your response
Bill Haynie

Man, that sad story really pulled at my tender heart strings...

Just to let you know, my recent sale of the Golden Gate Bridge will not close escrow for at least 90 days...

So unfortunately, I can't help at this time...

 

[LM]

Software Security:

1: Always keep your browser and other programs (Flash, Adobe, etc) updated. When an update comes out, that basically means "Someone figured out how to exploit your machine via this software, here's the fix". Don't ignore updates.
2: Install a firewall (ZoneAlarm or Commodo are good, free choices)
3: Have decent real time antimalware (avast is a decent one)
4: Have a decent anti-virus program
5: If you use firefox, install "Keyscrambler" which protects you fairly well from software based keyloggers.
6: Use anti root-kit software (free choices: Blacklight Rootkit Scanner, TDSSKiller)
7: Turn off "Remote Desktop"
http://www.microsoft.com/resources/...proddocs/en-us/rdesktop_disable.mspx?mfr=true

Human Security:

1: Don't browse porn from backwater sources. 90% of it exists solely to exploit your machine. Stick to secure (large sites XVideos, Redtube, whatever)
2: Don't have dictionary passwords.
3: Don't use "universal" passwords.
The file table of your user information on the backend of many sites looks like this.
Username: JoeSmith
Email: [email protected]
Password: opensaysme3

What that means is when a hacker gains access to that information from SiteXYZ, one of the first things they're going to do is attempt to access your web based email and try logging in with that password. Once they're in your email they will immediately start looking for banking and financial information to hijack those accounts (which is trivially easy once they have control of your email). Is your password on treasurenet the same as your email? You're seriously insecure. This is probably one of the most common yet least talked about vulnerabilities.

4: Don't open email attachments, EVER, unless it's something you're expecting from someone specific.
5: Use layered email accounts. Everyone should have at least 3.
One for close personal communications (family, business)
One for communications that may be important but you don't want associated with your personal account (ebay, forum memberships, craigslist, etc)
One that is completely disposable, that you never bother to check, used for garbage that requires you to enter an email, but you don't want to hear back from.

All this sounds like a pain in the butt (and even all that isn't 100% guarantee), but it's just a matter of getting it all up and running, then developing good browsing and security practices. Unless you're an extrely high value target, most hackers don't waste their time with anything but low hanging fruit, since there's just so much of it out there. You can either secure yourself ahead of time or do it after the Russian hacker is sending emails out to your family asking them to Western Union emergency bail money on your behalf (after he's already drained your bank account)

 

[signumops]

Hear, here!
Also be aware that the most seemingly reliable sites, especially aggregators, descend down to the gutters eventually, where the indiscriminate exploiters are found slithering about in great numbers.