New type of spam: "Send us money or we'll kill you"

Filter chaff - It was a piece of semi-random text, designed to statistically mimic real sentences in order to slip past filtering algorithms.

Some mail servers employ Bayesian analysis - a statistical method that allows (among other things) sentences to be ‘understood’ and categorised by a computer. Other mail servers will not allow a block of messages to be sent if the body text is identical.
The spammer uses a program that generates a unique block of text filter chaff for each message it sends, in the hope that it will elude automatic fitering processes.

It was a paranormal manifestation, I tell you! Must you sceptics dismiss what can only be explained as the Lizard King spouting his lousy poetry from the Other Side with your petty demands for “proof”, and your asinine rationalisations? Filter chaff? Ha! {stalks imperiously from thread, never to return}

“Beware the Jabberwock, my son…”

I wonder if this phenomenon will give rise to a new kind of scambaiting - how can you bait a scammer that is threatening to kill you? Maybe counter-threats?

The first ideas I came up with, involved things that I’m afraid must be illegal under US and EU law so you would have to use some other person’s computer and net access, so I’ll have to think some more about it…

Probably something like “I actually don’t even have a bank account… would it work for me to meet you somewhere?”

And then shoot missiles at them or something.

[QUOTE=Const. Don Crozier]
So you can be sure it didn’t come from a person whose native tongue was English.

[QUOTE]

It’s those bloody Quebec separatists, I tells ya. “We weel not lairn ze Aingleesh, even to make ze threats!”

[QUOTE=Otto]

[QUOTE=Const. Don Crozier]
So you can be sure it didn’t come from a person whose native tongue was English.

Just a nitpick:
Actually if you want to get the Quebecois accent correct change your Zee to dee and the er sound is very prounounced and drop your H’s unless you want to say the word H then it would be prounounced Haich. And “Threat” would depending on your regional dialogue be pronounced Tret.

Heh, screw that, they live in America, let 'em learn to threaten people in English like the rest of us!

My gods, they’re incorporated.

I got one yesterday from some plutocrat in Nigeria. He offered to split 39 million with me. I was kind of interested until he explained that it was 30% to me, 60% to him and 10% for expenses. I mean, really, 30% of 39 million just ain’t worth the trouble.

I also got one this morning from Smith-Barney, ordering me to go to a website to begin the mandatory confirmation process. This one actually looks pretty good; the logo looks authentic and the language is used correctly.

I haven’t been threatened, though. Maybe if I receive the threat, I can buy them off by giving them the 30% of the Nigerian 39 million.

“I don’t have the money in my account, but I have some ‘business associates’ that will be more than willing to help me, here is there email address.”

Wouldn’t be surprised if they were one in the same.

Huge Doors fan here, but nevertheless I thought this statement was hilarious.

Think “Cellular”, or maybe “Phonebooth”.

“Oh my god! I’m heading right now to wire the money, please don’t kill me!”

“You better hurry you bitch, you’ve got about an hour to live!”

“Oh fuck, fuck, fuck! I’m stuck in traffic, I’m sending this message from my phone, can I please please please have an extra hour?!?”

“One hour, no more, and remember we’re watching you!”

“Oh fuck! I’m not going to make it, can I drop it off and your hit man pick it up? If he’s right near me I can just get cash and drop it off somewhere and he can pick it up, please don’t kill me!”

“Send the fucking wire bitch!”

“Oh my God! I’ve just slipped outside the bank and I think I’ve broken my hip, please don’t shoot me!”

etc.

Not as fun as the Nigerian, but some really crazy situations could pop up. I’m guessing the endless creativity of bored people getting these spams will make for some good times sometime soon.

Enjoy,
Steven

Actually, how about asking them if you can set up a local franchise of their International Assassination Organisation?

ROFLMAO, if you have a couple of buddies willing to go along with it, and have a webcam…make a small ‘snuff’ flick and email it back asking if you were good enough to join up with them…<evil grin> I know there are websites out there that tell you how to do bloody special effects=)

Limited liability, actually.

OG ÉCRASE !

New Health Risk: Spamblockers

Lansing, MI (AP)—Grenadine “Mother” Coots, great-grandmother of forty-four, was gunned down yesterday outside her home in Bad Axe, Michigan, by beligerant spammers, alleges the Bad Axe Chief of Police. “The department, i.e. me, is going to work on this case with out rest until it, that is the department, i.e. me, collapses of exhaustion. Obviously, we hope to catch the culprit within the next couple of days.”

Mother Coots’s murder is but one of a string of violent and seemingly random murders taking place across the globe. According to Homeland Security Chief Tom Ridge, spammers have taken their email extortion scams to unheard of levels. “What is most disturbing about this,” Ridge said Tuesday, “Is that the criminals don’t consider whether the prolific use of spamblockers are preventing the targets from even getting the threats in the first place.”

Two hours after Ridge’s statements, this pattern was taken to even new levels when an eleven year old Guatemalan boy was killed in a car-bombing in Cobán, Guatemala. Shortly after the explosion claimed the boy’s life, the Huehuetenango Daily Post received a telephone call from a woman claiming to be responsible for the attack. “If he didn’t want to die, then he should have gotten an email account!!” she shouted through a bullhorn over the phone. Fortunately, the woman’s apartment was next to the Hueuetenango police headquarters and by her twelfth call to the eleventh newspaper (she had one misdial) the police were able to locate her from her amplified voice coming from the apartment.

Having anticipated this sort of technological terrorism, the Central Intelligence Agency has leaped into action, according to a White House spokesperson early this morning. “The CIA has developed a spam message,” she said, “That causes a lethal electrocution through the mouse when the spam is opened.” Unfortunately, the CIA has been unable to track the culprits. This has not stopped the Administration, however. Under executive order #78526585, titled “Operation I Swear This Isn’t A Crusade, Honest!” the National Security Agency is sending the counter-spam to any email address with a “Muslim-sounding name.”