# Was this a phishing attempt?
**URL:** https://boards.straightdope.com/t/was-this-a-phishing-attempt/578259
**Category:** Factual Questions
**Created:** [April 13, 2011, 7:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/was-this-a-phishing-attempt/578259 "2011-04-13T19:07:02Z")
**Posts on this page:** 10
**Page:** 1
### Author:  [@picker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/picker)
#### Post date: [April 13, 2011, 7:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/was-this-a-phishing-attempt/578259/1 "2011-04-13T19:07:02Z")
I tend to think, in retrospect, that it was. It’s remarkably normal until the last email, and the lack of specific info in the first didn’t stand out at all at first glance.
The level of social engineering is a little scary.
Scenario:
Saw an ad in the free section of Craigslist, for a copier on its last legs but still working. ‘wanted to give it to a small business or startup’ who could get some use out of it before it died.
The actual posting has been deleted, but that’s the gist.
I responded, and heard nothing for two days, then this:
> [@](#):
>
> I’m sorry that I didn’t get back to you sooner, I promised this to the first person who emailed me but she hasn’t replied to my email. Are you still interested?
>
> I’ve got a work thing tomorrow but then I will be home for the next few days. Please let me know if that works for you.
my response:
> [@](#):
>
> Hi!
>
> Yes, I am available this afternoon after 3 pm until whenever, and most
> of Wednesday. Tuesday morning would work, but I’m slammed most of
> tomorrow. If you want to come by today, just send an address and a
> time, and I’ll be there.
>
> Thanks so much!
> Stephen
Another day went by and this came:
> [@](#):
>
> Hey,
>
> I’m VERY sorry, the other person actually emailed me back again, seems her other message went to the spam mail and I never saw it. I feel really bad..
>
> You know, I wasn’t actually gonna mention this, but a week ago I got this check in the mail for $1300 from the government. It would seem if your income isn’t over $85k each year you could qualify for it as a part of a grant program. Don’t know about you, but high school teachers do not make very much and the extra money was very useful this month.
>
> I applied for grant #BY3653, the choice that had “Economic Relief” in the title. It was very straightforward, you just need to go to this page:
>
> [WEBSITE ADDRESS]
>
> The application only takes about 2-3 minutes and you can do it all on your computer. One thing though, please do not let too many people know about this. Ive heard they don’t have too much money and I would like to make sure some friends will be able to receive the grant as well. Thanks, and I’m sorry again for the whole mix up.
> Marian
So, yeah, I’m thinking it was all a well-thought out and engineered phishing attempt - probably to a site with malware embedded. What say you, Dopers?
---
### Author:  [@voltaire](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/voltaire)
#### Post date: [April 13, 2011, 7:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/was-this-a-phishing-attempt/578259/2 "2011-04-13T19:11:55Z")
Was the url at all phishy looking? Was it a .gov?
But yeah, probably a scam of some sort.
---
### Author:  [@beowulff](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/beowulff)
#### Post date: [April 13, 2011, 7:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/was-this-a-phishing-attempt/578259/3 "2011-04-13T19:13:46Z")
Maybe not Phishy, but definitely Spammy.
---
### Author:  [@Baracus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Baracus)
#### Post date: [April 13, 2011, 7:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/was-this-a-phishing-attempt/578259/4 "2011-04-13T19:17:13Z")
Probably a scam of some sort. Either phish your bank account information or send you a fake check and then discover that there was an “error with your application” and you need to Western Union the money back to them.
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### Author:  [@ratatoskK](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ratatoskK)
#### Post date: [April 13, 2011, 7:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/was-this-a-phishing-attempt/578259/5 "2011-04-13T19:17:44Z")
Definitely some kind of attack.
---
### Author:  [@picker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/picker)
#### Post date: [April 13, 2011, 7:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/was-this-a-phishing-attempt/578259/6 "2011-04-13T19:56:29Z")
not at all suspicious looking URL, btw.
---
### Author:  [@tellyworth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tellyworth)
#### Post date: [April 13, 2011, 11:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/was-this-a-phishing-attempt/578259/7 "2011-04-13T23:07:10Z")
> [@picker](#):
>
> not at all suspicious looking URL, btw.
If you PM me the URL I can check it out for you.
---
### Author:  [@picker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/picker)
#### Post date: [April 13, 2011, 11:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/was-this-a-phishing-attempt/578259/8 "2011-04-13T23:31:16Z")
check your PMs.
Thanks!
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### Author:  [@tellyworth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tellyworth)
#### Post date: [April 14, 2011, 12:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/was-this-a-phishing-attempt/578259/9 "2011-04-14T00:59:43Z")
It is most certainly a scam, of the “pay for something that’s actually free” variety. It may or may not be a phishing scam as well (these guys often run multiple scams at once). It’s all over Craigslist at the moment.
Please report it to Craigslist, including the URL you showed me.
The site itself probably isn’t an immediate threat provided you don’t actually fill in any forms, but it does use a bunch of tricks to try to hide what it’s really doing. Avoid.
---
### Author:  [@intelecto](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/intelecto)
#### Post date: [April 15, 2011, 1:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/was-this-a-phishing-attempt/578259/10 "2011-04-15T01:57:12Z")
This person responded almost exactly the same:
The item posted was a free dog house.
Hey,
I’m so SO sorry, the first person just emailed me back again, turned out her first email ended up in my junk mail and I must have missed it. I feel like an idiot…
I actually wasnt going to mention this, but a few weeks ago I received this check in the mail for $1100 from the state gov. Apparently if your income isn’t over $85k each year you can qualify for it too as part of a grant program. I’m not sure about you, but kindergarden teachers dont earn too much and the income really helped us out a lot this month.
I received grant #KU9204, it was the choice with “Income Assistance” in the title. It was easy, just go to this website:
The application only takes 2-3 minutes and you can do it all on the computer. Just one thing: please dont tell too many people about it. I dont think theyve got unlimited money and I want to make sure that my friends can receive the money as well. Thanks, and i’m sorry again for the whole mixup.
I do not understand what is the purpose of this because whenever I try to see the page it says that I do not have a valid grant ID.