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PM scams

(35 Posts)
gracesmum Tue 25-Sept-12 22:09:19

Anybody else had one of these? What a sneaky way to get past the spam filter and I actually feel quite "invaded". "She" doesn't actually ask for my bank details (yet) but I expect that would be next.angry
Dearest in the lord,

I am Mrs Justina Edwards from Sierra Leone,When my late husband was alive, he deposited the sum of $1.2 Million (USD) dollars in a Local Bank here in Lome, Togo.
I have being diagnosed with esophageal cancer and my Doctor told me that it is a delicate situation and having known my conditions, I have decided to donate this fund to a good person that will utilize this money the way I am going to instruct herein.
I want you to use at least 85% of this fund for orphanages, widows and and also propagating the word of God and to endeavor that the house of God is maintained and take the remaining 15% to take good care of your good God given home.
Assure me that you will act accordingly as I Stated herein and reply me immediately.
Thanks and Remain blessed in the Lord.

Try reply with your Full Name:

country:
State and Zip Code:
sex and age:
mobile phone number:

gracesmum Sun 30-Sept-12 18:32:01

I usually find my spam filter is quite enough and I rarely get undesirable emails, but as I said this was a Gransnet private message which I openend in good faith. Eblessing is (or was) clearly a member so if she is reading this I hope she realises what a useless exercise it all was. A complete waste of her and my time angry

Nanadogsbody Thu 04-Oct-12 08:43:11

Beware latest scam 'Turn Your Facebook Page Pink'. I've had two emails today already but don't go there. hmm

Greatnan Thu 04-Oct-12 09:24:34

Some appear to be just mischievous, like the one saying that you can see who has been looking at your FB profile. You can't!

Nanadogsbody Thu 04-Oct-12 09:38:13

I just wish people would pass such things through a reality filter and then google it. This will pick up most scams, malicious or mischievous. People believe the stupidest things. wink

gracesmum Thu 04-Oct-12 10:15:02

I think the point is nana that rather like "cold calls" - which we all know how to deal with, these intrusions are nevertheless very irritating. You don't have to fall for them, you can ignore them, but it is like someone chipping into a private conversation or turning up anannounced at your front door and being hard to get rid of. I can think of 2 religious organisations which engender the same irritation in me! I understand forn GNHQ that while what this member (?) did was not illegal, (s)he is unlikely to do it again - but, you know, when you get aa "private message" in your inbox, simple souls like me, tend to open them in good faith and then get cross.

Nanadogsbody Thu 04-Oct-12 10:26:08

Yes grace it's the irritation factor ( my iPad wanted to write irrigation factor... I suppose it's the dripping tap analogy) and the fact that people have forwarded these on to my mail box without thinking. I've already had one email address hijacked by hackers who send out fraud emails in my name and I don't want it to happen again.

I wonder how many people realise they could be giving away friends email details when they forward on things. I always delete all other names from previous forwards, and sent it on under blind cc.

Frankel Thu 04-Oct-12 11:05:39

Nana - I too try not to forward things on with e-mail addresses showing and when I send a message to a group, I send the message to myself with everyone else 'Blind Copy'. Sadly, my e-mail address is 'out there' despite being very careful and I now get 2/3 frauds every day in my SPAM filter. They are now all fraud - the Russian suppliers of 'viagra' via Canada, and the fake handbag suppliers, have presuambly given up on me - at least for now. Has anyone else been getting more fraud - businessmen from Africa, fake stockbrokers and pensions administrators, that sort of thing?

Anne58 Thu 04-Oct-12 11:12:52

I've had 2 recently that at first glance look like job offers. I googled the email address they gave and found it had been reported on a scam alert site. The person who reported it was (like me) actively job hunting, and nearly fell for it.

Nanadogsbody Thu 04-Oct-12 12:25:23

It's a junk jungle out there!
What happened to me was that someone started sending out emails from me, using my email address. Friends opened them, clicked on the link they thought I'd sent them and some picked up a virus or a Trojan horse or something, depending on their level of protection. angry
frankel I've changed my email address now. I never give it out except to close friends and GNetters and I have a second one just for daily use and places like Tesco and Amazon.
phoenix that's a nasty one, especially if you're job hunting.