Another scam victim, £350,000 this time

Rolfe · 4th April 2009, 07:02 AM

Elderly Scot duped out of £350,000 in lottery scam

They seem to have got this guy twice over - once with the lottery win and once with the legacy one. Does gullibility come with old age, or what? Hasn't there been enough publicity about these scams for people to be aware of them?

Yes, I know this was telephone and not internet, but I didn't know where else to put the thread.

Rolfe.

moopet · 5th April 2009, 01:41 AM

Perhaps it's less gullibility and more unfamiliarity with "new" types of scam. We see through these things partly because we've read about them hundreds of times and (in the case of the Internet) we often have a working knowledge of the system being exploited. A lot of the older generation still don't see any reason to go online. If my grandkids dragged me into their hip new fly fishing scene, I'd probably be easy prey for any fake flounder salesman unless I put in significantly more effort than I would in a familiar environment.

I know I'm replying as if this was a net scam, but hey.

Dancing David · 5th April 2009, 06:15 AM

Certainly there is some sort of natural selection process.

We get 'phising' e-mails on a regular basis, of the 'your account has been disabled', 'fraudulent activity on your account' sort. Now while hopefully many people ignore them as scams, there must be a certain percentage that respond.

That is the pay off. So there are large scale e-mails for a small percet of pay offs.

The Nigerian bank scam sure seems to work as well.

What always gets me is the "Your computer is infectd with SuperBad, click okay to install WonderCleaner."

If it aint your own anti-virus software, run like heck.

It is most likely AntiVirus 2009.

dtugg · 5th April 2009, 08:33 AM

Originally Posted by Dancing David

What always gets me is the "Your computer is infectd with SuperBad, click okay to install WonderCleaner."

If it aint your own anti-virus software, run like heck.

It is most likely AntiVirus 2009.

Oh, God. I got that on my old computer. I am not even sure how it happened. Most annoying thing ever.

Dancing David · 6th April 2009, 05:11 AM

usually from a web page spoof that redirects you, just shut down the computer or go to task manager and shut down that window. As long as you don't click install you are pkay, or scan.

(Did it last week to a test machine, that was fun.)

Ducky · 6th April 2009, 06:00 AM

Originally Posted by Dancing David

usually from a web page spoof that redirects you, just shut down the computer or go to task manager and shut down that window. As long as you don't click install you are pkay, or scan.

(Did it last week to a test machine, that was fun.)

This is an example where NoScript or other sorts of ad/script blocking is a good idea. If the page can't execute the javascript to pop the ad, you're generally fine.

Also, iframe exploits are common and NoScript can block those as well. NoScript is FF specific, but I am sure there are equivalents for other browsers:

http://noscript.net/

Psi Baba · 8th April 2009, 01:28 PM

Originally Posted by dtugg

Oh, God. I got that on my old computer. I am not even sure how it happened. Most annoying thing ever.

One really annoying thing about it is that it overwrites your HOSTS file. I discovered that when it appeared on a coworker's computer and certain special router configurations suddenly weren't working even after the spyware had been removed. If you've had this on your computer, take a look at your HOSTS file.

OnTopic: It seems there was a bit of greed involved there, too. If someone's got 350,000 pounds at their disposal . . . Also, why is it that people are so willing to believe that they've won a lottery that they know they didn't play to begin with?

Rolfe · 8th April 2009, 05:02 PM

You'd wonder, wouldn't you. But they do.

Rolfe.

4th April 2009, 07:02 AM	#1
Rolfe Anti-homeopathy illuminati member Join Date: Sep 2003 Location: NT 150 511 Posts: 34,326	Another scam victim, £350,000 this time Elderly Scot duped out of £350,000 in lottery scam They seem to have got this guy twice over - once with the lottery win and once with the legacy one. Does gullibility come with old age, or what? Hasn't there been enough publicity about these scams for people to be aware of them? Yes, I know this was telephone and not internet, but I didn't know where else to put the thread. Rolfe.
	__________________ "The way we vote will depend, ultimately, on whether we are persuaded to hope or to fear." - Aonghas MacNeacail, June 2012.

5th April 2009, 06:15 AM	#3
Dancing David Penultimate Amazing Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: Central Illinois Posts: 34,705	Certainly there is some sort of natural selection process. We get 'phising' e-mails on a regular basis, of the 'your account has been disabled', 'fraudulent activity on your account' sort. Now while hopefully many people ignore them as scams, there must be a certain percentage that respond. That is the pay off. So there are large scale e-mails for a small percet of pay offs. The Nigerian bank scam sure seems to work as well. What always gets me is the "Your computer is infectd with SuperBad, click okay to install WonderCleaner." If it aint your own anti-virus software, run like heck. It is most likely AntiVirus 2009.
	__________________ Hell, dynamiting fish in a barrel is more challenging. - Ladewig I suspect you are a sandwich, metaphorically speaking. -Donn And a shot rang out. Now Space is doing time... -Ben Burch You built the toilet - don't complain when people crap in it. _Kid Eager

6th April 2009, 05:11 AM	#5
Dancing David Penultimate Amazing Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: Central Illinois Posts: 34,705	usually from a web page spoof that redirects you, just shut down the computer or go to task manager and shut down that window. As long as you don't click install you are pkay, or scan. (Did it last week to a test machine, that was fun.)
	__________________ Hell, dynamiting fish in a barrel is more challenging. - Ladewig I suspect you are a sandwich, metaphorically speaking. -Donn And a shot rang out. Now Space is doing time... -Ben Burch You built the toilet - don't complain when people crap in it. _Kid Eager

8th April 2009, 01:28 PM	#7
Psi Baba Homo Skepticalis Join Date: Aug 2001 Location: Occupying my barstool Posts: 3,179	Originally Posted by dtugg Oh, God. I got that on my old computer. I am not even sure how it happened. Most annoying thing ever. One really annoying thing about it is that it overwrites your HOSTS file. I discovered that when it appeared on a coworker's computer and certain special router configurations suddenly weren't working even after the spyware had been removed. If you've had this on your computer, take a look at your HOSTS file. OnTopic: It seems there was a bit of greed involved there, too. If someone's got 350,000 pounds at their disposal . . . Also, why is it that people are so willing to believe that they've won a lottery that they know they didn't play to begin with?
	__________________ Save Caribbean Rum! (seriously) Last edited by Psi Baba; 8th April 2009 at 01:33 PM. Reason: to add something that's at least on topic

8th April 2009, 05:02 PM	#8
Rolfe Anti-homeopathy illuminati member Join Date: Sep 2003 Location: NT 150 511 Posts: 34,326	You'd wonder, wouldn't you. But they do. Rolfe.
	__________________ "The way we vote will depend, ultimately, on whether we are persuaded to hope or to fear." - Aonghas MacNeacail, June 2012.

5th April 2009, 01:41 AM	#2
moopet binary decision maker Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: Scotland Posts: 705	Perhaps it's less gullibility and more unfamiliarity with "new" types of scam. We see through these things partly because we've read about them hundreds of times and (in the case of the Internet) we often have a working knowledge of the system being exploited. A lot of the older generation still don't see any reason to go online. If my grandkids dragged me into their hip new fly fishing scene, I'd probably be easy prey for any fake flounder salesman unless I put in significantly more effort than I would in a familiar environment. I know I'm replying as if this was a net scam, but hey.

5th April 2009, 08:33 AM	#4
dtugg Banned Join Date: Jul 2008 Location: NWO headquarters Posts: 7,898	Originally Posted by Dancing David What always gets me is the "Your computer is infectd with SuperBad, click okay to install WonderCleaner." If it aint your own anti-virus software, run like heck. It is most likely AntiVirus 2009. Oh, God. I got that on my old computer. I am not even sure how it happened. Most annoying thing ever.

6th April 2009, 06:00 AM	#6
Ducky Titanium Puprhero Join Date: Jun 2005 Location: Mayor of your front lawn. Posts: 12,296	Originally Posted by Dancing David usually from a web page spoof that redirects you, just shut down the computer or go to task manager and shut down that window. As long as you don't click install you are pkay, or scan. (Did it last week to a test machine, that was fun.) This is an example where NoScript or other sorts of ad/script blocking is a good idea. If the page can't execute the javascript to pop the ad, you're generally fine. Also, iframe exploits are common and NoScript can block those as well. NoScript is FF specific, but I am sure there are equivalents for other browsers: http://noscript.net/