Sometimes I think I could go all the way to “Ridiculous Spam Friday, Part Infinity” and never run out of examples.
Here’s a pretty standard advance fee fraud message:
From: Jiang Jianmin <Jiang.Jianmin@ctcb.cn>
Date: Saturday, May 01, 2010 2:02 AM
To: none
Subject: Very Important*Good Day,
I have a secured business proposal of $28,272,000.00.Contact me via my private
email(cncn1_jiang_jianmin2011@yahoo.com.cn)if interested.Mr Jiang Jianmin.
I’ve noticed the “business proposal” scam messages never go into much detail. It’s a different approach than the lottery, inheritance or soldier versions, who often practically write you a novel.
From: Twitter Support <support@twitter.com>
Date: Monday, April 26, 2010 2:20 PM
To: [correct address]
Subject: Twit 32-37Hi,
You have 2 information message(s)
http://twitter.com/account/message/9A2D6-2395The Twitter Team
Please do not reply to this message; it was sent from an unmonitored email address. This message is a service email related to your use of Twitter. For general inquiries or to request support with your Twitter account, please visit us at Twitter Support.
This one was sneaky. It looked exactly like a message that might come from Twitter. The link on “Twitter Support” even took you to the real page. However, the link for the “information message(s)” was disguised—it led to a website in Croatia (.hr). Eastern Europe is a hotbed of this type of stuff these days.
From: Reward-Aisle <Reward-Aisle@littleb1tes.info>
Date: Tuesday, March 16, 2010 11:07 PM
To: [correct address]
Subject: Take Our TV Survey. Get a $250 Card.Are you going to watch the reality mom take the dance floor?
http://littleb1tes.info/c/77gydK5R91-R9aC8lizf3g.html?0
Let us know if you?re over Kate Gosselin or excited for her Dancing With the Stars(R) debut. Then get a $250 Visa(R) gift card FREE, details apply.
http://littleb1tes.info/c/77gydK5R91-R9aC8lizf3g.html?0
—
Reward-Aisle?s Gift Program is not endorsed, sponsored by or affiliated with Visa, Visa International Service Association, Dancing with the Stars, ABC, American Broadcasting Companies, Inc., or any other merchants listed above. Such terms are registered trademarks of their respective owners.
This promotion is conducted exclusively by Reward-Aisle. Participation terms and conditions apply. To receive the promotional gift, you must: 1) register with valid contact information; 2) complete the user survey; 3) complete the required number of Silver, Gold and Platinum sponsor offers. Available offers will vary and some may require a purchase to qualify. Please refer to the ?Program Requirements? link on the web site for details. Unless otherwise indicated, eligibility is restricted to US residents, 18 and over. Void where prohibited.
UNSUBSCRIBE | http://littleb1tes.info/c/77gydK5R91-R9aC8lizf3g.html?1 | Reward-Aisle | P.O. Box 24017, Dartmouth NS B3A4T4
To remove yourself from this list,
click here http://littleb1tes.info/u/77gydK5R91-R9aC8lizf3g.html
or write to us at:
PO Box 7775
San Francisco, CA 94120
I don’t know if this is a scam, a setup for drive-by downloads, or just some really bad advertising. And I don’t care, because it’s complete garbage.
When you get a message like this, the only action to take is to delete it. You don’t even want to use that link to remove yourself from their list, because these people don’t need to know that your address works.