Spammer harvesting Rockbox forum emails (was: Don't want to be a bug but...)

[Danfried]

I wish when new users are added that the email address is hidden...I have already got an email from an "AMANIE DOUDOU" and they got my email address from the Rockbox Forums...Here is the message

I received the same Nigerian scam email from "AMANIE DOUDOU", also "from the Rockbox Forums".  My only changed  my email address to "hidden" after seeing this thread.  I can't recall what was the default setting.

[NaFIann]

Hi,

I don't know where to post this, so I post it here.
I just got an email from some west african, about some alleged business deal.
It was obviously a hoax, and the person got my email from the technical forum memberlist.

So as a warning: you might get these kind of mails too.
They're often about a business deal or some inheritance from someone you've never heard of.
They then require a downpayment for administration or something else and once they get it, they leave with the money.

I hope this is useful to some of you on the forums.

NaFiann

[Llorean]

Please search before posting such things. You're the third person to post on this, at least. And it comes from choosing not to hide your email address. People harvest email addresses from webpages all the time.

[NaFIann]

Sorry bout that, feel free to remove the topic

[Llorean]

In the future, when there's a checkbox during registration for "Hide my email address from the public" you might want to click it.
We really can't prevent people from abusing your information when you choose to share it with them publicly.

[AlexP]

What is the default though (I signed up so long ago, I can't remember)?  And if it is not hidden by default, is this something we have any control over?  If so, it might be an idea to hide by default.

[Llorean]

The default is "show", but the checkbox is right next to the box you type your email address into while registering. Log out, and click "Register" and you'll see it. I'd have to do some digging to change, but at the same time, I think it's so incredibly obvious that the people who don't see it are also the people who don't scroll down that page and read the agreement (it's far more obvious), and I have a hard time feeling sympathetic with people who aren't interested in reading everything and being good members of the community.

I do suppose that's a little callous of me though, but honestly, we can't help how we feel.

[AlexP]

One quick log out and in later...

Hah, yeah, that is really very obvious.

[NaFIann]

yeah you're absolutely right Llorean, usually I check for such things, don't know how I missed it this time.

I didn't mean to suggest it was the fault of rockbox ops, but just meant to warn people that those emails were hoaxes (incredibly, many people still fall for these mails)

[Llorean]

What makes me curious is why the spammer is telling people it came from our forums (or what about the spam tells you he got the email address from here), since nobody's really clearly explained that one yet.

[NaFIann]

Well knowing he got it from rockbox is not that hard, as he literally says so in the mail.
As to why he mentions it, I haven't a clue. It doesn't really make it more believable at all (quite the opposite).

It is of course possible that such information is added to the messeage automatically, maybe if the information came from other places it does make it more believable, but that's just a guess.

Also, you could consider removing the email column from the memberlist. It would only make it a bit harder to find an email address, but it might be just enough to get the spamming down.

[Vipes]

Message from Rockbox Technical Forum Member

Letter of Relationship and Establishment Aid.
 From :Miss Celina Amina Doudou
Abidjan Cote d' Ivoire West Africa
Tel+22508516696
For logistic reason contact me on e.mail:(celindoud01@yahoo.fr)

Attention: Respectful
Greetings and How are you Dear Friend.I am Celina Doudou  from  Cote d' Ivoire in West Africa.  I would like you to Please permit me to apply through this medium for your cooperation  to secure an opportunity to invest and do joint relationship and establishment with you in your country. I got your contact from the Rockbox Technical Forum  Memberlist.
Hence I have  substantial capital which I honourably Inherited from my late father Chief Emile Boga Doudou  who was the minister of Interior and also have Cocao and Coffee plantation and deals in Gold, Diamond Mining and Trading in bouake Northern District of Coted' Ivoire in Western Africa, Before the Epmigo Rebels killed Him during the political crisis on the  mutiny rebellion upraising that equally lead to the death of former military junta Robert Guei.
I am contacting you because of my need to deal with honest person whom I can lay trust and personal confidence on with hope that he will not let me down,because since the murder of my father,I have been subjected to all sorts of harassment and intimidation with lots of negative reports emanating from the rebellion people due to this political crisis we are facing which have resulted to war in some part of our country Ivory Coast  since this past years.
 I legitmately inherited this sum from my late father who died recently and I intend to invest this money in profitable areas in your country into a very lucratives business venture of which you are to advise and execute the  venture over there for the mutual benefits of both of us.
Most especially is for you to help me come over to your base if possible for You be able co-operate with me to become my business partner in your country and create ideas on how  money will be invested, properly managed and the type of investment after the money  is transferred to your custody with your assistance.I inherited this sum from my late father  whom the rebels killed because he was not supporting their selfish interest to topple the president Gbagbo the present president of Ivory Coast .
Please I want you to consider my situation and reply me with  the  indication of your willingness to  handle this transaction sincerely by protecting my Interest and upon your acceptance of this proposal.I will furnish you with the full details information, procedure on how to continue.The exact amount involved is the sum of Nine Million Five Hundred Thousand  USD ($9.500.000.00)USD
If you accept to associate with me,both of us will mutually agree on your percentage interest and share holding for helping me to secure the release of the deposit and investing the money into  lucratives profitable venture in your care.I will be glad to reserve this respect and opportunity for you if you so desire to relate with me with good mind and honesty. I do urge  you to kindly give this matter your immediate attention and the maximum seriousness it deserves for the smooth achievement of the aim.
I want you to be rest assured that everything is in order and legitimate it was due to the political crisis in our country that have resulted to war in some part of our region which have cause everybody to find a way of geting out from  the country,for this reason I use this medium to request for your assistance with hope that you will not let down the confidence I have already reposed on you.
This money is legitimately acquired by my late father from sales of Cocoa and Coffee and Diamond dealings.If it interests you Please forward your reply including your telephone number and fiscal address to my private email address so that I can provide you with more clarifications and details about it all.
Looking forward for your prompt response on e.mail:(celindoud01@yahoo.fr)
Thanks for your understanding and future cooperations.
Sincerely
Celina Doudou

Some big BS there.

[Febs]

Vipes, I've merged your post with two of the others started on this same subject.

[bluebrother]

Some big BS there.

So what? Everyone can fake the sender name (and in case of a mail server that accepts this also the sender email address). Unless you have checked the email headers (including used servers) this doesn't tell anything.

I'm getting spam from my own address all the time. Looking at the headers quickly reveals that those mails don't come from my box ...

[alan80]

Hi, fellow members, administrators of rockbox forums etc, below is a copy of a spam mail which was sent to me by another member who claims to be from Cote D'Ivoire about the establishment of aid and looking for bank account details. This members name is Nkomo Kamara.

 
Message from Rockbox Technical Forums Member   Spam  
  nkomo kamara  Sat, Feb 23, 2008 at 5:31 PM  
Reply-To: nkomartka@yahoo.fr  
To: kamanko12@yahoo.com  
Reply | Reply to all | Forward | Print | Delete | Show original  
 
Letter of Relationship and Establishment Aid.
From : Nkomo Kamara
Abidjan Cote d' Ivoire.
Tel+22507924282
For logistic reason contact me on e.mail:(nkomartka@yahoo.fr)
Attention: Respectful
Greetings and How are you Dear Friend. I am Nkomo Kamara from Cote d' Ivoire in West Africa. I would like you to Please permit me to apply through this medium for your cooperation  to secure an opportunity to invest and do joint relationship and establishment with you in your country. I got your contact address  from Rockbox Technical Forums  Memberlist.
Hence  I have  substantial capital which I honourably Inherited from my late father Chief Kamara Emile  Doudou who was the minister of Interior and also have Cocao and Coffee plantation and deals in Gold, Diamond mining and Trading in bouake Northern District of Coted' Ivoire in Western Africa. Before the Epmigo rebels killed him during the political crisis on the  mutiny rebellion upraising that equally lead to the death of former military junta Robert Guei.
I am contacting you because of my need to deal with honest person whom I can lay trust and personal confidence on with hope that he will not let me down,because since the murder of my father,I have been subjected to all sorts of harassment and intimidation with lots of negative reports emanating from the rebellion people due to this political crisis we are facing which have resulted to war in some part of our country Cote d' Ivoire since this past years.
I legitmately inherited this sum from my late father who died recently and I intend to invest this money in profitable areas in your country into a very lucratives business venture of which you are to advise and execute the  venture over there for the mutual benefits of both of us.
Most especially is for you to help me come over to your base if possible for You be able co-operate with me to become my business partner in your country and create ideas on how  money will be invested, properly managed and the type of investment after the money  is transferred to your custody with your assistance.I inherited this sum from my late father  whom the rebels killed because he was not supporting their selfish interest to topple the president Gbagbo the present president of Cote d' Ivoire.
I want to consider my situation and reply me on the indication of your willingness to  handle this transaction sincerely by protecting my Interest and upon your acceptance of this proposal.I will furnish you with the full details information, procedure on how to continue.The exact amount involved is the sum of Nine Million Five Hundred Thousand  USD ($9.500.000.00)USD
If you accept to associate with me,both of us will mutually agree on your percentage interest and share holding for helping me to secure the release of the deposit and investing the money into  lucratives profitable venture in your care.I will be glad to reserve this respect and opportunity for you if you so desire to relate with me with good mind and honesty. I do urge  you to kindly give this matter your immediate attention and the maximum seriousness it deserves for the smooth achievement of the aim.
I want you to be rest assured that everything is in order and legitimate it was due to the political crisis in our country that have resulted to war in some part of our region which have cause everybody to find a way of geting out from  the country,for this reason I use this medium to request for your assistance with hope that you will not let down the confidence I have already reposed on you.
This money is legitimately acquired by my late father from sales of Cocoa and Coffee and Diamond dealings. If it interests you Please forward your reply including your telephone number and fiscal address to my private email address so that I can provide you with more clarifications and details about it all.
Looking forward for your prompt response on e.mail:(nkomartka@yahoo.fr)
Thanks for your understanding and future cooperations.
Sincerely
Nkomo Kamara
Abidjan Cote d' Ivoire


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