Beware Of This Email List Scam
So I received an e-mail from the contact form on this website recently that was… Peculiar, to say the least. Apparently, someone engaged in coitus with my non-existent boss because they were angry with me. However, there’s one problem: I don’t have a boss.
From: knockknock1125@yahoo.com
Subject: hey
Message: i really hope that you read messages thru site and nobody else…. Yes I fucked your boss yes I admit it but i was super-drunk and I was angry because of you!!!!
Why This Is An Email List Scam
There are some people out there collecting a list of emails either to sell later or to spam with offers. In this case, there are a several clues in the email that gave the true nature of it away.
- Vague wording (e.g., the recipient is referred to as “you” rather than by a name).
- The name field only ambiguously says “youknow”.
- The message is ostensibly directed at an employed individual, not a self-employed one.
- Similar scams have been used in the past to collect emails.
The way the spammer thought this would play out is as follows:
- The email collector sends the email
- You read the email
- You become confused
- You message them back (letting them know the email is active)
- They add the email to their list.
I’ll leave this post up in the event that someone else receives a similar message from the same email address.
72 different website owners have reported this email address on CleanTalk. The sender, whose IP is from Germany, has apparently hit websites using the name “Guess Who”, “You Know”, and several variations of the two. They’re targeting WordPress contact forms ranging from the latest version to version 3.1.
Other Email Addresses Used In This Scam
It looks like these spam e-mails are still going around. Here’s a list of e-mail you may receive the message from.
- taitewestmoreland2123@yahoo.com
- kathlenesatterleeudfo@yahoo.com
- bryannaslbrauningjt6189@yahoo.com
- elinormcclouderc@yahoo.com
- endamgburandtwi5178@yahoo.com
- gretsar@yahoo.com
- simonelastraohmc@yahoo.com
- xgcvconribhf@yahoo.com
- abrg1000@yahoo.com
- abbiecabraralkse@yahoo.com
New Spam Email May 2017
Here’s another one I read about recently. It appears to have the same M.O. as the email I received a year ago.
From: Vanessa E.J reply@economicslearn.com
Subject: Cut the cr*p and stop stalking me
Message:
Hey Scumbag,
Stop stalking me and my friend or I will report you. You piece of shit, cock-sucker douche. I do not know why you are doing this! You slept together once, only once. It does not mean anything. Have not you heard of hook up?
So, f*** off and leave us alone
I received the same email on June* 2 on my website is a website that works as my portfolio , nor do I have boss, but thank you very much for your information the ‘ll remember , if you find something you really appreciate it
Yeah, it looks like that email address has been reported as spam by 72 websites according to CleanTalk, so we’re not the only ones. I’ve updated the main article with this information as well.
https://cleantalk.org/blacklists?record=knockknock1125%40yahoo.com
Why is it worth anyone’s time to confirm that this way that the email is active?