Laziest. Scammer. Ever.

Dannyalcatraz

Schmoderator

Staff member

Supporter

• Nov 18, 2013

• #1

So I got an email last night, from "National Lottery" with a subject line that said, "Read". The email, in its entirety, was:

You have won,Contact me for further details.

Click to expand...

Part of me hopes this guy gets caught. Part of me wants to see who falls for this in the "A fool and his money..." category.

 

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Morrus

Well, that was fun

Staff member

• Nov 18, 2013

• #2

It's actually cleverer than it looks. Scam emails are deliberately bad; that way, the form a self-filter. Only the really easy targets (some elderly or vulnerable people, for example) will respond. You and I (and most people) are filtered out, which is to the scammer's advantage - they don't want to waste time on people who won't fall for it.

 

Dannyalcatraz

Schmoderator

Staff member

Supporter

• Nov 18, 2013

• #3

I know- I had to study a bunch of scams a few years ago- but I've never seen one that didn't at least sell the story of the lottery.

 

Z

Zombie_Babies

First Post

• Nov 18, 2013

• #4

Elderly folks aren't exactly as internet savvy as some of the younger generation. Coupled with some of the nasty things advanced age can do to a mind, well, you don't exactly need much. People lose their life savings spending money on TV shopping shows ... sometimes literally ordering the same item a dozen times. Something that simple doesn't mean it's lazy. It just means that sometimes it doesn't take a whole lot to get the job done.

Additionally the scammer could have cast a huge net with this particular item hoping to, at best, gain a few hundred bucks here and there while also running a less broadly targeted and more sophisticated scam along with it.

 

Homicidal_Squirrel

Adventurer

• Nov 19, 2013

• #5

This reminds me of the comedian that got one of those scam emails saying that the scammer was a hired assassin sent to kill the comedian. The comedian hooks the scammer and ends up having this amazing exchange of emails. Funny stuff.

 

Dannyalcatraz

Schmoderator

Staff member

Supporter

• Nov 19, 2013

• #6

I know all that- went through it with my paternal grandparents- but I still have never seen one so stripped down.

 

trappedslider

Legend

• Nov 19, 2013

• #7

reminds me of Scott Adams (of Dilbert fame) when he said "The Nigerian Email Scam — As you probably learned in high school, the entire GNP of Nigeria is based on revenue generated from email scams."

 

Z

Zombie_Babies

First Post

• Nov 19, 2013

• #8

Homicidal_Squirrel said:

This reminds me of the comedian that got one of those scam emails saying that the scammer was a hired assassin sent to kill the comedian. The comedian hooks the scammer and ends up having this amazing exchange of emails. Funny stuff.

Click to expand...

What comic was it?

Dannyalcatraz said:

I know all that- went through it with my paternal grandparents- but I still have never seen one so stripped down.

Click to expand...

Yeah, it is remarkably bare bones.

 

Homicidal_Squirrel

Adventurer

• Nov 19, 2013

• #9

I forgot the guy's name. I think he also posted his adventures in signing credit card receipts with the weirdest stuff. If I remember, and I manage to find it, I'll link it. It's quite amazing to read how this guy strings along the scammers.

 

Z

Zombie_Babies

First Post

• Nov 19, 2013

• #10

I think I've seen the credit card stuff. I vaguely remember an article linked in the place that didn't exist and now really doesn't. Can't remember who it was, though.