On Sun, 20 Mar 2005 07:40:12 -0600, "Jim Fisher"
wrote:

"Roy Smith" wrote in message news:roy-
They are also getting increasingly sophisticated. I used to be able to
tell immediately from the shoddy graphics that it wasn't the real thing.
Not long ago, I got one phishing for my Citibank info that I couldn't tell
apart from the real thing.

Well, perhaps cosmetically. There's so many other clues that it is a scam
that one has to wonder at who would actually respond to these things.

Recently, I received a very legitimate SunTrust Bank scam. I was bored and
decided to go ahead click the links and fill out the form with required (but
fake) information. Y'all ought to do it sometime. It is quite interesting.

They asked for my name, address, phone number, mother maiden name, Social
Security number, bank account & routing number, and other information that
was very personal that no bank would ever request. It is very difficult for
me to imagine someone who would be so naive or stupid enough to actually
enter real information.

Being a computing professional... I'd say about 90%, probably more.
These schemes are making *big* money, or they'd go away. Even the
spammers who use fake return addresses aren't worried. If they get
fined a few million it's only a drop in the bucket compared to what
they make.

If I ever do get a legit request via e-mail (which would really
surprise me) I'd never read it as they get trashed on the first line
or two if the spam checker doesn't catch them. So, if I really do owe
you money, don't bother with e-mail. :-)) You'll just get an
answering machine on the telephone.

What bank, credit card co, or organization would be dumb enough to
ask such things in an e-mail? (they do exist)

A bad one from the user end is using HTML e-mail. It looks pretty, but
always set them to text only. I do get the occasional "get a capable
HTML mail reader" comment though. :-)) At least every one is willing
to send me plain text versions of their news letters except the NRA
hasn't changed yet.

But, what the hey... with the money I've come into this last week from
three international lotteries, The widow who wants me to help her move
her late husband's money to the US, three oil investments, and 3 or 4
lawyers, trusts, estates, (you name 'em) I should have close to $200
million USD coming in. Oh, I forgot the two guys with terminal some
thing or other who want confidential help in moving their money out of
their country, or the guy who is trying to get his inheritance... I
should clear close to a quarter billion USD and all I have to do is
send them my bank account number.

Yup. In another month or two I can have all the planes I can fly and
all the toys I want ... and the Easter Bunny is going to leave solid
gold eggs in the front yard.

Roger Halstead (K8RI & ARRL life member)
(N833R, S# CD-2 Worlds oldest Debonair)
www.rogerhalstead.com

I consider it Digital Darwinism. Some folks just don't need to own a
computer.