Wonder How Many FALL for All the Phony Ads

[Caroline13]

from the Emails they get.

I get so many and same ones over and over every day. Open this for this delivery of a package, FED EX trying to deliver blah blah, and it goes on and on and on. I get requests from Southwest, Publix, Delta.... all wanting to Deliver something to me....ggrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr

I open NONE. I know what I'm expecting and the companies and they are not scammers.

Once all the scam emails are opening, do these people get their computers corrupted????? Just terrible what goes on in this tech world. and very Corrupt world.

[Caroline13]

Well, not a comment, no one else gets these bothersome email ads??????

[Dude111]

I hate spam ads!!!!!!

Sadly alot of people fall for them

[Caroline13]

Originally Posted by Dude111

I hate spam ads!!!!!!

Sadly alot of people fall for them

Dude, what I want to know is, those who fall for them, are their computers all corrupted, messed up etc? You know how that works, right????

[stevea]

i run a virus scan which has not detected any bad files or malware, but I did fall for a phony Home Depot "survey" about a year ago (It was logical to assume it was legit since I had made a purchase there). That got my email address "out there" for the spammers as someone who responded. As a result I don't even respond to survey requests anymore--and EVERYONE wants a survey now.

So the spam comes every once in awhile. A few weeks ago, there was a bunch of it from spoofed email addresses. All impossibly long Gmail addresses (with legit-looking display names), for things like Keurig coffee makers and Car Shield warranties. Gmail is an exploited service which probably does no screening of any kind--it must be the web-based email of choice for spammers and scammers.

[Caroline13]

Steve. I am bombarded daily with stuff from so mamy sources as I said above, and would NEVER open one, but wonder what would happen if I I or someone did open one. Is the computer Infected???? I resist surveys.

[GentlemanJim]

Originally Posted by Caroline13

Steve. I am bombarded daily with stuff from so mamy sources as I said above, and would NEVER open one, but wonder what would happen if I I or someone did open one. Is the computer Infected???? I resist surveys.

I think what you are talking about are e-mails that contain an attachment that is actually an executable file, that they try to get you to click on, thinking it's a good offer.

The file is actually a stand alone program that installs a virus, or a key logger.

Yes, those exist, they are bad, and thankfully not extremely common.

More common are the types that try to identify you as a distinct individual (not necessarily "Caroline13", but just as a genuine person) so they can track what you do, and sell the info to data aggregators.

I never give anyone my real e-mail. I've got about a dozen "burner" g-mail accounts that I use when websites demand an address as a TOS, such as signing up for "free" services. But the only time I even log onto those accounts are for the sites that require account authenticarion...and when I do that, there are usually 4009-600 junk e-mails that I just delete, don't even care what's in them.


I went through a vain phase back in the 1990s where I was determined to "be somebody" on the web. Used the same e-mail address everywhere I went, and used the same member name at all the forums and fan sites that I frequented....I was DETERMINED to create my own "brand" on the internet.....be somebody...etc.

It was the worst mistake that I ever made.
What I discovered is, that anonymity is the "gold standard" on the net.....

So, that's the way I play it.

Know how bad it is? "Jim" isn't the name of anyone in my family. I just picked the name for use here, thinking of Gentleman Dan Caldwell on one episode of Andy Griffith. And even managed to get that wrong.

But, then after thinking about it, I realized that "incorrect" is even more obscure, so I decided to stick with it.

[opus]

Sure you’ll all laugh at me now for clicking and opening everything, but six different Nigerian princes are going to make me mega rich as soon as I send them my bank account numbers, social security number, and mother’s maiden name. Then I’ll have the last laugh. Ka-ching

[GentlemanJim]

One area that I'm just now starting to have an awakening on, is browser "plug-ins".

They add nice fuctioning. But lately I've been getting nagged a lot that so-and-so's plug-in now offers a newer version, and that the update is either free, or has already been added without asking me,

And the whole idea that some freelance programmer has been monitoring my system close enough to know when I'm online, and the state of my machine.....really irritates me.

[Caroline13]

GJ: Giving real emails????? The tech industry knows all about us....I didn't give Southwest or DHL or FedEx or Kohls or or or my email but they send me their crap. Who knows maybe they to go after older grandma types....

I have a service with Frontier when I have issues and I'll call them and ask those smart people about this junk and is there a way to get rid of a lot of it coming in. .

Another "come on" is come and claim the iphone you've won....I've won so many iphones and never claimed a one, thank the Gods out there....

[icecream]

One of the spam emails I have gotten a few times: Looking for the dude who can handle me properly while shagging constantly. Yeah right.

[stevea]

Originally Posted by Caroline13

Steve. I am bombarded daily with stuff from so mamy sources as I said above, and would NEVER open one, but wonder what would happen if I I or someone did open one. Is the computer Infected???? I resist surveys.

I think I was lucky. It was on my old laptop--all that happened was an opening for spam emails. It could have been way worse. Fool me once, etc.

Even legit survey companies probably share your info., if you participate.

[Penny Lane]

Originally Posted by Dude111

I hate spam ads!!!!!!

Sadly alot of people fall for them

I get them all the time but just delete them. Never click on a link in their email.

[Dude111]

Originally Posted by opus

Sure you’ll all laugh at me now for clicking and opening everything, but six different Nigerian princes are going to make me mega rich as soon as I send them my bank account numbers, social security number, and mother’s maiden name.

Excellent im sure you did as you were told and sent all bogus info

[Caroline13]

Originally Posted by Penny Lane

I get them all the time but just delete them. Never click on a link in their email.

I elevated my question to the tech support I pay for and they gave me some ideas on what to do....but bottom line spam is here to stay and maybe the current spurt till get less.... I and a neighbor had a lot of kookie phone calls and now I hardly have one....

They probably move on to other zip and area codes...