Email

Who Cooked This!? (How did it all start?) The modern meaning of the word “spam” has nothing to do with spiced ham. In the early 1990’s, a skit by British comedy group Monty Python led to the word’s common usage. “The SPAM Skit” follows a couple struggling to order dinner from a menu consisting entirely of Hormel’s canned ham. Repetition is key to the skit’s hilarity. The actors cram the word “SPAM” into the 2.5 minute skit more than 104 times! This flood prompted Usenet readers to call unwanted newsgroup postings “spam“. The name stuck. Spammers soon focused on e-mail, ... Read more

A simple way for hackers or fraudsters to gather information about is through your email address. Many email services today offer profile sharing and create profiles on their sites directly from the information you provide when creating an email address. An example of this is windows live, or an MSN profile, Yahoo profile, even Google. Your most important email address is your personal email address. The one you most likely use for banking, your personal social media profiles, and personal communication with friends, family, clients, and co-workers. You should keep the shared information on your personal email as private as ... Read more

This is an email received about “ FREELOTTO AFFILIATED OFFICE U.K ” is a phishing scam and why not try to contact these people or log onto these sites and enter your data because you risk being stolen. FROM: GOVERNMENT ACCREDITED LICENSED LOTTERY PROMOTERS. FREELOTTO AFFILIATED OFFICE U.K, 82 VICTORIA STREET VICTORIA LONDON SW1 U.K TEL:+44-7031-810-592 NOTIFICATION OF WINNING We are pleased to inform you of the release of the recent results of the FREELOTTO INTERNATIONAL EMAIL PROMOTION PROGRAM held on the 1st of December 2015. You were entered as dependent clients with: Reference Serial Number:F2-003-036 and Batch number FR/45-300-07. Your ... Read more

This is an email received about “ Money Gram Money Transfer ” is a phishing scam and why not try to contact these people or log onto these sites and enter your data because you risk being stolen. Welcome to Money Gram Money Transfer Send Money Worldwide office Department Of Money Gram Cotonou Benin Republic ADDRESS: 1500 Akpakpa Avenue, Cotonou; Benin Visit Us Via Website: www.moneygram.com Greetings From Money Gram   Money Gram Money Transfer The Money Gram Transfer Service Cotonou Benin Headquarters wishes to inform you that our government has paid part of the fees needed for the final release of your funds which ... Read more

This is an email received about “FROM MRS. DEBORAH E. PAR” is a phishing scam and why not try to contact these people or log onto these sites and enter your data because you risk being stolen.   HELLO MY BELOVED IN THE LORD. MY PRIVATE EMAIL ADDRESS: mrs.deborahd@yahoo.co.za I AM MRS. DEBORAH E. PAR FROM REPUBLIC OF IRELAND, BORN IN THE STATE OF OHIO USA. I AM LEGALLY MARRIED TO MR.HILARY PAR, A SOUTH AFRICA CITIZEN BORN BROUGHT UP IN SWITZERLAND, I LIVE IN SWITZERLAND WITH MY HUSBAND FOR 32 YEARS BEFORE WE MOVE DOWN TO SOUTH AFRICA IN ... Read more

My mom was the recipient of an attempted scam – luckily she asked for my help in processing a credit card and so I was able to stop it before she actually lost any real money! Curtis Butler was the name used in these scam – 2 different email addresses (see below) Here is the original email: Received: by 10.96.25.9 with HTTP; Fri, 25 Jul 2014 16:14:48 -0700 (PDT) Reply-To: curbutler@gmail.com Date: Sat, 26 Jul 2014 00:14:48 +0100 Subject: Order enquiry From: Curtis BUTLER [pete11cooper@gmail.com] Hello, I am emailing to inquire about availability of artwork for sale in your gallery, ... Read more

Dear Kathleen, This is the first email from a series from this person. It is definitely a scam. Please post his name on your site. Any further advice for how I can report this, etc… would be appreciated. Thanks, Steve Begin forwarded message: From: Max Gardner [maxgardner402@yahoo.com] Subject: artwork Date: September 3, 2013 4:13:18 AM EDT Reply-To: Max Gardner [maxgardner402@yahoo.com]> Hello, My name is Max Gardner.  I found your profile on the internet. I am interested in purchasing an artwork from you for the decoration of my guest room at my new residence in Munich, Germany. Would appreciate if you ... Read more

On Jul 19, 2013, at 5:30 PM, Don Fisher wrote: — Hello, These  particular artwork of yours that you have for sale, is it still available and detailed price. Don. From: Don Fisher [bestofdonfisher@gmail.com] Date: July 20, 2013 2:45:51 AM PDT Subject: Re: Payment………………. Hello, Thanks for your prompt reply. Unfortunately, Im on my way to Mexico on an official trip(I’m a marketing Executive) and wont be back for another two weeks, I would have come to inspect the piece personally. Im taking your word for true on It though. I’m okay with the price $2,000, I think it worth ... Read more

It’s when scammers make lame mistakes that most people get suspicious that the purchase is not actually for real. This scammer using this fake name made several mistakes, but the obvious one that tipped the scales for the artist was saying they do not use PayPal. Then the artist got suspicious. But some scammer say they use PayPal and then send a faked payment confirmation email  hoping the artist will not manually check their account before wiring money to a non-existent shipper. So be careful. And google things that don’t make sense. On Aug 1, 2013, at 5:58 PM, Cindy ... Read more

My mom was the recipient of an attempted scam – luckily she asked for my help in processing a credit card and so I was able to stop it before she actually lost any real money! Curtis Butler was the name used in these scam – 2 different email addresses (see below) Here is the original email: Received: by 10.96.25.9 with HTTP; Fri, 25 Jul 2014 16:14:48 -0700 (PDT) Reply-To: curbutler@gmail.com Date: Sat, 26 Jul 2014 00:14:48 +0100 Subject: Order enquiry From: Curtis BUTLER [pete11cooper@gmail.com] Hello, I am emailing to inquire about availability of artwork for sale in your gallery, ... Read more

Dear Kathleen, This is the first email from a series from this person. It is definitely a scam. Please post his name on your site. Any further advice for how I can report this, etc… would be appreciated. Thanks, Steve Begin forwarded message: > From: Max Gardner [maxgardner402@yahoo.com] > Subject: artwork > Date: September 3, 2013 4:13:18 AM EDT > Reply-To: Max Gardner [maxgardner402@yahoo.com]> > Hello, > > My name is Max Gardner.  I found your profile on the internet. I am interested in purchasing an artwork from you for the decoration of my guest room at my new residence ... Read more

On Jul 19, 2013, at 5:30 PM, Don Fisher wrote: — Hello, These  particular artwork of yours that you have for sale, is it still available and detailed price. Don. From: Don Fisher [bestofdonfisher@gmail.com] Date: July 20, 2013 2:45:51 AM PDT Subject: Re: Payment………………. Hello, Thanks for your prompt reply. Unfortunately, Im on my way to Mexico on an official trip(I’m a marketing Executive) and wont be back for another two weeks, I would have come to inspect the piece personally. Im taking your word for true on It though. I’m okay with the price $2,000, I think it worth ... Read more

It’s when scammers make lame mistakes that most people get suspicious that the purchase is not actually for real. This scammer using this fake name made several mistakes, but the obvious one that tipped the scales for the artist was saying they do not use PayPal. Then the artist got suspicious. But some scammer say they use PayPal and then send a faked payment confirmation email  hoping the artist will not manually check their account before wiring money to a non-existent shipper. So be careful. And google things that don’t make sense. On Aug 1, 2013, at 5:58 PM, Cindy ... Read more

Yup, Tom – it’s a scam. Delete it and do not respond. Hi Kathleen, Its been 2 years since my last email about the scam I was in the middle of – and got out of with your help. I received another email yesterday from ‘Steve Wood’. The punctuation in his message is strange, and he only answered one of two questions I first asked him, in his response. He didn’t tell me how he ran across my work: *I want to have the beautiful painting (“name here”) purchased immediately for my wife as a gift for our anniversary.I’m presently ... Read more

type=”html”> This was an obvious miss on the scammer’s part but they could care less – they play a numbers game. They send out thousands of these emails seeking that small percentage that reply so that they can funnel those people closer to the heart of the scam – stealing their money by pretending to overpay and asking the “extra” be sent via wire (either back to them or to some non-existent shipper). Heartbreaking and annoying for this husband, though. Hey Kathleen….my name is Craig. My late wife was a very accomplished artist before cancer took her at a young ... Read more

type=”html”>Yes, even someone who hosts a blog and Facebook page about scammers, warning people how not to fall victim, receives these stupid emails as well. To entertain myself, I removed the name of my art piece from the subject line and replied and asked which piece they were interested in. Now they won’t be able to match what they said before. They may decide who cares and just pick another piece and see if I fall for it. Obviously I won’t. So I wonder to myself – are we all getting smarter? Are we googling names and emails before we ... Read more

type=”html”>The use of a famous name like Paul Newman doesn’t make this any less of a scam. Kathleen, Thank you for your post about scammers trying to buy artwork. I have received an email before from someone saying that they were in the process of moving from California to Africa and listed several piece of art work that they wanted to purchase. The way it was worded from the beginning made me question it. However, recently got another email that I think should be added to your list. [mailto:paulnewman946@gmail.com]  “do you still have this artwork for sale? (a specific piece ... Read more

type=”html”>Here is the text of yet another scammer with another fake name and disposable email account: Hi Cheryl, Good to hear back from you.I will like to proceed with the purchase of the piece. I think it is a lovely work  and i hope to give it a good home. I will be leaving soon to Bermuda for a Reform Project Work even though it comes at a time when i am preparing for a big move to Toronto but it means so much to her (My Wife) and i should be back in few days. Meanwhile, i will like ... Read more

To Kathleen or whom it may concern: I was almost caught up in this scam, until a red flag went up. The series of emails as follows: Received an email yesterday reading: Congratulations! Someone expressed interest in buying your work, name of piece, at the url: website url The intested party listed their name and email address as: carolyn (carolynjovanni@-collector.org) Message from buyer: Hello Seller I came accross your Painting posted on the site and am really intersting in purchase it and i will like to ask the question below. 1.How long have you own it? 2.it’s new or used? ... Read more

How many years have I been doing this blog. How many personal emails have I sent for years before I started the blog. Really, this scam has changed VERY LITTLE since it began. Why? Because it is still working for the scammers. Because they are still making money. If it wasn’t, it would have changed long ago. It’s simple: 1. DO NOT use wire transfers very ANY reason in your business dealings. Period. This one tip will destroy the effectiveness of 99% of this type of scam. They need you to wire your good money to them so they can ... Read more