Bogus E-mail scam, via CS.com

[PNewitt]

This morning I got this message via my CS.com e-mail address (which I never use):

From: Branden Robison <rwhitesmithtngh@pizza-alarm.com>
To: Pmnewitt <pmnewitt@californiaspecial.com>
Subject: download Creative Suite 3 Premium
Date: Sun, Jul 15, 2007, 4:26 AM

Thinking it was something graphics-arts related (note the title), it turned out to be some sort of religious poetry, and a 26k photo (that didn't open).

I'm thinking that this person may be using other CS.com members' screen names and adding @californiaspecial.com to send this out to you, too.

This e-mail address must be from long ago, because I had to change my screen name from a past problem. OR--someone hacked into Jon's website and got the e-mail addresses (??).

If anyone else has received this type of message, please let me (us) know. And if the person who sent it reads this--don't send me this stuff. Once in a great while I get some sort of "chain e-mail" stuff, and I don't want it, nor should anyone else on these boards have to put up with it.

Paul.

 

[admin]

I don't think it't targeting CS members. It's just normal spam. I get those types of emails quite a bit...both at my CS.com account (which isn't my screen name) and other unrelated emails.

 

[PNewitt]

I wouldn't have thought twice about it, except that they used an e-mail account that I've never used before, and thought was non-existent.

How would one get access to such e-mail addresses <??>--especially if I've never used it, and itms not the same as my screen name (it's based on my original screen name, from long ago).

It's not a real problem, but these days, you can't be too vigilant on the internet. I just wanted people to know, and that I'm not too keen on getting anything "unsoliticted" in my e-mail that is that type of subject matter (or anything political, etc.)...

That's all--thanks, Jon,

Paul N.

 

[Dougxox]

I just got one today from Einstine, a religious measage as a PM through this site. This person has no posts... see attached if it works..

Do we need a moderator to elemininate this person?


Hello,
I'm new here and just wanted to say "hi"

How's it going?

"Buddhism has the characteristics of what would be expected in a cosmic religion for the future: it transcends a personal God, avoids dogmas and theology; it covers both the natural & spiritual, and it is based on a religious sense aspiring from the experience of all things as a meaningful unity" - Albert Einstein

---
einstein
http://stein.freehostia.com
***************

 

[admin]

Doug, PM me the username of that person please. That's definitely junk and I'll ban them and their IP.

 

[admin]

Nevermind, I got it. Banned now. Sorry about that.

 

[CalGal68]

Thanks for taking care of this so quickly, Jon, since I received one from Einstein as well. Everyone must have!

 

[Ladystang]

Got one also.

 

[BroadwayBlue]

I've gotten a few spams over the past months that seem to be someone getting info from the site. Usually from the public areas of the site.

I recently got an email from somone interested in my CS that I had for sale on my old email address that I don't use on this site anymore. My car wasn't for sale so I was a little confused. I realized they got the info from the old Gallery which also has my old email address on it.

After reading the email a second time I realized they copied some of the text of my old gallery post as well

 

[Mosesatm]

What is the purpose of such e-mails?

 

[PNewitt]

I tried to Google "Pizza-Alarm.com", and got some stuff in German, as well as a listing for this post. Going to that site did nothing but knock me off line.

There is software out there that does nothing but seek out e-mail addresses within websites, especially message boards.

There seems to be a level of desperation for spammers, as well as scammers to find anyone out there to get something; a response, etc. Perhaps a religious theme will get people to either respond positively or negatively, but, it is a response, and the spammer will then have a "valid" e-mail account to send more "stuff" to you (and probably sell to other spammers).

Oh, joy.

Paul N.

 

[07GT/CS]

I recieved a religous PM myself.Its amazing what people think of.

 

[admin]

If anyone ever gets PM's they think are inappropriate (either spam or rude)just let me know. Spammers could send PM's for a long time before I'd find out unless people report them.

Thanks!

 

[Stacey Enderle]

I have my settings to filter out spam about as high as I can get it and still some of this garbage advertising viagra still gets through. Very very annoying!!!

Stacey