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Hit Man Email Scammer Back With a Vengeance
Posted by
timothy
on Fri Aug 29, 2008 06:22 AM
from the chris-nandor's-the-one-who-should-be-afraid dept.
from the chris-nandor's-the-one-who-should-be-afraid dept.
coondoggie writes "The online Hitman scammer, who threatens to kill recipients if they do not pay thousands of dollars to the sender, is still sending out thousands of emails and the FBI is again today warning users to ignore the spam and report any incidents to the Internet Crime Complaint Center. Two new versions of the scheme began appearing in July 2008, the FBI said. One instructed the recipient to contact a telephone number contained in the e-mail and the other claimed the recipient or a 'loved one' was going to be kidnapped unless a ransom was paid."
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Sounds like dangerous business (Score:4, Interesting)
sending out death threats to all and sundry . . . I hope law enforcement gets to the silly buggers before some real killers do
Re:Sounds like dangerous business (Score:5, Funny)
I don't.
Parent
Re: (Score:3, Insightful)
Unfortunately spammers being the scum of the earth that they are would exploit this by faking their own murder and claiming the bounty.
Re: (Score:3, Interesting)
Spammer sends out billions of spam, watches the pot grow, offs himself and knows that his wife and kids are set for life.
What we really need to do is make it "school districts only, one claim per district" and watch as the number of underfunded school districts drops asa drastically as the number of spammers.
Can't beat a double-positive.
Re: (Score:3, Insightful)
There is always a risk that this will kick back on people like this. Death threats are something that will pop up on the radar of several agencies in several countries.
The ordinary Nigeria scams are just stupid and foolish.
"Dear fool I want to give you money but you will have to pay me first..."
is just so simple compared to
"Dear fool, provide me with some more information so I can kill you or some close relative unless you pay me"
Re: (Score:3, Insightful)
You really think they would send these themselves? Very likely they go through at least one proxy, either electronic or meatspace. The wrong person - maybe not wholly innocent however - would likely take the bullet. We need to be fair in our hatred.
this guy (Score:4, Funny)
Re:this guy (Score:4, Insightful)
Don't worry, he will. Something like this is going to happen:
Man went to jail last night for a bar fight. He paid his hundred dollars bail and gets out. He's pissed at whoever he got in a fight with, he's pissed at whoever called the cops, he's pissed at the cops, he's pissed at the bar. He comes home and finds an email threatening his life.
Whatever dimwit is sending these likely won'y be alive this time next year.
He's probaby posting at slashdot, probably somebody on my "freaks" list. I hope it's the AC who keeps posting the goatse trolls, they're getting tiresome.
Parent
stabbing device invented? (Score:5, Funny)
Has the internet stabbing device been invented?
(from http://www.bash.org/?4281 [bash.org] )
Re:stabbing device invented? (Score:5, Funny)
Parent
Re:stabbing device invented? (Score:5, Funny)
this [megatokyo.com] could be fun too
Parent
False Positives (Score:2, Funny)
This guy is ruining the legitimate hitman industry now that most of our (err, their) emails are ending up in spam bins. Better go check your spam bins people.
Old tactics (Score:5, Funny)
Re:Old tactics (Score:5, Funny)
Parent
Re:Old tactics (Score:5, Funny)
Parent
Re:Old tactics (Score:5, Funny)
Is that what is known as a "Hostile Take-over"?
Parent
Re: (Score:3, Funny)
Too late (Score:5, Funny)
She's dead, Jim. :P
Parent
Re:Too late (Score:5, Funny)
Parent
Re: (Score:3, Funny)
Your post should star the permanent World Lameness Expo!
Reverse Darwin (Score:5, Funny)
The people who figure it's a scam realize their mistake too late. The gullible pay and live. In the end only people who click on everything and respond to spam will be left. *Wake up, you're having a nightmare!*
Is that a threat? (Score:5, Insightful)
Re:Is that a threat? (Score:5, Informative)
For the same reason that people fall for all kinds of scams and other stupid stuff on the internet that they might not fall for in real life -- some subset of the recipients actually believe it is real.
If you send enough, it only takes an exceedingly small percentage of people to respond to any attempt to get cash and it probably works. Same for "p3n1s 3nl4rgm3nt", Nigerian scams, or phishing.
In this case, people might actually believe (as much as you and I can't see how) that someone they know might be in real peril of getting kidnapped. Yup, it's naive, but we know people believe all sorts of things.
However, in this case, I should think that sending such threats over email is probably a federal crime, and the people doing this are going to be hosed if they get caught. I'm sure it's probably at least 2-3 felonies to do such a thing.
Cheers
Parent
Why is it a 'scam'? (Score:3, Insightful)
Why are people calling this guy a 'scammer'? He sounds more like a simple extortionist.
Or is it simply that he is lying about murdering and kidnapping people, so tricking the victims into paying money when they get nothing in return? Maybe it would be more honest of him to really carry out the murders: then at least it wouldn't be a scam.
Re:Is that a threat? (Score:5, Insightful)
In this case, people might actually believe (as much as you and I can't see how) that someone they know might be in real peril of getting kidnapped. Yup, it's naive, but we know people believe all sorts of things.
Note as well that a small percentage of these will fall in mailbox of people in a situation where these threats may be more plausible. I mean, if my mother received such a mail just the day after my company sent my in a middle-east country, it may take a more worrying tone.
Also, if you tell "I kidnapped your child" to 20,000 people, you have a good chance to have 2 or 3 people in the list who really don't know where their children are and worried about it.
Parent
Re: (Score:3, Insightful)
True , and exactly that will make sure the scammers get caught.
The strength of normal scams is that they bring a positive message : they promise lots of money.
Some people buy that , and lose their money , other people see the hoax , but most of them will just ignore the email and delete it , which means their chances of getting caught are slim .
If you threaten someone's life , some might take it serious , other will also ignore it , but there's a good chance they will call the cops just to be sure.
But if yo
Re: (Score:3, Funny)
Re: (Score:2)
Because a kidnapping almost always ends in the death of the kidnapped?
Anyway we're talking about a spammer. He's not exactly looking for the best and the brightest is he?
Re: (Score:2)
I guess this would be a form of protection racket.
Re: (Score:2)
Well, if you ignore the fact that this is a scam, kidnappings tend to be emotionally damaging. If someone truly felt that there was a credible threat to a loved one that they couldn't otherwise avoid, it makes sense, in that it would help their loved one avoid undue emotional distress and risk.
Of course, what makes more sense is contacting the FBI and saying "Hey, some asshole is threatening to kidnap my ..." But who can say.
Re:Is that a threat? (Score:5, Funny)
You can pay whenever it is convenient to you. However, let me explain you the options so you can make an informed decision:
- Paying in advance is hassle-free for all parties involved. You also get a coupon, 20% off the next ransom.
- Paying in full after the actual ransom has a 30% processing fee.
- Paying in monthly payments has no surcharge, but we will return your loved one monthly, too.
hitman.
Parent
Re:Is that a threat? (Score:5, Funny)
I hope that they have those reward cards, where every time you get kidnapped they punch a hole in the card, and after 9 kidnappings, you get a free sandwich!
that's just plain win/win right there.
Parent
Rich folks only (Score:2, Informative)
I wouldn't expect to receive one of these unless you're wealthy and there's material out on the net attesting to the fact.
Re: (Score:2)
I disagree. It's far easier (and cheaper) to send email to 1 million addresses than it is to figure out which of those 1 million people might be a good target.
I've received at least one of these (eg one that's actually made it past my spam filters), and while I completely knew it to be a scam, it still made me feel pretty yucky inside for some reason... imagine how you would feel if you
Re:Rich folks only (Score:5, Funny)
how do you know i'm paranoid by nature? who told you that? do you have other information about me? WHO TOLD YOU THAT?
Parent
Re:Rich folks only (Score:5, Funny)
According to About.com: [about.com]
FBI agent: there's only one country that has english grammar this bad...
Police Detective: The Russians!
FBI agent: exactly. It's either them or Mrs. Gleason's 8th grade english class.
Police Detective: But the Russians have rock solid alibis.
FBI agent: let's lean on the kids, and see if any of them get nervous.
Parent
Interesting demographic (Score:5, Funny)
I suspect you have to be gullible and paranoid with a dash of guilty conscience thrown in to fall for this scam.
Hey you... yeah you. The fat guy with cheetoh stained fingers and an external drive loaded with furry porn. Mod me up or I'll take all your action figures out of their original packaging.
Re: (Score:3, Funny)
I have mod points, but object to your description of my fingers.
And my action figures are in a locked vault somewhere in my mother's basement, so good luck with that :P
Time for some furry porn...
Re: (Score:3, Funny)
One group of people worldwide: Politicians.
scam? (Score:5, Funny)
me: 1, phantom interblag assassin: 0.
Mr. Hitman, meet Mr. 419 (Score:5, Funny)
Will Mr. Hitman accept as payment the bogus $14,000 cashier's check some Nigerian scammer sent me to buy my $11,000 car?
Will he Western Union the excess back to me?
If you ever want to build a collection of fake cashier's checks, list a car on Craigslist.
Death threats are a felony. (Score:5, Insightful)
This spammer isn't just stealing advertising and committing millions of instances of petty theft. A death threat is a felony in itself, and this clown is racking up enough separate crimes for his sentence to run to thousands of lifetimes.
-jcr
Hitman? (Score:4, Funny)
Man, that's so old school. I already have a Hitman Pro!
Micropayments (Score:5, Interesting)
Perfect scenario for micropayments! You could send 2000 e-mails and hope one person will pony up $1000 to avoid any downfall, or you can send 2000 e-mails and offer to take them off your hitlist for a mere dollar. At a low 50% return rate, you've made the original $1000, and the potential for more is much higher!
Seriously, criminals these days.
That's what that was? (Score:4, Funny)
Re: (Score:2)
Re: (Score:3, Insightful)
Re:I will kidnap CowboyNeal (Score:5, Funny)
Unless you pay me $9000
You left the word 'not' out of your subject.
Parent
Re: (Score:2, Funny)
Re:I will kidnap CowboyNeal (Score:4, Funny)
Pfft, it's gonna cost you at least that much to rent a forklift and 18 wheeler.
Parent