Sunday, August 31, 2014

o'montebank - Am I Lucky or What?

 
From: bham Sent: Sunday, August 31, 2014 Subject: Am I Lucky or What?
Am I Lucky or What?
I won a Kenyan lottery according to an email from a Nigerian prince.
He holds the sum of ONE MILLION DOLLARS in my name and he wants to send it to me FREE!
All I have to do is give him my bank account numbers and send him
$500.00 US dollars cash, to show my good faith so he can transfer the money!
And then I got ANOTHER email.
It's from a KENYAN prince who wants to give me FREE healthcare for life!
 All I have to do is give him:
*  MY BANK ACCOUNT NUMBERS,
*  MY SOCIAL SECURITY NUMBER
*  MY CONFIDENTIAL HEALTH INFORMATION
*  and pay $700 per month for a policy with only a $10,000.00 deductible
Then he can make it happen!
Am I lucky or what?  



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Saturday, August 30, 2014

o'illegal - humor: Gotta love Texas Ingenuity

From: rk45/bharb/19engr Date: August 27, 2014
Subject: Gotta love Texas Ingenuity
MAKES GOOD SENSE TO ME!


Subject: Gotta love Texas Ingenuity

I have a friend who is president of his homeowners association in the Dallas , Texas suburbs.  They were having a terrible problem with litter near some of his association's homes. The reason, according to my friend, is that six very large, luxurious new houses are being built right next to their community.

The trash was coming from the Mexican laborers working at the construction sites and included bags from McDonald's, Burger King and 7-11, plus coffee cups, napkins, cigarette butts, coke cans, empty bottles, etc.

He went to see the site supervisor and even the general contractor, politely urging them to get their workers not to litter the neighborhood, to no avail. He called the city, the county, and police and got no help there either.

So here's what his community did. They organized about twenty folks, named themselves the "Inner Neighborhood Services" group, and arranged to go out at lunch time and "police" the trash themselves. It is what they did while picking up the trash that is so hilarious.

They bought navy blue baseball caps and had the initials "INS" embroidered in gold on the caps.

It doesn't take a rocket scientist to understand what they hoped people might mistakenly think the letters really stand for.

After the Inner Neighborhood Services group's first lunch time pickup detail, with all of them wearing their caps and some carrying cameras, 46 out of the total of 68 construction workers did not show up for work the next morning... and haven't come back yet.

It has been ten days now.

The General Contractor, I'm told, is madder than hell, but can't say anything publicly because he could be busted for hiring illegal aliens. My friend and his bunch can't be accused of impersonating federal personnel, because they have the official name of the group recorded in their homeowner association minutes along with a notation about the vote to approve formation of the new subcommittee... and besides, they informed the INS in advance of their plans, and according to my friend, the INS said basically, "Have at it!"

SO, FOLKS, I THINK YOU COULD SAY THAT TEXAS INGENUITY TRIUMPHS AGAIN!

Reminder: Don't forget to pay your taxes... 12 million illegal aliens are depending on you.

No apology for sending this! After hearing they want to sing the National Anthem in Spanish... enough is enough. Nowhere did they sing it in Italian, Polish, Irish (Celtic), German or any other language because of immigration. It was written by Francis Scott Key and should be sung word for word the way it was written. The news broadcasts even gave the translation... not even close.

I'm NOT sorry if this offends anyone because this is
MY COUNTRY - IF IT IS YOUR COUNTRY SPEAK UP -- Please pass this along. Come through like everyone else. APPLY FIRST... Get a sponsor; have a place to lay your head; have a job; pay your taxes, live by the rules AND LEARN THE LANGUAGE as all other immigrants have in the past... and GOD BLESS AMERICA!

Think about this: If you don't want to forward this for fear of offending someone... YOU'RE PART OF THE PROBLEM!

It is Time for America to Speak up. No wonder, California is in such financial trouble!

Yep, I passed it on! Calling an illegal alien an 'undocumented immigrant' is like calling a drug dealer an 'unlicensed pharmacist.

o'stand down - "figures"

 
From: drude Sent: Friday, August 29, 2014 Subject: figures
So, while obama tells the world that he does not have a strategy in mind to deal with ISIS and then buries himself even further by stating that it is not time to address the issue, that he needs more information; David Cameron (Brit Prime Minister) has elevated their security alert to severe.  Today he was quoted as saying that his decision was based on information and the belief that ISIS was planning numerous attacks on European and US locations, it was severe threat, and was regarded as likely to be carried out.

The obama statement that he has no strategy essentially tells those inhuman garbage bags to keep doing what you're doing as there is no worry about the US, no retribution from us.  That is license to kill (and they DO).  Many citizens of numerous areas have been told to leave - those who are Christians, Jews.  People, we have less than two weeks before Sept 11 - there are HUNDREDS of deadly, well trained and armed people with passports from numerous countries that give them free travel access - into the UK, the US, most of Europe - and to assume they will not be traveling, not be attacking on 9/11 is naive and dangerous.  

There is a 'hit list' that has been issued and we'd do well to pay attention and attempt to avoid those areas on 9/11 and for a few days prior and following - NY, Las Vegas, military installations, shopping malls, Chicago, San Francisco - are but a few in the US.

And while addressing threats - further invasion into Ukraine is taking place today and yesterday - over 1000 troops armed and in tanks and jeeps, have crossed into the Ukraine.  Interviewing experts yesterday resulted in their admission that they believe Putin is going to reclaim all of the former USSR, PLUS MORE-- making him the single most powerful presence in all of Europe.

Further, China is now doing military maneuvers off various Asian coasts including Japan - they have to feel emboldened from the lack of action against Putin - so basically there is no NO part of the world that is not a powder keg ready to blow any moment - and the US has proven itself to now be unreliable, weak, ineffective, incompetent, and unable and/or unwilling to do anything to protect its interests much less those of Asia and Europe.  We have aided our enemies and turned our back on our allies - and we shall be the ones to suffer some dire consequences rather quickly.






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o'If I had a son.. - Ferguson, MO: He wuz a good boy.

From: drude Sent: Saturday, August 30, 2014 Subject: He wuz a good boy
This is from our good friend in St. Louis.
This was forwarded to me and I thought you might like to read it
The Ferguson, MO black populace insists that Michael Brown was a good boy... a nice young man,... just a sweet kid.  He meant no harm to anyone.  Well, the facts tell a different story!
The "Gentle Giant" was known on the streets as "Big Mike" and was a bully and gang member who committed "strong-arm" robbery at a convenience store just minutes before being shot by police.  His accomplice was 22 years old Dorian Johnson who was a wanted fugitive with an outstanding police warrant.  Both these nice young boys have police records.
A popular drug cocktail used in the rap/hip-hop scene called "lean," "purple drank" and "Hawaiian sizzurp" is often made from Robitussin, Skittles, vodka and Hawaiian Punch and generally causes irresponsible aggressive behavior in users.

THE POOR LITTLE TEENAGER -- 6 FT. 4 INCH 295# MICHAEL BROWN WAS A HOODLUM
This is going to be another Trayvon case as most Libs and blacks are not going to like the outcome.
The WAPO reported that Mister Brown was college bound and makes it sound like the police officer involved just singled him out for no reason.  Luckily the internet filters the news now.  Here's some background on Mister Michael Brown.......
The new Racial poster boy Michael R Brown has felony's pending in Court.  Yes, that guy who was on his way to College was arrested and charged with Burglary, Armed criminal action, Assault with the intent to do great bodily harm, and again Armed criminal action.  He was scheduled to go to court in Sept. (Now, I thought he was supposed to go to college in Sept?  Imagine that!)
You can look all this up yourself on Case.net  http://case.net/Missouri .  Do a search for St. Louis County in 2014; you'll find him.
It seems whenever Al Sharpton, Jesse Jackson and Obama chime in, it winds up being another Tawana Brawley type case.  PHONY!
They destroyed Zimmerman and they will destroy this fine officer as well, even though it most likely will be found the officer was justified in the use of lethal force in this case.
According to Casenet, this unarmed teenager (Michael Brown) was already charged with:
Description: Burglary - 1st Degree { Felony B RSMo: 569.160 }
Date: 11/02/2013 Code: 1401000
OCN: AJ006207 Arresting Agency: ST ANN PD
Next Charge/Judgment
Description: Armed Criminal Action { Felony Unclassified RSMo: 571.015 }
Date: 11/02/2013 Code: 3101000
OCN: AJ006207 Arresting Agency: ST ANN PD
Next Charge/Judgment
Description: Assault 1st Degree - Serious Physical Injury { Felony A RSMo:
565.050 }
Date: 11/02/2013 Code: 1301100
OCN: AJ006207 Arresting Agency: ST ANN PD
Next Charge/Judgment
Description: Armed Criminal Action { Felony Unclassified RSMo: 571.015 }
Date: 11/02/2013 Code: 3101000
OCN: AJ006207 Arresting Agency: ST. ANN PD
This "unarmed teenager", as the liberal media like to portray Michael Brown, was nothing but a punk hoodlum, who used his size to intimidate others.




o'toon - Who knew there were 4 of them. ("yuck yuck")

From: drude Sent: Saturday, August 30, 2014 Subject: Who knew there were 4 of them.




o'humor - Michigan State Police Raid

From: ren Sent: Saturday, August 30, 2014 Subject: Michigan State Police Raid
The Michigan State Police 
have announced the discovery of an arms cache of 200 semi- automatic rifles.  
with 250,000 rounds of ammunition, 10 anti-tank missiles, 4 grenade launchers,

                                           
2 tons of heroin,

 
$25 million in forged bills and a ring of 25 prostitutes
all in a housing project behind the Detroit Public Library. 
  Detroit folks were stunned.  A community antagonizer said: "We be shocked."
We never knew we had a library ...



Thursday, August 28, 2014

Grace Emaline Rees (Harrold) pic 04445.jpg 569×600 pixels

Grandma Grace Emaline Rees, Aunts Mariam Edith (04), Grace Elizabeth (Betty) (15), Margaret Jane (12), - Dad Robert Franklin ...later (June 30, 1917)

http://www.harrold.org/images/gallery/04445.jpg

Free XM sat radio until 8Sep

SiriusXM satellite radio has free access through September 8th.                                                        http://www.siriusxm.com/sxmlp314?sxmlpId=listen5


Tuesday, August 26, 2014

o'mam's brethren - "How Muslims Think" By Dr. Arieh Eldad an M.D. at Hadassah Hospital in Israel

From: jrp Sent: Monday, August 25, 2014 Subject: How Muslims Think
This is just so very sad, but true.
How Muslims Think
By Dr. Arieh Eldad an M.D. at Hadassah Hospital in Israel 
A true story of gratitude!

     I was instrumental in establishing the "Israeli National Skin Bank", which is the largest in the world.  The National Skin Bank stores skin for every day needs as well as for war time or mass casualty situations.
     This skin bank is hosted at the Hadassah Ein Kerem University hospital in Jerusalem where I was the Chairman of plastic surgery.
     This is how I was asked to supply skin for an Arab woman from Gaza, who was hospitalized in Soroka Hospital in Beersheva, after her family burned her.  Usually, such atrocities happen among Arab families when the women are suspected of having an affair.
     We supplied all the needed Homografts for her treatment.  She was successfully treated by my friend and colleague, Prof. Lior Rosenberg and discharged to return to Gaza.
     She was invited for regular follow-up visits to the outpatient clinic in Beersheva.
     One day she was caught at a border crossing wearing a suicide belt.  She meant to explode herself in the outpatient clinic of the hospital where they saved her life.  It seems that her family promised her that if she did that, they would forgive her.
     This is only one example of the war between Jews and Muslims in the Land of Israel.  It is not a territorial conflict.  This is a civilization conflict, or rather a war between civilization and barbarism.
     Bibi (Netanyahu) gets it, Obama does not.
     I have never written before asking everyone to please forward onwards so that as many as possible can understand radical Islam and what awaits the world if it is not stopped.

Dr Arieh Eldad

Monday, August 25, 2014

o'open borders - Show your ID (poster)

From: bharbs Sent: Monday, August 25, 2014 Subject: Show your ID


Thursday, August 21, 2014

Using 'BCC' to reduce spam email & spread of PC infections

     Just a reminder to usually use "blind carbon copy" when sending emails.  Normally, emails sent to a group of people doesn't require each recipient to see a list of all others on distribution plus their email addresses. 
     If one of the recipient's PC is infected with a hidden email spam program, it might capture all of the email addresses of everyone listed as recipients in each incoming email message and then secretly send an email back to everyone of those folks' PCs and try to infect them too - in order to further harvest emails to be used to further spread its infection.
     I wrote (copied and pasted) a message on to my blog that explains the use of "blind carbon copy" (BCC.)

Harrolds.Blogspot.com

small speaker image "I Hate Spam" http://www.harrold.org/rfhextra/sounds/spamsong.mp3 Click a speaker, the song link, or play button to hear.    Play "The Spam Song" from "SpamSong.com", Lyrics .  small speaker image

Monday, August 08, 2011

IMPORTANT: 

     This is copy of a message that I sent out a three years ago as a reminder that you usually should use the 'blind carbon copy' (BCC) feature in your email program to conceal email addresses from recipients other than the principal one (the principal one is normally you/your email address.)   
     I usually send email showing only my name/email address as the principal recipient unless it's being sent to a public email address such as government, etc.  ...all other recipients' email addresses, I put in the "blind carbon copy" email field.  (As I did with this message to you.)  
     This helps to reduce exposing email addresses to scammers who "harvest" email addresses from email address books, by installing infections in your PCs or 'break-in' to web-mail accounts, in order to collect email address that they'll then use to generate spam. -- rfh


Original Message From: rfh  Sent: Friday, April 03, 2009 Subject: Use BCC field when addressing mass mail
There are exceptions to this rule, obviously; however, in most emailings using the BCC (blind carbon copy) is best for everyone.
Remember, before forwarding emaildelete prior email recipients addresses/email names and previous senders' names/addresses.

Use BCC field when addressing mass mail
PLEASE READ and become a better E-mail user. 
     This information is intended not only to make you a neater "E-mailer" but one that is more considerate and more thoughtful...  Your friends will be thankful.
     Would you write your friends' phone numbers on the walls of public places?  If you answer no, then why would you share their private E-mail addresses with a group of strangers, many of whom will CARELESSLY forward the same addresses to even more strangers?  Don't do it!  Instead, use the BCC feature of your E-mail program.
     BCC means Blind Carbon Copy.  It is a way of addressing mail to more than one person so that everyone's address is not displayed for all to see.  Every E-mail program (including the free, web-based E-mail services) allow you to address messages using BCC, in other words, to "BCC" one or more recipients.  Some require that you provide at least ONE address in the TO: field. If this is the case, place YOUR OWN address in the TO: field and all your recipients' addresses in the BCC field.
WHY:
  • Using BCC protects your recipients' E-mail addresses from being spread to strangers.
  • Using BCC helps prevent SPAM (Unsolicited Commercial E-mail)
  • When using BCC, messages will be easier on your readers because they will contain less text to look at. A "cleaner" message is easier to read.
  • Messages will require less bandwidth and will download faster.
  • Using BCC shows your consideration of others by not publishing hundreds of your friends' addresses to strangers and potentially, SPAMMERS or maybe even stalkers.

HOW:
  • In most email clients, the BCC feature is very apparent and obvious. 
  • While in a new message in AOL's web mail, click BCC. 
  • In Gmail and Yahoo Mail!, click add BCC. 
  • In Hotmail, click Show Cc & Bcc.
  • In Outlook and Outlook express, it's not so obvious but turning it on is a one-time event. 
    To activate the BCC field in Outlook Express, create a new message and choose View, All Headers. 
  • To activate the BCC field in MS-Outlook, create a new message and choose View, BCC.

  • Lotus Notes - the BCC field is right there. Nothing to "turn on", no hoops to jump through, just use it!


     A new crop of an old telephone & email scam is popping up again. 
     People are again receiving emails that appear to have been sent from the email account of a friend, co-worker, relative, etc. that asks for help for the (fake) sender who's allegedly stranded somewhere and needs money to escape from the 'predicament.' 
     The email will appear to have been legitimately sent from an email account of someone you know.  Usually it appears real; however, it is not.   Below is some information about this type of Internet scam.   Note that it is usually sent via some "web-based" email account  such as Yahoo, AOL, GMail, Hotmail, or via any one of many other remotely hosted email services in which your email password, address book, and personal login name are remotely stored.
     Unlike local PC email programs such as MS Outlook or Outlook Express which require the criminal to hack into your network and then into your PC to obtain addresses from your local email program, many of these fake, scam emails are sent from an online web-based account which has been hacked/broken into by the crook(s).
     Conventional PC based antivirus and PC firewalls are unable to protect your web-based email accounts.
     An excerpt from an FBI article (the complete article is further down):
     "If you have been a victim of this type of scam or any other Cyber crime, you can report it to the IC3 website at www.IC3.gov. The IC3 complaint database links complaints for potential referral to the appropriate law enforcement agency for case consideration.  Complaint information is also used to identity emerging trends and patterns." -- rfh  

1st article source: http://kadansky.com/files/newsletters/2011/2011_05_18p.html
Practical Computer Advice
from Martin Kadansky
Volume 5 Issue 5 May 2011
In This Issue
The "mugged in London" scam - Prevent thieves from breaking into your email account [example]
An email claiming [example], "I'm in London, I've been mugged, and I need your help" is not a new scam, but its power to fool other people stems from the thieves sending messages from your address to people you know. Here's my advice on how to deal with it if it's already happened to you (or someone you know), and also how to prevent it from happening in the first place.

The "mugged in London" scam - Prevent thieves from breaking into your email account 

It starts with an email from a friend or colleague asking, "When did you go to London? That's terrible! Are you OK? How can we help?" Since you are not currently on a trip to London, you send a confused reply asking what they're talking about. Over the next few days and weeks you get similar concerned messages from a growing but odd assortment of friends, some of whom forward to you the email they originally received. It's apparently from you, claiming to be stuck in London after being robbed, and asking for money to enable you to get home. Of course, you never sent it.

This is just one example of a wide variety of scams that have been around for a long time. Unfortunately, the internet enables modern thieves to pull this off more efficiently than ever before.

How did this happen?
Email scams aren't new. It's easy for almost anyone to send an email that's been faked to say it's "From" your email address, but that type of scammer sends messages to millions of randomly stolen or made-up addresses.

What's different about this particular "London" scam (and others like it) is that the scammer has broken into your email account, gotten into your online Address Book, and then (if your Address Book isn't empty) sent those fake messages to your friends and colleagues.  Because of their relationship with you, your friends are more likely than random strangers to be tricked by these messages (sent from your actual account, but not written by you) into sending money to the thieves.

And, if some of your friends reply with cautious skepticism, clever scammers may also read through your stored email messages, learn more about you, and use that information to send convincing replies, which may improve their chances of conning more of your friends into sending money.

Background
When it comes to your email account, there are generally two ways you can use it:
  • You can use "email client software" on your computer to compose, send, receive, and store your email messages and manage your Address Book. Common email programs include Outlook Express, Windows Mail, Outlook, Thunderbird, and Eudora on Windows, and Apple Mail, Thunderbird, Eudora, and Entourage on Macintosh. This method stores your messages and Address Book on your computer's hard drive, not on the internet, which means that the only way a thief could get access to this information would be to gain access to your computer.
  • You can use "webmail" (web-based email) to access your email account using your email server's web page, e.g., www.gmail.com for a Gmail account, www.comcast.net for Comcast, www.verizon.net for Verizon, www.aol.com for AOL, etc. In this case you would use a web browser (or special software like America Online or AOL Desktop) to access your email account via the internet. Common web browsers include Internet Explorer, Firefox, and Google Chrome on Windows, and Safari, Firefox, and Chrome on Macintosh. This method stores your messages and Address Book on your email server on the internet, not on your computer, which means that if a thief acquired your email address and account password, they would have full access to your account.
Security Implications Here's what all this means: 
  • If you're using an email client program on your computer (Outlook Express, etc.), since your email messages and Address Book are stored on your computer's hard drive, it's less likely (but not impossible) that this type of scam will affect you.
  • However, if you use webmail, i.e., your email messages and Address Book are stored on your email server on the internet "in the cloud" (i.e., not on your computer). You are at a much higher risk for this type of scam. See below for my advice on reducing this risk.
On the other hand, your friends and colleagues who receive one of these "I'm in London" emails are not at risk of having their accounts broken into just because of the message they received from "you."  If this scam has already occurred, i.e., if your online email account has already been compromised, follow these steps immediately If you have already been targeted by such a scam, here's what you should do right away: 
  • Immediately change your email account password. Choose a new password that you've never used before, and make it a "strong" password, i.e., at least 8 characters long using a combination of uppercase letters, lowercase letters, digits, and (if permitted) punctuation. Avoid using a single word or anything resembling personal information about you, including names, dates, and street addresses. Although passwords like "HEkd83;Bzi3q" technically fit the bill, I recommend the more manageable approach of combining a few words with digits and punctuation, e.g., "Agnostic23!Sprinter47" or "Ag23nostic!Sprint47er" is even better.
  • If you use any other computers (laptops and netbooks) or devices (smartphones, iPads, etc.) to access your email, don't forget to update your email password in those devices as well.
  • Have your computer thoroughly scanned for infections, since one of the many methods they may have used to get your password is a "password-stealing" or "keystroke-logging" infection. You should not only scan for viruses, but alsoscan for other types of infections (worms, trojan horses, spyware, etc.).
  • After that, if any infections were found and removed, change your email password again (and update your other computers and devices, again), since a password-stealing infection may have seen you change your password before that infection was removed.
Check your email account for sabotage In recent weeks I have not only had a number of clients experience this scam, but a few have also had their email accounts sabotaged. Thus, I strongly recommend that you also check all of your online email account settings: 
  • Look for any "reply-to" address the thieves may have set. For example, if your email address is "johnsmith@gmail.com," the thieves may have set a "reply-to" address in your account, for example "johnnsmith@gmail.com" (note the extra letter in the middle), which cleverly prevents anyone to whom you send an email from successfully replying back to you, further isolating you from your friends.
  • Look for any "alternate email addresses" the thieves may have set, especially ones that will permit them to "reset" your password. I've seen such scammers add their email addresses into compromised accounts, giving them the ability to change your password in the future even after you've changed it to something else, locking you out of your account.
  • Similarly, look for any changes to your "security questions" or any other settings related to changing your password.
  • Review all other settings, looking for anything suspicious.
This should keep the thieves out of your online email account. Also, if they didn't keep a copy of your Address Book then the fake messages will probably stop, but you can't be sure of that. I have also seen malicious destruction of account information, including: 
  • The online email Address Book was completely wiped out. Without a backup copy, it might be possible to partially reconstruct it by "harvesting" the email addresses from the remaining messages in the Inbox and Sent folders.
  • Some or all email messages were deleted from the online Inbox or Sent folders.
No notice of potential breach or suspicious behavior Given this need for security, I find it particularly surprising that most online email systems give you no notice (nor even the option to be notified) when someone: 
  • Tries to log in but uses the wrong password
  • Successfully changes the password
  • Sets a "reply-to" address
  • Changes a security question
  • Deletes the entire Address Book
Any one of these could serve as an "early warning" that someone is trying to break into (or has already broken into) your account. Sadly, many other online systems that are more security-conscious, including many online banking, credit card, and investment house systems also lack the ability to warn you. A few systems (PayPal, Facebook, LogMeIn) do give some notice, but overall the concept is sorely lacking. If this scam has not affected you, follow these steps as soon as you can Even if you haven't been a victim of this type of scam, I strongly suggest that you: 
  • Change your online email account password to a "strong" one as I suggest above. Don't forget to update your email software, web browser, or smartphone with this new password.
  • Have your computer thoroughly scanned for infections (not just viruses, butall types of infections), since today's infection may lead to tomorrow's broken-into email account.
  • If you use webmail, make a backup copy of your online Address Book. Look for an "export" function that will create a text file containing a copy of your Address Book that you can store on your hard drive for safekeeping.
  • Review your email account's "security questions" that permit you (or a thief) to reset your password, and strongly consider changing them to have thewrong answers, so a thief who has researched your life won't be able to break in, even if they find out "the street you grew up on" or "the college you attended." Note these "wrong answers" on your password chart, since you probably won't remember them.
  • If you use a wireless network, make sure it's using the highest level of security. See "Wireless is always better, right?" (http://www.kadansky.com/files/newsletters/2010/2010_01_27.html) for more info.
I never type a password, so my email account must not have one This is a common myth. All email accounts have passwords. I guarantee you that yours has one. If you aren't required to type it in every time, that is a convenienceprovided to you by the software on your computer: 
  • If you're using email client software, whoever set it up probably typed in your password at the time, and your email software has been using it "behind the scenes" to send and receive your messages ever since.
  • If you're using webmail, your web browser may have been set to remember your password and type it for you when you sign in.
  • When you check your email using your smartphone, the phone probably has your password stored along with your other email settings.
How did they get my email password? There are an ever-increasing number of methods thieves can use to get your password: 
  • You've used the same password for many accounts over many years, and you've accidentally revealed it.
  • You've used a common password like "1234," "password," "1111," etc.
  • You've used a simple password based on personal information like your name, birthday, home address, college, etc.
  • You've used answers to your password-reset security questions that are easily researched online, including your mother's maiden name, the college you attended, etc.
  • You've been tricked into revealing your password via a "phishing" web site, email, Facebook message, etc.
  • You've been tricked you into granting access directly into your online email account to a thief (e.g., "third-party access privileges" on Gmail).
  • Someone looked over your shoulder when you signed into your account in a public place like Starbucks.
  • Someone electronically "observed" you signing in and stole your password when your computer was on an insecure wireless network.
  • Your computer has a password-stealing or keystroke-logging infection, which was either delivered by a virus or which you were tricked into downloading and installing.
  • Your computer has a physical key-logging device plugged into its keyboard or USB port.
  • You've lost or misplaced your password chart, or someone has stolen it.
  • Your employer's corporate email system was broken into.
  • "Slow brute force": Since many online email systems are designed to "lock you out" after a small number of failed password guesses within a given period of time (just like an ATM machine will "eat your card" after a few failed PIN entries), some modern thieves now use "slow brute force," where they try one password guess per day on your account along with millions of other accounts that day. Over time (perhaps after hundreds or thousands of days) they may eventually hit upon your password and get in.
And, since social networking sites like Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn are growing in popularity and messaging abilities, scammers and thieves are quite active on those sites, too, so all of this advice applies to those passwords as well. Real-world versions of this scam This general type of scam long predates the internet. Imagine receiving a phone call from someone claiming to be a relative in trouble and needing money. They may have researched you in advance to find out that you have a nephew named Charles, or use generic opening ploys like "Hi Auntie, I need your help!" and trick you into revealing information they can use to further manipulate you. The best defense is to remain skeptical, ask questions that only the real person would know that are not public knowledge, and to delay sending any money until you contact other friends or family who are likely to have up-to-date information on the person and their actual whereabouts. Conclusions 
  • Your most valuable password is the one protecting your email account and your Address Book.
  • The power of this scam comes from the real-life relationships you have with the people in your Address book. Ironically, your closest friends and family probably know when you're traveling and when you're at home, so they're presumably less likely to be fooled. It's your other contacts that don't know your travel plans or habits but who care about your safety and well-being who are more likely to be taken in.
  • Any information you store online ("in the cloud") is only as secure as the password protecting it. You should choose a strong password, and take all reasonable measures to keep that password secure.
  • Gently warn your friends and colleagues about this potential scam.
Where to go from here More on this scam: 
More on "strong passwords": 
If you're confused or frustrated by something on your computer, I like to say, "You can do it!" You might just need a little encouragement, or information, or change of perspective, and that's where I come in.
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Claims of Being Stranded Swindle Consumers Out of Thousands of Dollars
07/01/10—The IC3 continues to receive reports of individuals' e-mail or social networking accounts being compromised and used in a social engineering scam to swindle consumers out of thousands of dollars. Portraying to be the victim, the hacker uses the victim's account to send a notice to their contacts. The notice claims the victim is in immediate need of money due to being robbed of their credit cards, passport, money, and cell phone; leaving them stranded in London or some other location. Some claim they only have a few days to pay their hotel bill and promise to reimburse upon their return home. A sense of urgency to help their friend/contact may cause the recipient to fail to validate the claim, increasing the likelihood of them falling for this scam.
If you receive a similar notice and are not sure it is a scam, you should always verify the information before sending any money.
If you have been a victim of this type of scam or any other Cyber crime, you can report it to the IC3 website at www.IC3.gov. The IC3 complaint database links complaints for potential referral to the appropriate law enforcement agency for case consideration. Complaint information is also used to identity emerging trends and patterns.

Commentary:
©iStockphoto.com/ Art Wager
Stranded
Beware of scam emails that falsely claim that a friend is stranded in a foreign country and needs your help
Imagine that you receive an email from a friend or colleague claiming that he or she is stranded in a foreign country and desperately needs your help to get home. The email originates from the friend's real webmail account and may even include the same email signature that your friend usually uses when emailing you. Thus, you might be inclined to believe that the email was legitimate, at least at first glance. However, the emails are a clever scheme by Internet criminals designed to trick people into sending them money. This scam has two distinct steps. The first step requires the scammers to hack into a random webmail account. There are various ways that the scammers manage to achieve this, including using a webmail phishing scam attack. In such attacks, the scammers will send out large numbers of bogus emails that try to fool users into providing their webmail account login details. Unfortunately, at least a few of the recipients of such phishing emails will fall for the ruse and submit their webmail details to the scammers. Armed with these details, the scammers can then login to the compromised accounts and begin part two of their nefarious scheme. Once they have hacked into an account, the scammers can then send an email with the false claims about being stranded and in need of money to all the email addresses included in the account's address book. Since the messages are being sent from the hacking victim's own webmail address and are likely to include his or her real name and email signature, at least a few recipients are likely to believe the claims in the email. Of course, many will quickly realize that something is not right. They may know for a fact that their friend has not travelled overseas as claimed or they may suspect a fraud attempt. But even if only one contact in a large address book falls for the ruse and sends money in the belief that he is helping a friend in dire need, the scheme will well and truly pay off for the scammers. I have seen many different versions of these scam attempts. Names and other details differ depending on who's webmail account the scammers have hijacked, as do the countries where the "friend" is supposedly stranded. The amounts of money requested in the messages may also differ. But, in spite of such superficial differences, all such messages are versions of the same basic scam. Sadly, many people have become victims of this scam and lost money to these criminals. Be wary of any email that you receive that asks you to wire money, even if the message appears to come from a friend. Moreover, users of webmail should make sure that their account details are as secure as possible, and be wary of possible phishing scams designed to steal their webmail account details. Many people may have several webmail accounts, some of which are not often used. Thus it is a good idea to check all webmail accounts regularly to ensure that they have not been compromised.

Status: Emails are designed to trick recipients into sending money to Internet criminals Example:(Submitted, June 2009)
Dear Friend, How are you doing? Hope all is well with you and everybody?  I am sorry I didn't inform you about my traveling to England for a business trip and right now, i am stranded here and need to get back to Australia without delay. I need a favor from you because I was robbed on my way back to my hotel suite' The robbers carted away with my bag containing my wallet,phone,flight ticket and other valuables. I will like you to lend me the sum of $3,500 US Dollars or any amount you can afford as half bread is better than none so that i can sort out my hotel bills and get myself back to Australia. I promise to pay you back with an extra $1,000 US Dollars as soon as i return home in a few days time so kindly let me know if you can be of help. I was told the fastest and safest way to receive money in seconds is through western union {since that is what works here}.So if you can be of help,you can send the money using the details below: Reciever Name: [Removed] Address : [Removed] To get a list of western union money transfer agents close to you,go to the link below and enter your full address: www.westernunion.com/info/agentLocatorLookup.asp Please,as soon as you send the money, i will like you to send an email with the transaction code i will need to pick up the money. I will be back here in couples of hours to get the transfer details, please do it without delay so I can get back to Australia. After I receive the money, i will email you on the arrangements to get back home. Thanks once again and i will really appreciate if you can be of help. Love [Name removed]
What else am I missing? Submissions are requested. Of course your email address is safe with me. I'm the anti-spammer!
Related Links

Actual Stories (yeah, right!):

Resources/The Truth - (there's help out there; SEEK IT.)


Some self help information/reference pages --
eMail Rumors, Chain Letter Fraud, Electronic Ephemera, Hoaxes, Jokes, Myths, Urban Legends:
What's spam & how to reduce it:
Some free utilities to help keep PCs clean from infections:  

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