If malware authors ever learn how to spell we're all screwed
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Re: If malware authors ever learn how to spell we're all screwed
#2He's right. Most of the time, the things that tip me off are the misspelled words and poor grammar; also, the conflicting information. For example, getting an email message from Chase Bank with a signature from a Wells Fargo employee. A lot of people are one well versed phisher from losing a lot of time and money.
Re: If malware authors ever learn how to spell we're all screwed
#3Probably an instance of this?
[T]he obvious giveaways are used as a pre-qualifier, to ensure with the least possible effort that the ONLY people who respond to the scammers' initial mass mailings (and therefore have to be brought along individually during the later stages) are the absolutely most gullible, ignorant, susceptible, suckers they can find.
http://www.quora.com/Scams/Why-are-email-scams-written-in-br...
Re: If malware authors ever learn how to spell we're all screwed
#4He's right. Most of the time, the things that tip me off are the misspelled words and poor grammar; also, the conflicting information. For example, getting an email message from Chase Bank with a signature from a Wells Fargo employee. A lot of people are one well versed phisher from losing a lot of time and money.
I've always thought about how easy it would be to make properly done scareware. Shame (sort of) that nobody's done it.
Re: If malware authors ever learn how to spell we're all screwed
#5Probably an instance of this? [T]he obvious giveaways are used as a pre-qualifier, to ensure with the least possible effort that the ONLY people who respond to the scammers' initial mass mailings (and therefore have to be brought along individually during the later stages) are the absolutely most gullible, ignorant, susceptible, suckers they can find. http://www.quora.com/Scams/Why-are-email-scams-written-in-br...
I thought that too, but it doesn't apply. This is malware. It doesn't need someone to be gullible beyond the click of the button. Scams, on the other hand, require actually convincing the mark to send money, which is why they need to be sure they have a gullible person on the hook.
Re: If malware authors ever learn how to spell we're all screwed
#6Scott's right, of course.
But to the advantage of the good guys, anybody with the brains and discipline to do a better job of this kind of thing, is much more likely to be able to make a better living honestly, than through fraud and deception.
Re: If malware authors ever learn how to spell we're all screwed
#7The problem is that the people who click on these also have lousy grammar and don't notice, don't care, or won't actually read all of the text.
There's only so much we can do if the end user refuses to think. I suspect a lot of these people will be migrating to locked down/walled garden devices soon anyway.
Re: If malware authors ever learn how to spell we're all screwed
#8This is a rather sophisticated scam indeed. Unfortunately you don't need such kind of sophistication level when it comes to non-tech users or as the OP puts it his "Mom".. because for them even a banner ads which say "you have one message waiting" or the ever popular "emoji in email" just works equally well.
Re: If malware authors ever learn how to spell we're all screwed
#9The problem is that the people who click on these also have lousy grammar and don't notice, don't care, or won't actually read all of the text. There's only so much we can do if the end user refuses to think. I suspect a lot of these people will be migrating to locked down/walled garden devices soon anyway.
"The problem is that the people who click on these also have lousy grammar and don't notice, don't care, or won't actually read all of the text."
Considering that polished pieces of software ship with typos as well, it isn't an indicator of a virus or malware.
Re: If malware authors ever learn how to spell we're all screwed
#10Probably an instance of this? [T]he obvious giveaways are used as a pre-qualifier, to ensure with the least possible effort that the ONLY people who respond to the scammers' initial mass mailings (and therefore have to be brought along individually during the later stages) are the absolutely most gullible, ignorant, susceptible, suckers they can find. http://www.quora.com/Scams/Why-are-email-scams-written-in-br...
Related: "Why do Nigerian Scammers Say They are from Nigeria?", http://research.microsoft.com/pubs/167719/WhyFromNigeria.pdf