[Dialogue] Do you have a REALLY old email program?

[Beret Griffith]

In addition, via son Brian....

- Using your computer on unsecured wifi like at a Starbucks
- Letting other people use your computer and they're not as security
conscious as you are about your system.
- Sometimes you're not really hacked as much as someone is "spoofing" you.

Hackers can determine valid email accounts by trial and error, then when
they find a valid email address they can send email that appears to come
from the account but in reality are from a spam account. Similar to what
happens when you get a phishing email saying you have to change your banking
password, only to find that when you click a link in that email it actually
takes you to the hacker's website that has been built to look authentic.

Unfortunately even modern email applications including gmail have been
hacked so nothing is really hack proof short of staying in a cave and off
the Internet.

Best approach is to: Be skeptical of any email even from what appears to be
a trusted source. Never follow a link in an email even if it appears to be
legitimate. With Snopes and other Internet scam busting sites I'm amazed
that people still fall for some of these tricks but then again I guess part
of why they're so successful is they play on good people's emotions.
-----------------------------------------------
Another  "in addition" playing on emotions....
Recently someone contacted a friend of mine to  ask for help getting
contributions from my friends churche to help out someone who "really" had
an urgent need. The request for help came  via  email. The person trying to
get contributions had actually talked on the phone to the email person
requesting help....not realizing it was a common scam. 

Beret Griffith

-----Original Message-----
From: dialogue-bounces at lists.wedgeblade.net
[mailto:dialogue-bounces at lists.wedgeblade.net] On Behalf Of steve har
Sent: Tuesday, May 14, 2013 8:12 AM
To: dialogue at lists.wedgeblade.net
Subject: [Dialogue] Do you have a REALLY old email program?

About once a week I get a bogus email from someone on wedgeblade This
morning I got a typical "send money quick" scam email (see below)

What causes this?
Old and obsolete email programs "leftover from the 1990s" don't have modern
security and spam protection Spammers crack your account, take your email
list and send out bogus emails.

Examples of obsolete programs: AoL Hotmail, IGC, "private label programs
living on your private hard drive or your Internet Service Provider's
"special deal account".

What to do? Old programs were designed for individual computers, slow
connections, infrequent & mostly 1 way emails.

Get some new programs that are designed for rapid effective online
collaboration:
-a new web browser like Chrome that has services like chat that help you
collaborate real time -a new mail program like Gmail that has really good
spam protection and are very hard to crack.

Help get spammers out of email - yours, mine, ours



--
Steve
A typical send money quick scam:

I really hope you get this fast. I could not inform anyone about our trip,
because it was impromptu. we had to be in Manila, Philippines for a
programmed. The program was successful, but our journey has turned sour. we
misplaced our wallet and cell phone on our way back to the hotel we lodge in
after we went for sight seeing. The wallet contained all the valuables we
had. Now, our passport is in custody of the hotel management pending when we
make payment.

I am sorry if i am inconveniencing you, but i have only very few people to
run to now. i will be indeed very grateful if i can get a loan of $2,250
from you. this will enable me sort our hotel bills and get my sorry self
back home. I will really appreciate whatever you can afford in assisting me
with. I promise to refund it in full as soon as I return. let me know if you
can be of any assistance. Please, let me know soonest. Thanks so much..

Best Regards,
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