Off topic: Nigerian 4-1-9 scam targets freelance translators? Thread poster: Todd Field
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Todd Field 
United States
Local time: 12:53
Member
Portuguese to English
So here\'s our sob story...
Sweet new computer, brand new email account (real, not web based), a puritan selection of software (Microsoft XP programs, TRADOS, Adobe PageMaker, QuarkXpress, and not much more). Not a single click on an Internet site unrelated to translation, no subscriptions to e-newsletters, no registration of superfluous software, no late night surfing... i.e. nothing that could possibly put us in danger, at least to our knowledge.
Then... See more So here\'s our sob story...
Sweet new computer, brand new email account (real, not web based), a puritan selection of software (Microsoft XP programs, TRADOS, Adobe PageMaker, QuarkXpress, and not much more). Not a single click on an Internet site unrelated to translation, no subscriptions to e-newsletters, no registration of superfluous software, no late night surfing... i.e. nothing that could possibly put us in danger, at least to our knowledge.
Then, it happened...
Within a couple of days the Nigerian 4-1-9 scammers found us. First it was one message, then another, then two or three a day. Now we are getting bombarded. Opening our email in the morning is a sad, frustrating, and painful process.
Has anyone had a similar experience? Any theories as to how they could have found their way to us so quickly? Any suggestions as to how we can get rid of them?
There\'s some interesting information on the subject on line at places like:
http://home.rica.net/alphae/419coal
We\'ve tried forwarding the messages to the 419 coalition, putting up email blocks, even writing the scammers back and asking them to stop. If anyone else knows an effective method of squashing this pest once and for all, we\'d sure love to know.
It\'s not that it\'s all that inconvenient to simply delete the messages and move on... it just hurts to see our new \"baby\" polluted so quickly by something having nothing to do with our translation business.
Hope they don\'t find you too, and thanks in advance for any input you may have.
Todd and Monica ▲ Collapse
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Rick Henry
United States
Local time: 13:53
Italian to English
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| How long has your web page been up? | May 5, 2003 |
I noticed your new web page (the one you were recently asking feedback) has a real mail address - the one at montrose dot com.
Often web pages are \"crawled\" for email addresses, and believe me, it doesn\'t take long for the address to be put on some list somewhere. If possible, try to incorporate a form for email on your web page, instead of a direct mail to link. (One of these days, I\'ll practice what I preach and do the same - I currently have a link to an \"info\" address that g... See more I noticed your new web page (the one you were recently asking feedback) has a real mail address - the one at montrose dot com.
Often web pages are \"crawled\" for email addresses, and believe me, it doesn\'t take long for the address to be put on some list somewhere. If possible, try to incorporate a form for email on your web page, instead of a direct mail to link. (One of these days, I\'ll practice what I preach and do the same - I currently have a link to an \"info\" address that gets all sorts of spam.)
R.
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Quote:
On 2003-05-05 17:29, Todd Field wrote:
So here\'s our sob story...
Sweet new computer, brand new email account (real, not web based), a puritan selection of software (Microsoft XP programs, TRADOS, Adobe PageMaker, QuarkXpress, and not much more). Not a single click on an Internet site unrelated to translation, no subscriptions to e-newsletters, no registration of superfluous software, no late night surfing... i.e. nothing that could possibly put us in danger, at least to our knowledge.
Then, it happened...
Within a couple of days the Nigerian 4-1-9 scammers found us. First it was one message, then another, then two or three a day. Now we are getting bombarded. Opening our email in the morning is a sad, frustrating, and painful process.
Has anyone had a similar experience? Any theories as to how they could have found their way to us so quickly? Any suggestions as to how we can get rid of them?
There\'s some interesting information on the subject on line at places like:
http://home.rica.net/alphae/419coal
We\'ve tried forwarding the messages to the 419 coalition, putting up email blocks, even writing the scammers back and asking them to stop. If anyone else knows an effective method of squashing this pest once and for all, we\'d sure love to know.
It\'s not that it\'s all that inconvenient to simply delete the messages and move on... it just hurts to see our new \"baby\" polluted so quickly by something having nothing to do with our translation business.
Hope they don\'t find you too, and thanks in advance for any input you may have.
Todd and Monica
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| I have the same problem! | May 9, 2003 |
Bufffff. I understand your problem completely. I have a yahoo account and I get bombarded. I did the same thing as you and sent the e-mails to the 419 coalition. But it didn\'t help. Now I just keep blocking addresses. You\'re right. It\'s frustating! So if anyone has any ideas to be rid of the problem, I would be really grateful.
It\'s strange but I don\'t have the same problem with my regular account...
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| Just don't answer! | May 12, 2003 |
I used to receive one or two per day, I ignored and deleted them and now they are down to one a month. I read somewhere that these are automatic mailings targeting businesses. The fact is that, as with any spam, if you do answer, you confirm that your e-mail address exists and spam multiplies.
Good luck.
[addsig]
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Péter Tófalvi
Hungary
Local time: 20:53
English to Hungarian
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I also received many letters of this kind.
One day I lost my patience, and sent the following one-sentence reply:
"If I come there and f* your big n*r a*, I'm sure u won't send me any e-mails of this kind anymore."
Now I am quiet.
Pls don't try this.
Maybe won't work for you.
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| Just ignore them - you'll live longer | Jun 17, 2003 |
I never answer spam. I don't know why people are so bothered by it; I just delete it and it's not there anymore. Paper junk mail is much worse; you have to throw it out or recycle it or whatever. With spam, it's one click and it's gone. I had a rash of Nigerian spam a few months back, and now I very seldom get one. Can't remember the last time I had one.
I did answer one Nigerian spammer, asking her very seriously exactly why she thought that I was such a sucker that I'd fall f... See more I never answer spam. I don't know why people are so bothered by it; I just delete it and it's not there anymore. Paper junk mail is much worse; you have to throw it out or recycle it or whatever. With spam, it's one click and it's gone. I had a rash of Nigerian spam a few months back, and now I very seldom get one. Can't remember the last time I had one.
I did answer one Nigerian spammer, asking her very seriously exactly why she thought that I was such a sucker that I'd fall for this stuff. The reply was as expected. ▲ Collapse
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lien
Netherlands
Local time: 20:53
English to French
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lien
Netherlands
Local time: 20:53
English to French
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| Security on internet | Jun 20, 2003 |
Rick Henry wrote:
Has anyone had a similar experience? Any theories as to how they could have found their way to us so quickly? Any suggestions as to how we can get rid of them?
There are robots "harvesting" on internet days and nights.
It really begins to be a problem, the security on internet. I have read some sites where they tell you all what happen now when you connect. Hair rising!
I am planning to get a proxy server to surf anonymously.
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