The Scam (Pt 2 - What is it?)

For those who read the previous article, I described how your (or one you know's) email address may be hijacked, hacked, or otherwise used for nefarious purposes.  

What is it that these folks are sending out?   Generally, it's your run of the mill garbage.   They're pimping "adult content", sugar pills that they claim are drugs or supplements to do a number of things, pyramid schemes, "get rich quick opportunities" and the like.    They hope that by seeing this come from a "friend", you will be likely to blindly click on it and part with your hard-earned money.

What happens when you click on the link?   Because there are people like me (and believe it or else, some folks that don't treat these savages nearly as nice as I do) online, spam/scam links don't stay live too long.   So, they can use special links in the email as referrers.  The referrers go to a specific site, created for this purpose.   All of these sites are created using fraudulent information, and often in violation of the Terms of Service for many providers.   Granted, some, like those in China, are more interested in the money they receive, than pulling down offending content - unless they receive the right persuasion.  So, these criminals will constantly be changing their addresses and referring links as they get shut down.   


They often will use scripts in their websites to attempt to "personalize" the site you have gone to, or claim that whatever they're pimping is vetted by Fox News, MSNBC, CNN, BBC, and any other number of "reliable" sources - it's not.  They'll attempt to take you to their "secure ordering page".  Attempts to leave will be met with "Wait, we'll lower the price" or "You don't want to miss this" and such.  

Rest assured that providing any information to them will only result in loss to you.  Any "gains" will be minimal at best, non-existent or dangerous at worst. 


Want to know what you get from "buying" from them?  Stay tuned for Pt 3, where I have some information that I will post freely - that they claim is worth thousands of dollars!