Forums > Social Chat > email story fragments?!
Login/Join to ParticipateBRONZE Member
veteran
1,247 posts
Location: lost, Canada
veteran
1,247 posts
Location: lost, Canada
Posted:
so, I am getting these partial emails with sections of stories, sort of like one continues where the other leaves off... A few paragraghs each...one each day or so... Nothing obviously strange about the bits of story, no obvious marketting ploys, not pornograghic...I can't figure it out.
I kinda like them, but it disturbs me that I dont know where they are coming from.. The names are definately made up.
I can't see a pattern yet?
I am wondering if anyone else gets them, is this spam, or something personal?If it is spam, and going to lead me somewhere awful, I would rather stop reading now!
Curious.
Ideas?
Thanks guys...
~A
so, I am getting these partial emails with sections of stories, sort of like one continues where the other leaves off... A few paragraghs each...one each day or so... Nothing obviously strange about the bits of story, no obvious marketting ploys, not pornograghic...I can't figure it out.
I kinda like them, but it disturbs me that I dont know where they are coming from.. The names are definately made up.
I can't see a pattern yet?
I am wondering if anyone else gets them, is this spam, or something personal?If it is spam, and going to lead me somewhere awful, I would rather stop reading now!
Curious.
Ideas?
Thanks guys...
~A
"God *was* my co-pilot, but then we crashed, and I had to eat him..."
SILVER Member
enthusiast
213 posts
Location: Brighton, United Kingdom
enthusiast
213 posts
Location: Brighton, United Kingdom
Posted:
Never heard of anything like that before, are they all from the same email address?
Never heard of anything like that before, are they all from the same email address?
Will those capable of telekinesis please raise my hand?
SILVER Member
UnNatural Scientist - Currently working on a Breville-legged monkey
757 posts
Location: Bath Uni or Shrewsbury, UK
UnNatural Scientist - Currently working on a Breville-legged monkey
757 posts
Location: Bath Uni or Shrewsbury, UK
Posted:
Possible they have some implanted image - - I'm fairly sure I have the terminology wrong here, but something that when it loads it sends a message back to the sender letting them know that it's been opened and that the account is active. As I understand it, that's one reason why some email clients have a "Disable images" option. You may be setting the ground work for more spam.
Alternatively I may be utterly wrong about all this and they're actually just story fragments that someone wants to share with the world - stranger things have happened.
Possible they have some implanted image - - I'm fairly sure I have the terminology wrong here, but something that when it loads it sends a message back to the sender letting them know that it's been opened and that the account is active. As I understand it, that's one reason why some email clients have a "Disable images" option. You may be setting the ground work for more spam.
Alternatively I may be utterly wrong about all this and they're actually just story fragments that someone wants to share with the world - stranger things have happened.
Give me a lever long enough and a place to stand and I can beat the world into submission.
BRONZE Member
Geek-enviro-hippy priest
1,858 posts
Location: Diss, Norfolk, United Kingdom
Geek-enviro-hippy priest
1,858 posts
Location: Diss, Norfolk, United Kingdom
Posted:
Yes, you can add an image with a unique ID in it so the spammers know what email accounts are active.
What email program or site are you using? If you're using outlook 2003/gmail/thunderbird then you should be ok.
What are they about anyway?
Yes, you can add an image with a unique ID in it so the spammers know what email accounts are active.
What email program or site are you using? If you're using outlook 2003/gmail/thunderbird then you should be ok.
What are they about anyway?
There's too many home fires burning and not enough trees
addict
577 posts
Location: Oregon, USA
577 posts
Location: Oregon, USA
Posted:
It's spam. Spammers will grab excerpts from random texts, or sometimes just use gibberish, to try and fool scanners. Some spammers are dumber than others and don't configure their software correctly, which sends the gibberish through but forgets the spam :P. Some will send messages like that through, without spam, to try and reverse-train a scanner, so they can send actual spam through easier upon another wave. Lots of little tricksey-spammerisses..
You can just ignore them, or delete them, or use a text-only email client and read the very curious world of social engineering that thrives in spam messages.
For the most part, unless it is a message from someone you know, or a message you are expecting, do you really need to read it? Usually you can just delete random messages, even if they say "Hi, do you remember me? I once had a crush on you!" .. yes, that's spam!
Or maybe I'm just missing out on all the lost relationships :P.
It's spam. Spammers will grab excerpts from random texts, or sometimes just use gibberish, to try and fool scanners. Some spammers are dumber than others and don't configure their software correctly, which sends the gibberish through but forgets the spam :P. Some will send messages like that through, without spam, to try and reverse-train a scanner, so they can send actual spam through easier upon another wave. Lots of little tricksey-spammerisses..
You can just ignore them, or delete them, or use a text-only email client and read the very curious world of social engineering that thrives in spam messages.
For the most part, unless it is a message from someone you know, or a message you are expecting, do you really need to read it? Usually you can just delete random messages, even if they say "Hi, do you remember me? I once had a crush on you!" .. yes, that's spam!
Or maybe I'm just missing out on all the lost relationships :P.
Definition of poi- A Hawaiian food made from the tuber of the taro that is cooked, pounded to a paste, and fermented.
Ahnold discussing poi - "It is naht a toober!"
BRONZE Member
Geek-enviro-hippy priest
1,858 posts
Location: Diss, Norfolk, United Kingdom
Geek-enviro-hippy priest
1,858 posts
Location: Diss, Norfolk, United Kingdom
Posted:
yes, I just assume that the crush ones are spam too - I doubt they would be for real
yes, I just assume that the crush ones are spam too - I doubt they would be for real There's too many home fires burning and not enough trees
BRONZE Member
veteran
1,247 posts
Location: lost, Canada
veteran
1,247 posts
Location: lost, Canada
Posted:
Thanks guys...
I dont get any other kind of spam to that email address--so I dont just delete messages without looking, usually it is someone I actually have met in my travels, though sans the crush aspect ! ;-)
I just dont open attachments unless it has been agreed upon to send one. And since these did not have any, I was unsure... And the stories are not half bad, though I dont know where it is going yet. Sym, if you want I could put a bit of one here...
Many, many people know I like stories and mysteries, and lots of my odd and unusual pals send things anon., to play with my mind, and as surprise gifts of a sort. So as a spam ploy to suck me in this would be as good as it gets!
So, anyone know if I need to do anything to get some kinda bug out of my computer? Or get my name of their spam list or something? I have the usual virus software and a firewall, and that email is a site called Fastmail.ca.
Thanks!
Thanks guys...
I dont get any other kind of spam to that email address--so I dont just delete messages without looking, usually it is someone I actually have met in my travels, though sans the crush aspect ! ;-)
I just dont open attachments unless it has been agreed upon to send one. And since these did not have any, I was unsure... And the stories are not half bad, though I dont know where it is going yet. Sym, if you want I could put a bit of one here...
Many, many people know I like stories and mysteries, and lots of my odd and unusual pals send things anon., to play with my mind, and as surprise gifts of a sort. So as a spam ploy to suck me in this would be as good as it gets!
So, anyone know if I need to do anything to get some kinda bug out of my computer? Or get my name of their spam list or something? I have the usual virus software and a firewall, and that email is a site called Fastmail.ca.
Thanks!
"God *was* my co-pilot, but then we crashed, and I had to eat him..."
addict
577 posts
Location: Oregon, USA
577 posts
Location: Oregon, USA
Posted:
Nah, it's just spam. Either your address is on a list somewhere, or the server that houses your email was dictionary attacked. You can forward the emails to the server admin, but, really, there's not much that can be done overall.
I've seen snippets from Edgar Allen Poe, Alice in Wonderland, Hans Christian Anderson, various poets, etc.. etc.. you can try googling some portions of text to see if you can find out what the full story is. I've found some very nice literature that way :P. I used to collect spam as a means of looking at various social engineering tactics. Now I deal with spam as my job and it's just not as much fun anymore :P.
Nah, it's just spam. Either your address is on a list somewhere, or the server that houses your email was dictionary attacked. You can forward the emails to the server admin, but, really, there's not much that can be done overall.
I've seen snippets from Edgar Allen Poe, Alice in Wonderland, Hans Christian Anderson, various poets, etc.. etc.. you can try googling some portions of text to see if you can find out what the full story is. I've found some very nice literature that way :P. I used to collect spam as a means of looking at various social engineering tactics. Now I deal with spam as my job and it's just not as much fun anymore :P.
Definition of poi- A Hawaiian food made from the tuber of the taro that is cooked, pounded to a paste, and fermented.
Ahnold discussing poi - "It is naht a toober!"
BRONZE Member
veteran
1,247 posts
Location: lost, Canada
veteran
1,247 posts
Location: lost, Canada
Posted:
rofl
I have never heard of dictionaries attacking!
rofl
I have never heard of dictionaries attacking!
"God *was* my co-pilot, but then we crashed, and I had to eat him..."
SILVER Member
UnNatural Scientist - Currently working on a Breville-legged monkey
757 posts
Location: Bath Uni or Shrewsbury, UK
UnNatural Scientist - Currently working on a Breville-legged monkey
757 posts
Location: Bath Uni or Shrewsbury, UK
Posted:
[Stolen from https://strangeplaces.net/weirdthings/publicpool.html]
his was started by in rec.arts.comics.misc, then it was forwarded to news.admin.net-abuse.usenet, where lots of other people added stuff [mind you, some of them are references that you might not get if you've never read nana-u]
I'm tired of hearing spammer's lame excuses and rationalizations. Spamming newsgroups can reasonably be compared to urinating in a public pool. But when spammers are caught, we hear stuff like:
"Uh-- I didn't know I wasn't supposed to piss in the pool. After all, its full of water -- just like my toilet at home."
"It's a really large pool."
"No one will really care."
"I'm sure there are some people here who really WANT to swim in my piss."
"After all, this is a free pool; I can piss here if I want to."
"It's too much trouble to get up and walk all the way to the bathroom."
"How DARE they get upset over a few ounces of my piss!"
"If they don't want to swim in my piss, they should never use the pool!"
"I had to buy my bathing suit, so pissing in this pool IS costing me money! This isn't a free ride for pissers as some of you claim!"
"It is anti-American to restrict freedom of urination! Will you start censoring #2 after that?!?!?!"
"There are already big guys pissing in the pool. Why are you singling out the little guy? ...No... No, I CAN'T point out a big pisser..."
"I can't AFFORD to piss on anyone in other more expensive facilities..."
"There's no law that says I can't piss in the POOL, Article XXXXX refers to pissing in the STREET."
"I can only piss in the pool 20 times in a 45 day period? That's absurd! That's unacceptible!"
"I would like to apologize for my twin brother, who was caught pissing in the pool yesterday and gave my name. It wasn't me. Honest! I've never been near the place! He's being punished by being sent to live with relatives real far away, so you'll never see _him_ again."
"Yes, I pissed in your pool, but it was an experiment for a biology class I'm taking. Thank you for your cooperation."
"Hi, my name is Jerry Reynolds, and MCI is letting me re-route a large sewer line into your pool. Have a nice swim."
"I have been informed that you have removed my piss from your pool. My legal councel has advised me that what you did is an illegal actionable tort that infringes my civil rights and is in violation of the Sherman Anti-Trust Act, the Mann Act, and the NATO charter. You have acted without due dilligence, committed liable and slander and defamed my good name with malice aforethought, and now you will pay. I have a five-figure lawyer budget and a team of private investigators who will find you. Please call my attorneys at the law firm of Hungadunga, Hungadunga, Hungadunga, & McCormick and give them your address so that you may be served and then arrested. Litigiously yours, Tim J Chandler Britto Sledgemore"
"I know I said I would stop pissing in the pool three months ago, but i thought 'the hell with the rest of you'."
"Since they kicked me out for pissing in this end of the pool, I'll piss in the other end of the pool."
"But I need to empty my bladder!"
"Pissing in the pool is easy, I'll show you how."
"THIS REALLY WORKS! Just send $5 to the five people who just pissed on you, piss on at least 200 more people (making sure to tell them to do the same), and within no time you won't even *need* water in the pool. Won't have to heat it either. AND ITS PERFECTLY LEGAL!!!"
"Our new "Stealth Suit" puts another swimmer's name on you so that nobody will know it is you that is pissing in the pool."
"Our market research has indicated that you wanted us to piss in your pool."
"To have the piss in your pool removed, just email your request to
[Stolen from https://strangeplaces.net/weirdthings/publicpool.html]
his was started by
I'm tired of hearing spammer's lame excuses and rationalizations. Spamming newsgroups can reasonably be compared to urinating in a public pool. But when spammers are caught, we hear stuff like:
"Uh-- I didn't know I wasn't supposed to piss in the pool. After all, its full of water -- just like my toilet at home."
"It's a really large pool."
"No one will really care."
"I'm sure there are some people here who really WANT to swim in my piss."
"After all, this is a free pool; I can piss here if I want to."
"It's too much trouble to get up and walk all the way to the bathroom."
"How DARE they get upset over a few ounces of my piss!"
"If they don't want to swim in my piss, they should never use the pool!"
"I had to buy my bathing suit, so pissing in this pool IS costing me money! This isn't a free ride for pissers as some of you claim!"
"It is anti-American to restrict freedom of urination! Will you start censoring #2 after that?!?!?!"
"There are already big guys pissing in the pool. Why are you singling out the little guy? ...No... No, I CAN'T point out a big pisser..."
"I can't AFFORD to piss on anyone in other more expensive facilities..."
"There's no law that says I can't piss in the POOL, Article XXXXX refers to pissing in the STREET."
"I can only piss in the pool 20 times in a 45 day period? That's absurd! That's unacceptible!"
"I would like to apologize for my twin brother, who was caught pissing in the pool yesterday and gave my name. It wasn't me. Honest! I've never been near the place! He's being punished by being sent to live with relatives real far away, so you'll never see _him_ again."
"Yes, I pissed in your pool, but it was an experiment for a biology class I'm taking. Thank you for your cooperation."
"Hi, my name is Jerry Reynolds, and MCI is letting me re-route a large sewer line into your pool. Have a nice swim."
"I have been informed that you have removed my piss from your pool. My legal councel has advised me that what you did is an illegal actionable tort that infringes my civil rights and is in violation of the Sherman Anti-Trust Act, the Mann Act, and the NATO charter. You have acted without due dilligence, committed liable and slander and defamed my good name with malice aforethought, and now you will pay. I have a five-figure lawyer budget and a team of private investigators who will find you. Please call my attorneys at the law firm of Hungadunga, Hungadunga, Hungadunga, & McCormick and give them your address so that you may be served and then arrested. Litigiously yours, Tim J Chandler Britto Sledgemore"
"I know I said I would stop pissing in the pool three months ago, but i thought 'the hell with the rest of you'."
"Since they kicked me out for pissing in this end of the pool, I'll piss in the other end of the pool."
"But I need to empty my bladder!"
"Pissing in the pool is easy, I'll show you how."
"THIS REALLY WORKS! Just send $5 to the five people who just pissed on you, piss on at least 200 more people (making sure to tell them to do the same), and within no time you won't even *need* water in the pool. Won't have to heat it either. AND ITS PERFECTLY LEGAL!!!"
"Our new "Stealth Suit" puts another swimmer's name on you so that nobody will know it is you that is pissing in the pool."
"Our market research has indicated that you wanted us to piss in your pool."
"To have the piss in your pool removed, just email your request to
Give me a lever long enough and a place to stand and I can beat the world into submission.
BRONZE Member
had her carpal tunnel surgery already thanks v much
4,145 posts
Location: Edinburgh, Scotland (UK)
had her carpal tunnel surgery already thanks v much
4,145 posts
Location: Edinburgh, Scotland (UK)
Posted:
I got part of my friends' lab report... It was some virus that extracted bits of text files on the computer and sent itself from a random address in the address book to another... fortunately those had an attachment to open, so I recognised it... called my friend and asked if he knew the guy I apparently got the email from, and if he knew that his lab report got sent out to his address book.
In the end it turned out the virus came from one of our professors' computers
I got part of my friends' lab report... It was some virus that extracted bits of text files on the computer and sent itself from a random address in the address book to another... fortunately those had an attachment to open, so I recognised it... called my friend and asked if he knew the guy I apparently got the email from, and if he knew that his lab report got sent out to his address book.
In the end it turned out the virus came from one of our professors' computers
"vices are like genitals - most are ugly to behold, and yet we find that our own are dear to us."
(G.W. Dahlquist)
Owner of Dragosani's left half
addict
577 posts
Location: Oregon, USA
577 posts
Location: Oregon, USA
Posted:
Heh.. then you'll have to go find yourself a copy of Mirrormask and watch it!! :P
A dictionary attack is when a spammer send a large compilation of words/names (a dictionary) to an email server trying to harvest valid email addresses.
As far as viruses/worms go, yes, virus/worm writers and spammers work very much in conjunction these days. It's gone from an environment of nuisance geeks who write them for notariety, to carreer criminals that do it for money. It's a very serious environment these days, with botnets (tens to hundreds to thousands+ of compromised computers at the hands of anyone willing to pay some money) ready to do all kinds of bad things. Tons of fun stuffs
Written by:
I have never heard of dictionaries attacking!
Heh.. then you'll have to go find yourself a copy of Mirrormask and watch it!! :P
A dictionary attack is when a spammer send a large compilation of words/names (a dictionary) to an email server trying to harvest valid email addresses.
As far as viruses/worms go, yes, virus/worm writers and spammers work very much in conjunction these days. It's gone from an environment of nuisance geeks who write them for notariety, to carreer criminals that do it for money. It's a very serious environment these days, with botnets (tens to hundreds to thousands+ of compromised computers at the hands of anyone willing to pay some money) ready to do all kinds of bad things. Tons of fun stuffs
Definition of poi- A Hawaiian food made from the tuber of the taro that is cooked, pounded to a paste, and fermented.
Ahnold discussing poi - "It is naht a toober!"
veteran
1,328 posts
Location: Bendigo, Vic, Australia
1,328 posts
Location: Bendigo, Vic, Australia
Posted:
Spam is well, annoying! but I'm lucky, for some reason I dont get it much...
Does anyone know the validity behind the "please do this, for a free {$gift_name} " emails going around at the moment? I keep getting these from friends, and Im sick of them! much like the "I know who is blocking me on msn" rubbish, which is a virus (or similar) by the way
Spam is well, annoying! but I'm lucky, for some reason I dont get it much...
Does anyone know the validity behind the "please do this, for a free {$gift_name} " emails going around at the moment? I keep getting these from friends, and Im sick of them! much like the "I know who is blocking me on msn" rubbish, which is a virus (or similar) by the way
addict
577 posts
Location: Oregon, USA
577 posts
Location: Oregon, USA
Posted:
I've not come across it yet, sounds interesting tho. Can you PM me the headers of one of the messages?.. just outta curiousity. If it's too much of a pain, don't bother.. I'm sure I'll run across it at some point.
Written by:
Does anyone know the validity behind the "please do this, for a free {$gift_name} "
I've not come across it yet, sounds interesting tho. Can you PM me the headers of one of the messages?.. just outta curiousity. If it's too much of a pain, don't bother.. I'm sure I'll run across it at some point.
Definition of poi- A Hawaiian food made from the tuber of the taro that is cooked, pounded to a paste, and fermented.
Ahnold discussing poi - "It is naht a toober!"
SILVER Member
UnNatural Scientist - Currently working on a Breville-legged monkey
757 posts
Location: Bath Uni or Shrewsbury, UK
UnNatural Scientist - Currently working on a Breville-legged monkey
757 posts
Location: Bath Uni or Shrewsbury, UK
Posted:
If it's a "Send this to enough people and you'll qualify for a Whatever(TM)" equivelent, then it's toss.
If it's a "Send this to enough people and you'll qualify for a Whatever(TM)" equivelent, then it's toss.
Give me a lever long enough and a place to stand and I can beat the world into submission.
veteran
1,328 posts
Location: Bendigo, Vic, Australia
1,328 posts
Location: Bendigo, Vic, Australia
Posted:
I usually don't go into it... and havent got one to post at the moment, as my trash can has been emptied since I recieved one.
Will post the email when I get one though
I usually don't go into it... and havent got one to post at the moment, as my trash can has been emptied since I recieved one.
Will post the email when I get one though
BRONZE Member
veteran
1,247 posts
Location: lost, Canada
veteran
1,247 posts
Location: lost, Canada
Posted:
Hmmn! My spam just gets better and better...
Now it involves magicians, colourful jugglers, inquisitive people, and a tall well dressed man in a black domino mask....
Wait a minute...that sounds suspiciously familiar!
""phone receiver. The telephone was dead. An usher reported that all the other telephones in the building were out of order. This annoying but hardly supernatural occurrence seemed to shock Rimsky, although secretly he was glad, because it absolved him from the need to telephone.
As the little red light above the treasurer's head started flashing to show that the interval was beginning, an usher came in and announced that the foreign magician had arrived. Rimsky's expression changed and he scowled
with a mixture of anxiety and irritation. As the only member of the management left in the theatre, it was his duty to go backstage and receive the guest artiste.
As the warning bells rang, inquisitive people were peeping into the star dressing room. Among them were jugglers in bright robes and turbans, a roller-skater in a knitted cardigan, a comedian with a powdered white face
and a make-up man. The celebrated guest artiste amazed everyone with his unusually long, superbly cut tail coat and by wearing a black domino. Even more astounding were the black magician's two companions : a tall man in...""
Hmmn! My spam just gets better and better...
Now it involves magicians, colourful jugglers, inquisitive people, and a tall well dressed man in a black domino mask....
Wait a minute...that sounds suspiciously familiar!
""phone receiver. The telephone was dead. An usher reported that all the other telephones in the building were out of order. This annoying but hardly supernatural occurrence seemed to shock Rimsky, although secretly he was glad, because it absolved him from the need to telephone.
As the little red light above the treasurer's head started flashing to show that the interval was beginning, an usher came in and announced that the foreign magician had arrived. Rimsky's expression changed and he scowled
with a mixture of anxiety and irritation. As the only member of the management left in the theatre, it was his duty to go backstage and receive the guest artiste.
As the warning bells rang, inquisitive people were peeping into the star dressing room. Among them were jugglers in bright robes and turbans, a roller-skater in a knitted cardigan, a comedian with a powdered white face
and a make-up man. The celebrated guest artiste amazed everyone with his unusually long, superbly cut tail coat and by wearing a black domino. Even more astounding were the black magician's two companions : a tall man in...""
"God *was* my co-pilot, but then we crashed, and I had to eat him..."
SILVER Member
UnNatural Scientist - Currently working on a Breville-legged monkey
757 posts
Location: Bath Uni or Shrewsbury, UK
UnNatural Scientist - Currently working on a Breville-legged monkey
757 posts
Location: Bath Uni or Shrewsbury, UK
Posted:
Haha, I ain't tall. Nor am I particularly well dressed. Fairly sure we could find you some colourful jugglers though, they must be some around here somewhere...
But where to look?
Haha, I ain't tall. Nor am I particularly well dressed. Fairly sure we could find you some colourful jugglers though, they must be some around here somewhere...
But where to look?
Give me a lever long enough and a place to stand and I can beat the world into submission.
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