Phil
In memoriam
RIP 23-Oct-2018
Posts: 9,473
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Post by Phil on Nov 29, 2006 14:27:08 GMT
I was only saved on this one by Firefox querying the site.
It is an email with a flyer offering the chance to enter for a chance to win £25 000 for Christmas. It is the best scam I have ever seen. It comes from
paypal @email. paypal. co. uk (spaces added for obvious reasons)
and offers a 'click for further information'. It was here I got the warning and got out straightaway, but even then it managed to set a cookie despite me opting to allow cookies manually only.
I sent it to 'spoof@paypal'. They replied within 5 mins saying this was one of the best fakes they'd seen and it does go on to ask for paypal IDs, then if you are silly enough, bank details.
They have now tried to block it, but if you've even only looked at it I suggest you go and delete the cookie.
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Post by agoodcuppa on Nov 29, 2006 16:16:12 GMT
A thought that may be useful to deal with stuff like this. I use a programme called Mailwasher. It lets you look at the info line and the text of the email without downloading it on to your computer. Thus anything dodgy can be identified and deleted. An alternative it to check your email via your web browser before downloading it. Most ISPs have the facility to read email via the web where they can be deleted. Either of these methods avoids cookies, viruses and other naughties getting into your system. However, not all cookies are bad, there's at least one that allows easy access to this forum and means that you don't have to manually enter your user name and password every time you visit.  ;D |
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Deleted
Deleted Member
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Post by Deleted on Nov 29, 2006 17:45:17 GMT
A thought that may be useful to deal with stuff like this. I use a programme called Mailwasher. It lets you look at the info line and the text of the email without downloading it on to your computer. Thus anything dodgy can be identified and deleted. I've used Mailwasher for years and it does help. www.mailwasher.net/ |
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Nov 30, 2006 9:17:35 GMT
I use a programme called Mailwasher. It lets you look at the info line and the text of the email without downloading it on to your computer. Thus anything dodgy can be identified and deleted. However, not all cookies are bad, there's at least one that allows easy access to this forum and means that you don't have to manually enter your user name and password every time you visit. ;D I hate to be pedantic, but if you can read the text of an email, then it has been downloaded onto your computer. Anything that is on your screen MUST be on your computer! I think Mailwasher probably means that the message has not been written to the hard drive. Cookies, of themselves, are harmless. They are just a small text file on your hard drive. If you revisit the site that set the cookie (or an associated site), it can use the info in the cookie to identify you and so recall previous transactions with you. In fact, unless you use Outlook or Outlook Express, it is exceedingly unlikely that any harm will be caused by simply reading the text of an email. Problems arise if you open an unexpected attachment, or click on a link that takes you to a dodgy web site asking for your bank details. |
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Deleted
Deleted Member
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Post by Deleted on Dec 1, 2006 11:08:10 GMT
Mailwasher just downloads the title to your on-board RAM.
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Post by antharro on Dec 1, 2006 16:29:07 GMT
Mailwasher, when I used to use it, pulled down the subject of the email, and if you wanted more, you could open the email to check its contents. But it didn't pull down the content of the email until you requested it to.
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Deleted
Deleted Member
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Post by Deleted on Dec 3, 2006 10:25:57 GMT
Fair enough, but A Good Cuppa said that "Mailwasher lets you look at ... the text of an email".
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Post by agoodcuppa on Dec 3, 2006 12:00:14 GMT
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Deleted
Deleted Member
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Post by Deleted on Dec 3, 2006 18:37:04 GMT
I have been using Mailwasher for a number of years and totally recommend it. I cannot imagine life without it- due to the way I use my domain name and email I have been able to set it up so that only a tiny percentage of spam gets through my both provider's filters AND Mailwasher.
While you can see the body of emails that do get through (if you choose), they are downloaded in an entirely benign manner. You can see any dodgy looking links and generally keep a handle on what is going on.
As with all things PC related, it is just one element of the battle against the nasty people lurking on the internet- I'm thinking of firewalls and virus scanners to name but two.
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;D
