New Threat – setup_build8_259

Posted on | December 25, 2009 | No Comments

If I could wring the neck of internet criminals that try to steal money and resources from people, I would do it in a second. Nothing is more discouraging than to loose something that some low life stole from you. Since I can’t really do that, at least I can try to spread the word of scams that I run across to at least minimize the loss of others.

In the spirit of spreading the word, I wanted to share my latest scam. I wanted to find out if the Walmart near me was open today since it was Christmas. Here is my process

I went to google.com and type in “Walmart Holiday Hours”. Without thinking much I clicked on the first result in the organic results (not the sponsered results). That domain showed up as eclipsemagazine.com, which is a entertainment news blog. The site is legitamate, but I think they may be hacked, because I was sent to this exact URL: http://www.eclipsemagazine.com/?174120219217go=walmart%20holiday%20hours%202009 (DO NOT GO HERE!). That does a web redirect to mypcsecure-advisor.net, which as you may suspect is anything but secure. The domain registration is listed as such.

Registrant Contact:
UIS
Garritt Kooken gkook@checkjemail.nl
+86.592257788 fax:
Rue de Virton 237
Evegnee Evegnee 11111
be

I can’t even determine where that is, but it we’re definitely not in Kansas anymore. The e-mail address in the The Netherlands. Feel free to flame this e-mail address.

Now the magic happens. You are asked to download a file and run it.

Click on the thumbnail to see what it looked like on my computer. The file you are asked to download is called setup_build8_259.exe. I would highly recommend that you not download this file. If you did already, then you are infected.

Hopefully this post will help someone else out and keep the criminals fishing for nothing.

Category: Uncategorized

Creative Scamming

Posted on | October 20, 2009 | No Comments

A while back I got this check in the mail:

The letter that accompanied the check said that I had won $50,000

Wow I thought, this is creative. The letter instructed me to call a number to “verify” the check, which was to cover the “3.6% government tax”. Well the tax rate was pretty dumb, but I digress.

I did a quick search on the phone number and found that it was a cell phone in Toronto, Canada. That’s odd since the company logo on the check was in New Hampshire. So I called up Wallboard Supply Company at the number on their website, and asked about it. Sure enough they were dealing with the scam on a large scale.

So, here is my conclusion about how the scam works. The check is real, and it goes to a real account. However, that account has a fraud alert on it, and the check will not clear. I never did call the number on the letter, but I suspect that they would have told me to cash the check and then paid “the government taxes” before they would release the remaining funds. I’m sure that they would be helpful in giving me the right account to send the “taxes”. After the victim sends in the money, the check bounces and the money is gone.

So how did I do? If anyone else has seen this, let me know.

Category: Uncategorized

Change my gender?

Posted on | September 1, 2009 | No Comments

I was looking at my account settings on Netflix, (a service that I really like), and noticed that in the account editing screen, that you can change your gender and birth year.

netfilx

Don’t make fun of me for being old. Just think about what, or even how, you would change your gender. I guess there are medical ways of changing that, but how could you change your birth year? I guess I fail to see how that is possible.

Category: This is just silly

Why I love Texas

Posted on | August 16, 2009 | No Comments

On August 6, 2009, Sgt Jay M Hoskins from Paris, Texas was killed in action in Farah province, Afghanistan. Paris is a town about 80 miles away from where I live.

If I have learned anything about living in Texas, it is that Texans love their state, but they also love their country and the soldiers who willingingly serve. The press release reads as follows:

Officials in an East Texas town plan to line the streets with American flags to honor a Marine who died in Afghanistan.

A hearse carrying the body of 24-year-old Marine Sgt. Jay Hoskins is expected to make the six-mile journey Aug. 13 from a local airstrip to a funeral home in Paris, about 90 miles northeast of Dallas.

Hoskins died Aug. 6 with two fellow Marines when a roadside bomb exploded in Farah province.

The city’s Kiwanis Club is distributing 500 large flags on 10-foot poles, and the football coach at the local high school told The Paris News that he expects hundreds of students to line the route.

The funeral procession is expected to include all local law enforcement agencies and Patriot Guard motorcycle riders.

What is incredible, is the amount of support that Sgt Hoskins received in his home town he returned on August 13. The following video will blow your mind.

May God bless our soldiers.

Category: Uncategorized

Yes… stupid questions exist

Posted on | August 13, 2009 | No Comments

I know that in school, the teacher would often say that there were no stupid questions, hoping that if someone had a question, they would not feel intimidated to ask it.

Well, I hate to break it to you, but there is such a thing as a stupid question. Want proof you say? Well in this thread at Microsoft Answers, the stupid question of the year was asked.

Apologies if this is the incorrect area for this question.

I’ve noticed that as I copy data/install programs on my Laptop, the weight of the Laptop increases. I have a bad back and am medically limited on the amount of weight I can carry so I need to be very carefull not to inflict injury upon myself.

I have also noticed my XBox feels heavier as well (the more games I save or purchase from arcade). I generally don’t travel with my XBox so that is not an issue for me, but note the I am having the same results.

My ask, what is the weight/file ratio? So for example, how many GB’s = 6oz? I dread the day I need a dolly to commute to work with my Laptop.

Need I say more?

If you go to the link, some of the answers are really creative and funny. It looks like the guys over at Microsoft Answers forum had a little fun with this.

Category: This is just silly

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