Hacker at large

[wynn]

I received this today:-

PASS THIS ON!


IF A PERSON CALLED SIMON ASHTON (SIMON25@HOTMAIL.CO.UK) CONTACTS YOU THROUGH EMAIL DON'T OPEN THE MESSAGE. DELETE IT BECAUSE HE IS A HACKER!!

TELL EVERYONE ON YOUR LIST BECAUSE IF SOMEBODY ON YOUR LIST ADDS HIM THEN YOU WILL GET HIM ON YOUR LIST. HE WILL FIGURE OUT YOUR ID COMPUTER ADDRESS, SO COPY AND PASTE THIS MESSAGE TO EVERYONE EVEN IF YOU DON'T CARE FOR THEM AND FAST BECAUSE IF HE HACKS THEIR EMAIL HE HACKS YOUR MAIL TOO!!!!!.....

Anyone-using Internet mail such as Yahoo, Hotmail, AOL and so on.. This information arrived this morning, Direct from both Microsoft and Norton. Please send it to everybody you know who has access to the Internet. You may receive an apparently harmless e-mail titled 'Mail Server Report'

If you open either file, a message will appear on your screen saying: 'It is too late now, your life is no longer beautiful.'

Subsequently you will LOSE EVERYTHING IN YOUR PC,
And the person who o sent it to you will gain access to your name, e-mail and password.

This is a new virus which started to circulate on Saturday afternoon.. AOL has already confirmed the severity, and the anti virus software's are not capable of destroying it .

The virus has been created by a hacker who calls himself 'life owner'..

PLEASE SEND A COPY OF THIS E-MAIL TO ALL YOUR FRIENDS, And ask them to PASS IT ON IMMEDIATELY




Brig LS Malahlela
Section Head: Executive Secretariat & Information Management
Office of the Deputy National Commissioner: COO
Tel: (012) 393 - 2518
Fax012) 393 - 2555
Fax to email: 086 513 0381
Cellular nr: 082 778 3507
Email: malahlelas@saps.org.za

[bjsteyn]

Hackers and scammers are everywhere. Been receiving this message lately. But the link doesn't go to absa. Another physing email trying to steal your banking login details.

"Dear Customer,

We believe that Invention of security measures is the best way to beat online fraud.

ABSA have employed some industrial leading models to start performing an extra security check with Internet banking activities to ensure a safe and secure service.

You are requested to follow the provided steps and Update Your Internet banking details by clicking :

Login to Continue.<LINK REMOVED>

Internet Banking Service. "

If i had the time I would write a virus that deletes all there files and send it back to them.

[wynn]

Yeah I received an official looking email from ABSA saying I had a deposit just to check.
Unfortunately I don't bank at ABSA so I don't know how much was deposited in my nonexistant account!!!

[Mike C]

From Urban Legends:

'Hacker warning' circulating via forwarded email tells recipients not to accept messages or friend invitations from a supposed email hacker named Simon Ashton.

Description: Email hoax
Circulating since: Jan. 2008
Status: False


Example:
Email text contributed by Nic P., Feb. 6, 2009:

------------------------------

FW: Hacker Warning

*URGENT HACKER WARNING !*

IF A PERSON CALLED SIMON ASHTON (SIMON_25_@HOTMAIL.CO.UK) CONTACTS YOU THROUGH EMAIL DONT ACCEPT HIM. DELETE HIM BECAUSE HE IS A HACKER!! TELL EVERYONE ON YOUR LIST BECAUSE IF SOMEBODY ON YOUR LIST ADDS HIM THEN YOU WILL GET HIM ON YOUR LIST. HE WILL FIGURE OUT YOUR ID COMPUTER ADDRESS, SO *COPY AND PASTE* THIS MESSAGE TO EVERYONE EVEN IF YOU DON'T CARE FOR THEM AND FAST BECAUSE IF HE HACKS THEIR EMAIL HE HACKS YOUR MAIL TOO!!!!!...

------------------------------



Analysis: False. Email warnings about alleged hackers capable of stealing your personal info if you merely reply to their messages or add their names to friends lists are a dime a dozen (see more examples below), and based on a false premise, namely that it's just that simple to hack into someone's email or Facebook account. It isn't.

That said, such break-ins do occur, so there are two real threats every email user or member of social networking sites like Facebook, MySpace, or Twitter should beware of:

Messages from strangers asking you for personal information (e.g., user name, password, phone number, etc.)

Messages from strangers containing links to unfamiliar file attachments or websites

Read more at http://urbanlegends.about.com/od/int...mon_ashton.htm

[gordo]

how do we know that we arent gonna get hacked if we click on that link mike???

[Mike C]

how do we know that we arent gonna get hacked if we click on that link mike???

Good point gordo! You are obviously aware of how these things work.

You can google "Simon Ashton Urban Legends" and you should be referred to the same site.

[Dave A]

how do we know that we arent gonna get hacked if we click on that link mike???

I've had to kill a few malicious links that people have tried to post on TFSA over the years. The feedback normally comes from a member, or from Google, or from the Nortons Safe Site program.