I got this great offer in my email today. Unfortunately I got it at least thrice (update actually going through it seems like I've received it about 8 times including my gmail account) with different subjects and senders, which tends to make me ever so slightly suspicious. Three of the subjects and senders were:
"Risk Free Banking with our Bank" from Nelda Garrison <[email protected]>
"Update from your bank: New visible technology in place." from Janelle Combs <[email protected]>
Fortunately in all cases the anti-scam rulesets in Moozilla Seamonkey 1.1 warned me that it was probably a scam. As if that were not enough the text raises a bunch of red flags (the fact that different people have sent me differently titled emails with identical text is a pretty good red flag in itself). Here is the text
Dear Commercial Banking Customer,
We are delighted to inform you about the new online payment security system
which starts to operate from 1st February.
The name of the system is GuardUno.
GuardUno is one of the latest projects developed by BB&T Company security department.
It is a security device which generates online access codes to perform online transactions.
To obtain this device you will have to register and fill out an application form.
Within the next two weeks you will receive the device to the address stated in your application.
GuardUno is not only highly effective, it is also absolutely free of charge!
Please note:
If your application form is not filled in during the following 72 hours your online account
access will be temporarily blocked for security reasons.
Therefore we recommend that you start registering as soon as possible.
To start now please click the link below and keep following on screen instructions:
We appreciate your business. It's truly our pleasure to serve you.
Security Department
BB&T Company.
-----
This email is for notification only, to contact us, please log into your account and send a Bank Mail.
BB&T Company Email ID # 65216
Problems with the text:
Confusion about start dates (Starts feb 1 or two weeks from now or in 72 hours?)
Confusion about whether this is supposed to be optional or mandatoriy
No name of bank in the text. If (one of) my banks has adopted this scheme they are going to be sending me the email not some company I've never heard of
Confusion about domains. Is is BBT.com , business-eb.ibanking-services.com or (check URL link) www.bbandt-bank.com
The latter confusion is undoubtedly the one that triggers the Mozilla scam detector but all of the features above made me suspictious. What amazes me is that people still fall for this kind of stuff and lose loadsa money, their own and that which they manage for others, in the process. Just as with the war on drugs the only real way to stop it is to reduce the demand, in other words the morons who seem to be gulled by these scams.
Blog Home : February 2007 : Permalink
