JKD Posted January 5, 2021 Report Share Posted January 5, 2021 I know a lot of members on PW get strange/odd emails,,,, I get them too. But I've never seen anything like this one 🤔 There was a link attached, and obviously I clicked on it,,,, NOT !!! I just don't get the "message". Can anyone figure out what I might be missing out on ? 🙄😂 Sorry for poor quality of screenshot 😏 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gordon R Posted January 5, 2021 Report Share Posted January 5, 2021 Presumably the message is supposed to be odd enough to tempt some feeble minded sap to open the link. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JKD Posted January 5, 2021 Author Report Share Posted January 5, 2021 6 minutes ago, Gordon R said: Presumably the message is supposed to be odd enough to tempt some feeble minded sap to open the link. Well I just googled the two names and it appears that there are two quotes making up that "message". The second quote is sort of understandable,,,, if anyone can understand the first one then they must be an errrrr, an MP, for example 😜😂 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fatchap Posted January 5, 2021 Report Share Posted January 5, 2021 Hansard is something to do with Parliamentary Debates. Looks like a pretty sophisticated Phishing email to me. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JKD Posted January 5, 2021 Author Report Share Posted January 5, 2021 1 minute ago, fatchap said: Hansard is something to do with Parliamentary Debates. Looks like a pretty sophisticated Phishing email to me. Well that was definitely wasted on me 😂 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Munzy Posted January 5, 2021 Report Share Posted January 5, 2021 If there is no link in there it may be to “clean” an old email database so that it can be sold. What might be happening is that an invisible image is included in the email. When you open the email the image is downloaded and your email address is flagged as being live. It’s a process known as “spotlight tagging”. There are millions of email databases floating around online which can be obtained for free. Most of the addresses inside are dead; think of anytime you’ve had to sign up for something and entered “x@x.com” instead of disclosing your actual email. Other addresses are genuine but for accounts that are never used other than to sign up for things. If someone wanted to make a few quid they could download a million-odd addresses, run an automated blast to send out some random text and then filter out the good addresses that actually opened the email. You could then sell this data as live, tested and active. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JKD Posted January 5, 2021 Author Report Share Posted January 5, 2021 That makes sense Munzy, thanks. There was a link BTW. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SpringDon Posted January 5, 2021 Report Share Posted January 5, 2021 Also the rambling nature of the text will go through junk and spam filters. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Munzy Posted January 5, 2021 Report Share Posted January 5, 2021 5 minutes ago, JKD said: That makes sense Munzy, thanks. There was a link BTW. Ah, sorry I misread that bit! Probably a combination of the two then, hope you’ll click the link to something dodgy and at the same time clean the data. 3 minutes ago, SpringDon said: Also the rambling nature of the text will go through junk and spam filters. Yes, exactly. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JKD Posted January 5, 2021 Author Report Share Posted January 5, 2021 1 minute ago, Munzy said: Ah, sorry I misread that bit! Probably a combination of the two then, hope you’ll click the link to something dodgy and at the same time clean the data. Yes, exactly. I never click on links from unknown senders of emails 😏 This came from a friends email address,,,, well the same name, different [very odd] address. It was deleted once I'd taken a picture of it ✌️ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TIGHTCHOKE Posted January 5, 2021 Report Share Posted January 5, 2021 Pass it on to any one of our resident PW conspiracy theorists! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Agriv8 Posted January 5, 2021 Report Share Posted January 5, 2021 He can’t pass it to me I have my foil hat on ! I personally think Munzy has hit the nail on the head ! ( saved me typing it up ) regards Agriv8 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TIGHTCHOKE Posted January 5, 2021 Report Share Posted January 5, 2021 32 minutes ago, Munzy said: If there is no link in there it may be to “clean” an old email database so that it can be sold. What might be happening is that an invisible image is included in the email. When you open the email the image is downloaded and your email address is flagged as being live. It’s a process known as “spotlight tagging”. There are millions of email databases floating around online which can be obtained for free. Most of the addresses inside are dead; think of anytime you’ve had to sign up for something and entered “x@x.com” instead of disclosing your actual email. Other addresses are genuine but for accounts that are never used other than to sign up for things. If someone wanted to make a few quid they could download a million-odd addresses, run an automated blast to send out some random text and then filter out the good addresses that actually opened the email. You could then sell this data as live, tested and active. I'm sure that is going on all the time. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JKD Posted January 5, 2021 Author Report Share Posted January 5, 2021 19 minutes ago, TIGHTCHOKE said: Pass it on to any one of our resident PW conspiracy theorists! I haven't got the time to send THAT many !!! 😇😁 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ditchman Posted January 5, 2021 Report Share Posted January 5, 2021 24 minutes ago, JKD said: I never click on links from unknown senders of emails 😏 This came from a friends email address,,,, well the same name, different [very odd] address. It was deleted once I'd taken a picture of it ✌️ just as its from a trusted friend dosnt mean its safe to open..........my very good mate...used to send me e-mails from round robins that had done the rounds......all his stuff used to go straight into the junk folder.....he swore blind he had a good firewall and cleaner........i flatley refuse to open any e-mail from him...as when i first did so ...all sorts of carp used to happen........... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JKD Posted January 5, 2021 Author Report Share Posted January 5, 2021 3 minutes ago, ditchman said: just as its from a trusted friend dosnt mean its safe to open..........my very good mate...used to send me e-mails from round robins that had done the rounds......all his stuff used to go straight into the junk folder.....he swore blind he had a good firewall and cleaner........i flatley refuse to open any e-mail from him...as when i first did so ...all sorts of carp used to happen........... It wasn't actually from my friend.... Same name, which is a MCsomething, but different very odd email address ending with jb or something 😉 Anything I get that looks suspicious gets deleted 👍 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
humperdingle Posted January 5, 2021 Report Share Posted January 5, 2021 I got an email today from a chap who has been dead for over a year. Most impressive! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TIGHTCHOKE Posted January 5, 2021 Report Share Posted January 5, 2021 1 hour ago, humperdingle said: I got an email today from a chap who has been dead for over a year. Most impressive! How is he coping? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ditchman Posted January 5, 2021 Report Share Posted January 5, 2021 2 hours ago, humperdingle said: I got an email today from a chap who has been dead for over a year. Most impressive! did he live in america and vote republican ? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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