Hitman Scam Spam

b0b · Post by **b0b** » 11 Jan 2013 8:00 am

I get a lot of spam - one of the hazards of having a very public email address - but this one took me by surprise. Apparently it's known as the "hitman scam". If you reply, the guy will spare your life (for a fee, of course). See details at the Missouri Attorney General's web site. The first half of the sample email there is a word-for-word match to the one I received.

Jeff Garden · Post by **Jeff Garden** » 11 Jan 2013 8:09 am

Ah yes, the Nigerian "Banjo Brotherhood" Hit Squad systematically eliminating steel players! I hope you've been staying indoors "once it's 7:30 pm" as directed, b0b.

Wiz Feinberg · Post by **Wiz Feinberg** » 11 Jan 2013 11:34 am

This scam is over a year or two old now. It is a form of the ubiquitous 419 scams, developed in Nigeria.

I encourage anybody receiving one of the Hitman scams to set up a SpamCop account and report it to them. You can also report these to your State's AG, and the the FBI, although they will have no better success in doing anything then SpamCop.

b0b · Post by **b0b** » 11 Jan 2013 11:52 am

Since it was soliciting an email reply, I reported it abuse@ his email domain (mail.com). I expect they'll close down the account, at least.