Important Security Notice - Please Read

Bobby D. Hunter · From: USA

From Bobby D. Hunter, Security for the SGF:

Moderators; please do not delete my cross-posts of this message

Any members who live or reside in Africa, Asia, or Europe should read my newest message, posted on 25 June 2005, in the security notice thread on this page: http://steelguitarforum.com/Forum13/HTML/001207.html

The next two paragraphs apply to European, African or Asian members only, or members traveling overseas and accessing the SGF

The actions we are taking to block African scammers may inadvertantly affect some of you, overseas. Should this happen I have provided a means to have you allowed in, while maintaining the blockade for the bulk of the locations covered by the new upcoming additions. This mostly affects people who receive their Internet Service directly or indirectly from Satellite Services, such as Internet Cafes, but could also affect you if your ISP gets its signal from a satellite service.

One way to find out now is to send me an email from your normal home ISP, using a normal email program, such as Microsoft Outlook (Express), Eudora, Incredimail, Mozilla Thunderbird, etc. Browser based email is less reliable in this matter. My email link is above. Use it now, before the new access control rules go into effect, sometime on Monday, June 27, 2005.

As usual, if any member receives a scam, or suspected scam email, please Forward it to me as an attachment. Full instructions about how to do this, in the form I require for tracking purposes, can be found by reading through my Posts in this thread: http://steelguitarforum.com/Forum13/HTML/001207.html

Thanks for all of your help so far!

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Bobby D. Hunter
Security for SGF
Hunting down Slimeball Game
Reporting member of SpamCop

[This message was edited by Bobby D. Hunter on 25 June 2005 at 12:20 PM.]

Rex Thomas · From: Thompson's Station, TN

Thanx, Bobby.

Bobby D. Hunter · From: USA

UR welcome Rex!

So far the response from European members has been good, and nobody who is a member is going to be affected by the upcoming security implementation. I still want to hear from any Eastern European members, or anybody working in Asia.

------------------
Bobby D. Hunter
Security for SGF
Hunting down Slimeball Game
Reporting member of SpamCop

John Davis · From: Cambridge, U.K.

Go get`um Bobby!!!!

Curt Langston · Posted 1 Jul 2005 5:19 am

No flame intended here. But, why all the fuss about the scammers? They are so obvious in their emails. I don't know, but it just seems that everyone knows about these goons. Who would fall for them now?

Bobby D. Hunter · From: USA

Curt inquired;

quote:

But, why all the fuss about the scammers? They are so obvious in their emails. I don't know, but it just seems that everyone knows about these goons. Who would fall for them now?

First of all, because they are criminals who are trying to commit fraud against our brothers of the bar, I am warning members about them. If you lived next door to a fellow steel player and looked out your window to see a burglar trying to break into his back door, wouldn't you try to warn him (by phone, or by yelling), or call the Police? I look out my "Windows" (computer) and see Posts from my steel guitar neighbors who think somebody may be trying to scam them, but aren't sure. I know that it is a (burglar) scammer so I warn them. Since I am the Cyber-Police here I call myself to do something about it.

Second, they may be obvious to those of us who are well clued-in to the current crop of Internet security challenges, can spot spam and scams a mile away, are good spellers and trust nobody any further than we can throw them.

Third, there are many Posts on the various SGF forums that are compositionally challenged (bad spelling, all capitals, lots of abbreviations, asking to see 'pics,' etc), so a lot of the less suspecting members may not be so quick to identify a scam at first glance. I get a lot of forwarded scams from members who want to know if it is a scam or a potential sale to somebody who has poor English and spelling skills. 100% of these inquiries have turned out to be scams. 99% of those have been traced to Nigerian ISPs.

Fourth, I am still seeing Posts asking if "this is a scam?" with a quote from an (obvious scam) email. This tells me that my work is not finished yet, unless I am ordered to step down by the Sys-Admin. People are still receiving feelers from Nigerian scammers and are replying to them as if they are legitimate inquiries to buy. I know because I see their replies quoted by the scammers, often calling them by name like buddies.

When I started this project the scams were coming in at a rate of about one or two dozen per week. Due to the actions I have taken that number has been reduced to a few per month.

I am not paid for my services. They are purely voluntary on my part. When the Forum software has been upgraded to the point that only logged-in members can contact other members through links on the forums, my work will probably be done. Until that time, the doors remain unlocked, and I am watching for, warning about and tracking down scammers who are lurking on the SGF.

Again, I urge anybody here who receives what they suspect is a scam email, about goods they have posted for sale on the SGF, to FORWARD that email to me AS AN ATTACHMENT.

Thank you all for your continued assistance in this mission, and I hope you all practice safe Hex (programming term).

------------------
Bobby D. Hunter
Security for SGF
Hunting down Slimeball Game
Reporting member of SpamCop

[This message was edited by Bobby D. Hunter on 01 July 2005 at 03:41 PM.]

rpetersen · From: Iowa

I can't believe somebody doesn't appreciate the help - We all wish you the best of Scams!!!!!!!!!

Calvin Brandenburg · From: Springfield, Ohio, USA

What a great JOB you're doing. I appreciate the efford.
Calvin B.

Curt Langston · Posted 1 Jul 2005 6:46 pm

Ok, I see it in a better light now. I did not mean to imply that Bobby's work was not needed. I guess that there are quite a few people who are not fully aware of the potential threats out there. I did not mean any disrespect at all. I guess I have been used to the old eBay scams, and ASSumed that everyone else is too. My bad. I'm sorry. I should have thought it out. I appreciate your hard work and effort as well, Bobby!

[This message was edited by Curt Langston on 01 July 2005 at 07:47 PM.]

Bert Berthold · From: Peralta, New Mexico, USA

Bobby,doing a well needed job great.There are more people trying to get into our pockets illegally and any effort to stop them is greatly appreciated Thanx Bert

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