View Full Version : Hoax emails
Grumpy John
25th March 2009, 05:11 PM
I received an email from a well meaning friend today, the text was as follows:
Read this item and pass it on to your friends and love ones
This is for Australian phone numbers!
REMEMBER: Mobile Phone Numbers Go Public next month.
REMINDER all mobile phone numbers are being released to telemarketing companies and you will start to receive sale calls. ffice:office" /><O:p></O:p>
YOU WILL BE CHARGED FOR THESE CALLS
Below is a link where you can enter your phone numbers online to put an end to telemarketing calls. Don't just delete those calls otherwise you will find that you have been signed up for all sorts of extra services that you didn't want or know about. Like special chimes, music etc. <O:p></O:p>
https://www.donotcall.gov.au/ (https://www.donotcall.gov.au/) <O:p></O:p>
:ranton:
I know that telemarketing calls are a right royal PITA so I googled "Mobile Phone Numbers Go Public next month" and got this (http://www.hoax-slayer.com/do-not-call-register.shtml) result. I hate these hoax emails just as much as telemarketers because they're sent by "well meaning" friends. I wish people would check things out before fowarding hoaxes on.
:rantoff:
petersemple
25th March 2009, 05:27 PM
I could be wrong, but from memory, some people in the US pay for incoming calls and text, dependingon their phone company and plan. Given that it looks like this email is a rip off of a US one, I guess it's plausible that some people over there do in fact pay to receive marketing calls.
Peter
joe greiner
25th March 2009, 10:30 PM
IF I perceived a need for a mobile phone, I would make sure it didn't charge me for incoming calls, or that it has some ironclad protections for me. Our Federal do-not-call registry is free; for Florida government registry, there's a fee, which stinks IMHO.:((
Regarding the hoax e-mails, I never forward such BS. And I check things out, too.
Your signature line says it better: "To grow up is optional." These things are pretty much juvenile mischief, not terrorism per se. A criminal enterprise would have some sort of benefit to the instigator, which this one doesn't seem to have.
Cheers,
Joe
Grumpy John
25th March 2009, 10:50 PM
Joe, I hadn't realised until I read your post that my tag line could be interpreted two ways. My meaning is that although you grow old you should remain young at heart and retain the enquiring mind of a younger person. It does not, however mean you should engage in juvenile activities.
joe greiner
25th March 2009, 11:32 PM
I agree with your interpretation too, John. But I also took it the other way; too good to pass up.:wink:
Cheers,
Joe
Skew ChiDAMN!!
26th March 2009, 05:22 PM
It does not, however mean you should engage in juvenile activities.
Spoilsport. :p
Personally, these things don't worry me. I didn't ask for it? One CLICK on the delete button and it's gone.
:ranton:
What annoys the living daylights out of me, are people who use sites like Zorpa and other "on-line social sites." I give these people my e-mail address so that they can send me personal e-mails... not so they can join one of these sites and supply that damned site with my addy so they can "invite me" to also join. They wanna chat with me? Send me a bloody e-mail (or join the WWForums :D) fer Chrissake!
Every day I receive a barrage of spam saying "=insert=name=here= has invited me to join =insert=site=here=." often three or four identical posts in the same day. As far as I can work out, my mate is addicted to these sites, as I'm now on the mailing list of some 6 of 'em... and I've confirmed he's a member at all.
The worst of it is, now I'm getting spam from completely unrelated sites, that my idiot mate didn't have anything to do with... I suspect =insert=site=here= is simply sharing their mailing lists with anyone with a few pennies to spare. :rolleyes:
Sometimes I hate my friends... :doh:
Oh... and if anyone reading this happens to be working for Zorpa or MyDailyFlog or ProjectW or even Diplomas/Viagra/Dates4Free... listen very, very carefully: **** ***!! :o
:rantoff:
joe greiner
26th March 2009, 10:55 PM
"Dear Lord, please protect me from my friends; I can handle my enemies."
Villars Marshall de 1653-1734 (Thought I'd never find it)
bsrlee
27th March 2009, 08:40 PM
Apparently some of these site use software to copy their victim's e-mail address book - and by 'victim' I mean anyone who visits their site. Grouply or some such has been particularly cursed on several mail lists as they lifted the group address from some unsuspecting member's software - he didn't join, just viewed the site - and sprayed everyone with their cr@p.
You can spot some 'hoax' or just plain moronic emails when they start referring to Social Security numbers when they claim to be from Australia.