Internet Scams via Instant Messaging

[Yegg]

Usually when a person I don't know messages me online, I casually go along with the conversation until there is a reason not to. Here's an interesting one that has just happened that's never happened to me before on an IM:

shelbymuhyt:hello
Ryan:hey. whos this?
shelbymuhyt:Hey Ryan
Ryan:hi
shelbymuhyt:This is difficult for me to do because I'm shy..but I have a crush on you, i have been sending you emails but no response
Ryan:heh. thats alright
Ryan:as far as my email goes, i dont use my yahoo email
shelbymuhyt:I've never been able to tell you for reasons which you would quickly identify as obvious if you knew who this was.
shelbymuhyt:With that said, I want you to guess who I am, and approach me yourself.
shelbymuhyt:To help you out with your guessing I made a few pictures and videos with "Ryan" written on my body.
Ryan:ok.
shelbymuhyt:They're kind of risque photos so I had to make a profile at www.golivesafe.com/access/ and post them there
shelbymuhyt:did you get my last IM about the riscque photos? if you didnt get the link visit it in my yahoo profile
shelbymuhyt:My username in the members area is "RyanandME09" (It's a free website but you might need a CC or Debit to verify your age because I had to. Sigh.)
shelbymuhyt:once you are inside search for me. I want you to guess who I am and then approach me yourself. I'm shy and this is the bravest thing I've probably ever done, but you need to do the rest.
shelbymuhyt:i wont ever be able to get on yahoo messenger again this is my only day so come talk with me on the website
shelbymuhyt:Kisses, Secret Admirer

That was it. It appeared to be a bot as it sent the messages with several seconds in between.

This was on Yahoo IM, so that's why I mentioned I didn't use my Yahoo email (they must have gotten my info from a public Yahoo profile or something).

It wanted me to enroll in some membership that was nearly $40/month not counting this other $3.95 charge for something else I don't need.

Just thought this was a bit odd, anyone else ever have this happen?

[l2k-Shadow]

haven't things like these been around for more than 10 years?

[Yegg]

haven't things like these been around for more than 10 years?

In the form of an instant message? I've never seen it in the form of an instant message where it tried to act as if it was really talking to you. I've gotten the single messages with links forever, but nothing like this.

[Barabajagal]

I've had a few of them, though never that extensive. I don't see how it would be good business though, as most people might block within the first few messages, before the link is even posted.

[Yegg]

I've had a few of them, though never that extensive. I don't see how it would be good business though, as most people might block within the first few messages, before the link is even posted.

I know. It logged off when it finished talking. It then logged back on 5-10 minutes later.

[vector]

A couple accounts that belonged to two friends of mine "seemed" to have been hijacked by a bot application, because whenever one of them signs on, they'll usually message me with some porn site with the words like "want to see me naked?"

Usually, it'll say it automatically, but sometimes I'll just click the name, and start talking. Next thing I know, it gives me some spam message. The other account belonged to this girl I knew in high school. About a month ago, I decided to talk to her, but I guess she was afk. Weeks later, I get a message from her, but turns out it was just another of those spam posts.

This was on MSN. The only logical explanation was that both accounts were hijacked. Mine has never been hijacked, and I'm glad that it hasn't.

[Yegg]

A couple accounts that belonged to two friends of mine "seemed" to have been hijacked by a bot application, because whenever one of them signs on, they'll usually message me with some porn site with the words like "want to see me naked?"

Usually, it'll say it automatically, but sometimes I'll just click the name, and start talking. Next thing I know, it gives me some spam message. The other account belonged to this girl I knew in high school. About a month ago, I decided to talk to her, but I guess she was afk. Weeks later, I get a message from her, but turns out it was just another of those spam posts.

This was on MSN. The only logical explanation was that both accounts were hijacked. Mine has never been hijacked, and I'm glad that it hasn't.

I have this happen all the time. I don't really have a way to determine who's computer is infected though.

[Mystical]

oh man this stuff has been around for ever, in almost every yahoo chat room, to IM's to AIM, to myspace phishing using ur account to post bulletins to even AIMPrank on your own friends using a bot to message them random things, saving log for you to show public later

http://www.aimprank.com/

[Adema]

*edit* whoa, how'd i end up here...

[ducky2322]

Usually when a person I don't know messages me online, I casually go along with the conversation until there is a reason not to. Here's an interesting one that has just happened that's never happened to me before on an IM:

shelbymuhyt:hello
Ryan:hey. whos this?
shelbymuhyt:Hey Ryan
Ryan:hi
shelbymuhyt:This is difficult for me to do because I'm shy..but I have a crush on you, i have been sending you emails but no response
Ryan:heh. thats alright
Ryan:as far as my email goes, i dont use my yahoo email
shelbymuhyt:I've never been able to tell you for reasons which you would quickly identify as obvious if you knew who this was.
shelbymuhyt:With that said, I want you to guess who I am, and approach me yourself.
shelbymuhyt:To help you out with your guessing I made a few pictures and videos with "Ryan" written on my body.
Ryan:ok.
shelbymuhyt:They're kind of risque photos so I had to make a profile at www.golivesafe.com/access/ and post them there
shelbymuhyt:did you get my last IM about the riscque photos? if you didnt get the link visit it in my yahoo profile
shelbymuhyt:My username in the members area is "RyanandME09" (It's a free website but you might need a CC or Debit to verify your age because I had to. Sigh.)
shelbymuhyt:once you are inside search for me. I want you to guess who I am and then approach me yourself. I'm shy and this is the bravest thing I've probably ever done, but you need to do the rest.
shelbymuhyt:i wont ever be able to get on yahoo messenger again this is my only day so come talk with me on the website
shelbymuhyt:Kisses, Secret Admirer

That was it. It appeared to be a bot as it sent the messages with several seconds in between.

This was on Yahoo IM, so that's why I mentioned I didn't use my Yahoo email (they must have gotten my info from a public Yahoo profile or something).

It wanted me to enroll in some membership that was nearly $40/month not counting this other $3.95 charge for something else I don't need.

Just thought this was a bit odd, anyone else ever have this happen?

I got the same message tonight. I was scared, because i am young. I am only 14. So this is what i got:
"hutchiso nxameraka (4/16/2009 10:43:23 PM): hello
Devan (4/16/2009 10:43:26 PM): who are you??
hutchiso nxameraka (4/16/2009 10:43:38 PM): Hey Devan
Devan (4/16/2009 10:43:47 PM): who is this?
hutchiso nxameraka (4/16/2009 10:44:00 PM): This is difficult for me to do because I'm shy..but I have a crush on you, i have been sending you emails but no response
hutchiso nxameraka (4/16/2009 10:44:24 PM): I've never been able to tell you for reasons which you would quickly identify as obvious if you knew who this was.
hutchiso nxameraka (4/16/2009 10:44:44 PM): With that said, I want you to guess who I am, and approach me yourself.
Devan (4/16/2009 10:45:00 PM): what the hell?
hutchiso nxameraka (4/16/2009 10:45:05 PM): To help you out with your guessing I made a few pictures and videos with "Devan" written on my body.
hutchiso nxameraka (4/16/2009 10:45:43 PM): did you get my last IM about the riscque photos? if you didnt get the link visit it in my yahoo profile
hutchiso nxameraka (4/16/2009 10:46:08 PM): My username in the members area is "DevanandME09" (It's a free website but you might need a CC or Debit to verify your age because I had to. Sigh.)
hutchiso nxameraka (4/16/2009 10:46:32 PM): once you are inside search for me. I want you to guess who I am and then approach me yourself. I'm shy and this is the bravest thing I've probably ever done, but you need to do the rest.
hutchiso nxameraka (4/16/2009 10:46:56 PM): i wont ever be able to get on yahoo messenger again this is my only day so come talk with me on the website
hutchiso nxameraka (4/16/2009 10:47:09 PM): Kisses, Secret Admirer

[Yegg]

Haha, that's interesting. I'm glad that posting this here brought someone else who was in contact with that bot here to post their own experience with it. I'm sure it's contacted thousands upon thousands of people by now.

[Wolfie]

sorry to bring it back.... but

i though this was kinda akward



ermati zasyd: hey

me: hi

ermati zasyd: Hey Ryan

ermati zasyd: This is difficult for me to do because I'm shy..but I have a crush on you, i have been sending you emails
but no response

ermati zasyd: I've never been able to tell you for reasons which you would quickly identify as obvious if you knew who
this was.

ermati zasyd: With that said, I want you to guess who I am, and approach me yourself.

ermati zasyd: To help you out with your guessing I made a few pictures and videos with "Ryan" written on my body.

ermati zasyd: They're kind of risque photos so I had to make a private profile. look at my screen name on your buddylist and you'll see the link in my status update or you can look at the top of this conversation window. it's for
your eyes only

ermati zasyd: My username in the members area is "RyanandME09" (It's a free website but you might need a CC or Debit to verify your age because I had to. Sigh.)

ermati zasyd: once you are inside search for me. I want you to guess who I am and then approach me yourself. I'm shy and this is the bravest thing I've probably ever done, but you need to do the rest.

ermati zasyd: i wont ever be able to get on yahoo messenger again this is my only day so come talk with me on the website

ermati zasyd: Kisses, Secret Admirer

me: ...

ermati zasyd: AWAY MESSAGE - Waiting 4 My crush.. Won't back on here.  FOR EVERYONE - If you read this you HAVE TO pull out your cellphone and text the word BARNABAS to the short # 70542. Follow the instructions. If you do this, you are voting for me to win the "hottest person ever contest". HELP!!! i need 1 more vote. If you vote for me tell me and ill love you 4ever




so i searched RyanandME09 to see if i was the only one thank god im not

[Ishbar]

You're just that it turned out you had no secret admirer.
Heh.

[Adema]

haven't things like these been around for more than 10 years?

I definetly remember spam/bots over YIM back in the days.

[smithshn]

Usually, it gives me some spam message. The other account belonged to this girl I knew in high school. About a month ago, I decided to talk to her, but I guess she was my classmate. Weeks later, I get a message from her, but turns out it was just another of those spam posts.