[SEL] identity theft attempt from fake PayPal

[bill at antique-engines.com]

Outlook 2003 helps prevent that code from functioning - it won't download
and display embedded graphics in an HTML message.
They track message reading in almost all cases with the use of a graphic -
often a 1 x 1 clear gif file. It won't show in the message, however your
computer must contact their server to "download and display" this tiny
clear image that you won't see.
Bingo - they know all they need to know about you.
How do I know? Well, it's part of my job now, plus, I used to be able to
do it myself! I could track who read the email we sent for Barbara's store
before we sold it.

Next, if you MUST read a message, here's another trick.
Don't open the message but save it to your computer as a txt or html file,
then open it with NOTEPAD (choose "open with", or "send to", do not simply
choose OPEN!! It may open it in IE if it's an HTML file!).
You can read the text, in fact see all the hidden code, and not worry
about it reporting back to mama.

Bill

>> Look up the real email address for PayPal on eBay, Alta Vista, Dogpile,
>> Yahoo, etc., and forward it to the real PayPal fraud address so they
>> can catch these thieving bastards!
>
> The proper address, which I forward those things to several times a
> week, is:
> spoof at paypal.com
>
> When you think an E-mail may be spam or phishbait, disconnect from the
> Internet before you open and read it. (If you must read it.) They
> always contain HTML code that reports back to their server that the
> message has been opened, making you a "live one" and much more valuable
> to the sellers of address lists.
>
> John Culp
> Bristol, Tennessee, USA
>
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