I AM IN NEED OF YOUR ASSISTANCE

[Meatmaw]

I was chatting about replying to these mostly Nigerian "need assistance" spam emails for comic relief and people seem to feel that it would be a dreadful mistake because they could get my ip through my (newly created email) account, trace my machine at work, get my info, get ALL my info etc etc.

So I'm wondering from you folk who are educated in this, what really are the risks of replying to these emails and talking randomly without giving any information?

[fluxrad]

don't use IM if you're paranoid.

email is fine.

[jakethebake]

Direct them to send you via snail mail at:

Ronald Grossi
964 Grand Blvd
Westbury, NY 11590-6127
(516) 333-9522

[[censored]]

These people tend to pray on the stupid and gullible. They are not looking to carryout some elaborate detective work just to track someone down because of a few emails.

[Meatmaw]

Yes I figured that was likely. My question, though, was more intended to ask what someone *could* do if you simply email them, but I guess it'd take someone with large skills and not just a passing knowledge to go into that. I certainly don't know.

[eric5148]

This site may help. (http://www.419eater.com/)

[sexypanda]

You should check out this sight:

http://www.419eater.com/

It's all about scamming the scammers. The Letters section is hilarious, they make those Nigerians do all sorts of great things:

http://www.419eater.com/images/olu_martins01.jpg

[stankybank]

I recall reading somewhere in Paul Phillips blog where he exchanged emails with some Nigerian scam thing. I don't know if he was on some secure IP thing or not but I assume he didn't really fear them stealing information or he wouldn't have put the effort into even emailing them back in the first place. All assumptions of course.

I say, do it! /images/graemlins/smile.gif

[hedxcold]

they can trace it back to what internet service you use, but unless they contact the dsl/cable company and try to get your info like the RIAA does with court orders i don't really see how they can.
but if you're that paranoid you can just use a proxy
http://www.publicproxyservers.com/page1.html

[JackWilson]

As long as you don't care about spam, this is just about as safe as you can get. Remember that replying to spam mails lets them know they've got a live address.

Out of interest, how would they get your IP (even if it was static) from your email? All mail servers use proxies...?

[Talk2BigSteve]

[ QUOTE ]
Direct them to send you via snail mail at:

Ronald Grossi
964 Grand Blvd
Westbury, NY 11590-6127
(516) 333-9522

[/ QUOTE ]

OMFG is that his real Address and Phone Number, I so can sign him up for 100s of gay porn mags right to his home. Hell I would even get him some gift subsriptions out of my own pocket.

He might be gay even, it has been a while since I have been to church but if I remember correctly Jesus was hung like this.

(Hand~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~~Hand)


Big Steve /images/graemlins/cool.gif

[tripdad]

you have serious issues with this Jesus thing, dude. nobody is going to hurt you anymore, Steve. please relax. nobody here cares whether or not you like mens' butts, and noone is trying to convert you. just enjoy our poker forumn...and relax. please do not click any thread you may suspect is religious propoganda.

cheers!

[poker-penguin]

[ QUOTE ]
This site may help. (http://www.419eater.com/)

[/ QUOTE ]

This site may also eat up all your free time, clue you in on why the word "modalities" can be 10X funnier than "stick it up her pooper" (and I quite like a well timed pooper comment) and generally make people think you are crazy.

In short, I love it (on and off baiter since 2003).