By PetePosted Thursday 4th September 2008 12:57 GMT
Why bother going to the trouble of calling people to extort money. Isn't that what the internet's for?
Now I may be a bit out of touch, what with receiving almost no spam - ever. However it seems that a few million emails, sent at virtually no cost, would prick a few consciences and reap more rewards than spending time and money on old-fashioned methods like phone calls, as this gives the victim the opportunity to question their fraudsters.
This is where everyone else tells me that they already get a bazillion of these emails every day - oh well, there goes another make-money-fast idea!
By Anonymous CowardPosted Thursday 4th September 2008 12:59 GMT
But I keep getting legal looking letters from some outfit called Davenport something demanding money with menaces. It is illegal and tantamount to blackmail. Legal eagles (the nice sort) might want to look into it.
By Mike CrawshawPosted Thursday 4th September 2008 13:14 GMT
That the scammers are using the phone first, at least. E-mail is less effort, more time-effective, and requires less manual input, not to mention easier to "scattergun", sending out hundreds of the same template at once.
Either way, scammers and lawyers - who can *really* tell the difference? Is there one?
By Anonymous CowardPosted Thursday 4th September 2008 14:20 GMT
I recall reading some messages with "you're being investigated by the Interpol in a child porn case, click here to see the report" at least two years ago. Just change the message for "RIAA/MPAA/whatever" and "illegal downloading" (or "FBI" and "terrorism!") and you're set.
By Anonymous CowardPosted Thursday 4th September 2008 15:16 GMT
I would have told them I couldn't post the money and invited them to stop by to collect it so that I could fasten a set of vise-grips to their bollocks.
By Anonymous CowardPosted Thursday 4th September 2008 15:43 GMT
AC, any chance of sending a scanned copy (minus identifying data, of course) to El Reg so that they can do an article on it?
It looks like something that we should all be aware of, either because it's real and enforceable (so that we can comply), or ceause it's a scam or a con by someone who is just scaring the good folks using t'Internet, in which case they should be exposed as such.
By Christopher WoodsPosted Thursday 4th September 2008 20:22 GMT
UKFSN are one of a group of small businesses who resell Entanet's ADSL packages as part of their portfolio (I do so also on a small scale) - Entanet's ADSL service runs on a basis of peak-time and off-peak traffic allowances, and they are very reasonably priced. There's a small markup (of course, each provider might charge their own amounts anyway, but that's up to them) but their truly unlimited packages pretty accurately reflect the actual potential cost of 'unlimited', constant usage through a 28 day period - if that's what it costs the carrier, then why shouldn't they charge the actual amount?
Businesses looking for quality broadband with guaranteed unlimited service are likely to sign up for those kinds of packages anyway. Personally I prefer services like Zen's (although I have ADSL2+ at my gaff anyway!)
By Frederick KarnoPosted Friday 5th September 2008 08:45 GMT
" I am amazed this company has a customer "
These companies have loads of customers because they are worth every penny.....
they also raise issues such as this and dont give out your details without checking the documentation.........(something which i just cant see BT et al doing they will give there normal customer service to dealing with matters of this kind and will pass on regardless of content all claims for infringement........) now is that few quid a month you save important ??? when you start getting letters for things you havent done ????
By Anonymous CowardPosted Friday 5th September 2008 11:13 GMT
The difference is the scammers aren't offering record companies money. Though why they don't is beyond me, tracking torrents is easy, easier than disguising them, which is easy enough.
It's just the 21st Century/Digital equivalent of Ambulance chasing.
Great industry to be in, if you have no soul to worry about.
By Anonymous CowardPosted Friday 5th September 2008 12:07 GMT
If you're a small ISP (especially a reseller), you shouldn't offer "unlimited" for this sort of cost!
I work for a medium to large ISP and even our cheapest adsl max connection, which is unlimited usage, not port blocked, and is relatively un-contended, Is less than £20.
Comments on: Phone phishers hop on filesharing legal threats bandwagon
Just remember to pass any phishing attempt details... #
By dervheid Posted Thursday 4th September 2008 12:44 GMT
phone the mark? how 1990's #
By Pete Posted Thursday 4th September 2008 12:57 GMT
Don't know about phone and email phishers #
By Anonymous Coward Posted Thursday 4th September 2008 12:59 GMT
Im not sure on the difference #
By Gordon Pryra Posted Thursday 4th September 2008 13:03 GMT
finally... #
By Anonymous Coward Posted Thursday 4th September 2008 13:06 GMT
I'm actually surprised! #
By Mike Crawshaw Posted Thursday 4th September 2008 13:14 GMT
"Email phishers can't be far behind." #
By Anonymous Coward Posted Thursday 4th September 2008 14:20 GMT
Win! #
By Luke Wells Posted Thursday 4th September 2008 14:45 GMT
fraud is fraud #
By Anonymous Coward Posted Thursday 4th September 2008 15:16 GMT
Amazed #
By Anonymous Coward Posted Thursday 4th September 2008 15:39 GMT
Re: Don't know about phone and email phishers #
By Anonymous Coward Posted Thursday 4th September 2008 15:43 GMT
@Amazed #
By Dan Posted Thursday 4th September 2008 16:59 GMT
@ "Amazed", Anonymous Coward #
By Christopher Woods Posted Thursday 4th September 2008 20:22 GMT
Hey, Moderators... #
By Neoc Posted Thursday 4th September 2008 23:10 GMT
Easy Peasy #
By Moss Icely Spaceport Posted Friday 5th September 2008 07:10 GMT
This is the cost #
By Frederick Karno Posted Friday 5th September 2008 08:45 GMT
@Im not sure on the difference #
By Anonymous Coward Posted Friday 5th September 2008 11:13 GMT
Never! #
By Anonymous Coward Posted Friday 5th September 2008 12:07 GMT