Huge increase in spam this morning

[jmmL]

Has anyone noticed a big increase in spam this morning? I usually get ~5 overnight, but this morning I woke up and had 36!

Most of them were pretending to be from postmasters telling me my message had failed to send, or something of the type. I wondered if this could be due to the new code being pushed out across the conficker botnet.

Anyone one care for some idle speculation?

[Swagman]

I got one I thought was funny considering I only use Ubuntu



================================================== =============================

***EMAIL AWARD WINNING NOTIFICATION AWARD PRESENTATION CENTER : UNITED KINGDOM***



Attn: Winner,



Microsoft-corporations management worldwide and Evergreen Promotions is pleased to inform you that you are a winner of our annual MICROSOFT#15; USER AWARD-Lottery conducted in United Kingdom. Your personal e-mail address or company email was attached to Serial No: UKLP97585. Subsequently winning in the first lottery category. You have therefore been approved for a total sum of £800,000.00 (Eight Hundred Thousand British Pounds) Credited to FILE No: B665 75608567. With REF.:PEC/9030108308/08. This is from total prize money of £60,000,000, awarded to Seventy-five (75) lucky winners in first category.



*********************************************

Evergreen Promotions Agent Shall Help You Claim Your Winning

CALL OR CONTACT CLAIM OFFICE THROUGH THE EMAIL ADDRESSES BELOW

Mr. Joe Martins.

CLAIM MANAGER.

157-197 Buckingham palace roads London sw1w 9sp,United Kingdom

Tel: +44 7031862587

Email: jmartinsbritishboard@gmail.com



*********************************************

UPDATE US WITH THE FOLLOWING INFORMATIONS AND SEND TO THE FOLLOWING CONTACT EMAIL ADDRESS jmartinsbritishboard@gmail.com

************************************************** ************************************************** **************

1, Full Names:

2, Date of birth:

3, Present Contact Address:

4, Country Of Residence:

5, Tel/Mobile/Fax:

6, Your Winning serial and ref. no.:

7, Winning Email address:

8, Company/Position:

9, Sex:

10 Total amount won: £800,000.00 ONLY

11, Mode of Payment

ELECTRONIC WIRE TRANSFER



************************************************** ******************************

For Security reasons, you are advised to keep your winning information CONFIDENTIAL to avoid double claim or impersonation

************************************************** ******************************

Signed



Mercy Martins

(SECRETARY GENERAL)

================================================== ==============================

Microsoft takes all reasonable steps to ensure that the information in this email is accurate. However, the company gives no warranty, whether express or implied, regarding the content of this email, nor do we accept liability for any loss or damage which may result from your receipt of this message. Any decision made by an individual based on information in this email is the responsibility of that individual alone. You have to note that the only person that have the right to represent you in your claim is your appointed Agent only.

================================================== ==============================

Copyright © 1998-2008 The MICROSOFT; Inc.

All rights reserved. Terms of Service - Guideline




lol (Sorry for posting my spam !!)

[shel-hall]

Has anyone noticed a big increase in spam this morning? I usually get ~5 overnight, but this morning I woke up and had 36!

Most of them were pretending to be from postmasters telling me my message had failed to send, or something of the type. I wondered if this could be due to the new code being pushed out across the conficker botnet.

Anyone one care for some idle speculation?
No idle speculation here; I can tell you exactly what happened. Some spammer used your e-mail address as the "from" address on a spam run, and you're getting the bounces from improperly configured mailservers. Google "spam backscatter" for more than you could possibly want to know.

-Shel

[Sealbhach]

copyright © 1998-2008 the microsoft; inc.



lol.

.

[rajeev1204]

lol.

.

hehe.

[Yownanymous]

I got one I thought was funny considering I only use Ubuntu




lol (Sorry for posting my spam !!)

My God, reminds me of Fonejacker...

[King_Critter]

Oddly enough, I've seen an upsurge in spam, too -- and the disturbing part is that they're making it through Gmail's filter. o_0

[unoodles]

Even more oddly, the monstrous Conficker botnet just recieved an update last night, adding "rootkit capabilites".
Related events?

Edit: I did not read your post.

[jmmL]

Thanks for the tip about the backscatter. I was slightly concerned I had actually been compromised.

Luckily, only one email has made it through the gmail's filters so far. It was weird having to report a message supposedly from me as spam, and hopefully this isn't going to affect any future messages that the genuine me sends. Hmm

Edit:
I got this little nugget recently


Greetings!!!
I am Mr Peterson Adams.I have been waiting for you to contact me for
your Confirmable Bank Draft of
($800.000.00) United States Dollars, but I did not hear
from you. Then I went and deposit the Draft with FedEx
Delivery,West Africa,I travelled out of the country for a 3Months
Course and I will not come back till end of March.
What you have to do now is to contact the FedEx Delivery as soon as
possible to know when they will deliver your
package to you because of the expiring date.For your information, I
have paid for the delivering Charge, Insurance
premium and Clearance Certificate Fee of the Cheque showing that it is
not a Drug Money or meant to sponsor
Terrorist attack in your Country. The only money you will send to the
FedEx Delivery to deliver your Draft direct to
your postal Address in your country is ($195) Dollars only being
Security Keeping Fee of the Delivery Company so
far. Again,don't be deceived by anybody to pay any other money except
($195) Dollars .I would have paid that
but they said no because they don't know when you will contact them and
in case of demurrage.You have to
contact the FedEx Delivery now for the delivery of your Draft with this
information below;Name: Address: Age:
Marital Status: Nationality: Phone Number:
Contact Person: Mr.Mark Harrison.
Email: fedexdispatch001@hotmail.com
Telephone: (+234)52885282
Do not forget to contact me when you have receive your package. Have a
great day!!!
Regards. Mrs. Williams

[Sealbhach]

Email: fedexdispatch001@hotmail.com


So Fedex uses Hotmail?

.

[lisati]

I got this little nugget recently

I get this kind quite regularly to an email address I've set up for use with one of my hobbies (amateur videography). I usually refer them to my FAQ web page, which includes a polite suggestion to use the web site to learn my name and likely location, the online phone book to work out my address and phone number, the provided PayPal link to pay me, and a comment to the effect that they don't usually need the details they request to be able to send me money.

[ghindo]

I'd wager it has something to do with Conficker.

[lisati]

So Fedex uses Hotmail?

.

I've queried the spammers about this - apparently the FBI use Hotmail too. I haven't received a coherent reply yet.