Content-less UCE Spam?

[jongrose]

When I first started getting the image spams (for the P&D stocks) I was wondering what the hell they were exactly, as were most people in my family and people I knew, and soon it seemed like everyone wanted to know. As we've figured that out, I've come to another puzzlement in my "career" as a spam reporter.

Occasionally I will get a message that appears to have sent erroneously. By that, I mean it was meant to be a spam, but somehow the spammer didn't quite send the message correctly - probably because they were unfamiliar with the software they were using to send out the spam. I see these, but only rarely, and I do report them. Even if they have no malicious or fraudulent content, it's clear what the spammer was intending to do, and thus the appropriate parties should be made aware of this.

Today, I got a spam that was along these lines. It showed up in my Held Mail folder after being blocked by SA level 5. It seems to be an attempt to give me "advice" about a pink sheet stock. I notice now, that the subject line appears to indicate that. But, it was the body of the message that was so bizarre I thought I'd share it. It is either a major disaster in a spammers attempt to send out the beginnings of a P&D stock fraud, or something else all together.

In the body of the email, there are no URLs, and there are no stock quote marks (that I can see). The body appears to have been crafted in some sort of an HTML design program, but falls totally short of complying with any standards in readability in an HTML/Webmail viewer, or an email client. (The more I sit here and write this the more I feel like I am describing an encounter with a UFO)

Anyway, as mentioned, the subject seems to contain the only reference to the stock mentioned, BMOD (tinyurl'd - redirects to ADVFN). But, take a look at the email itself and let me know what you think.

SpamCop Report #2097716159 (plaintext)

It has the typical gibberish text at the top and bottom to try and fool spam filters, but as far as trying to advertise a stock quote, I'm not sure if it's a screwup or a new way of trying to do it (and possibly avert filters).

[Farelf]

... I've come to another puzzlement in my "career" as a spam reporter. ...Today, I got a spam that was along these lines. It showed up in my Held Mail folder after being blocked by SA level 5. It seems to be an attempt to give me "advice" about a pink sheet stock. I notice now, that the subject line appears to indicate that. But, it was the body of the message that was so bizarre I thought I'd share it. It is either a major disaster in a spammers attempt to send out the beginnings of a P&D stock fraud, or something else all together. ...(The more I sit here and write this the more I feel like I am describing an encounter with a UFO) . ..I'm not sure if it's a screwup or a new way of trying to do it (and possibly avert filters).

You stare into the void and the void stares back. The message is in the subject, the rest is probably all that you have suggested. These things are not exactly "hand crafted", it doesn't matter to the spammer (yes, attempted filter evasion is a part of it, to be sure) - the subject is all that most readers well ever see anyway. At the end of the day SpamAssassin picked it up which is what is important to reporters.

I see similar to that one most days. Stop reading spam, it will unhinge your mind

[turetzsr]

Hi, jongrose!

...Well, I navigated to your tracking URL, then to the link labeled "View entire message," copied the body of the spam into a file I saved as test.htm, brought the saved file up in a browser and got the following (some formatting not included):

Bush pushed back against skeptics of his goal of spreading freedom across t= he Middle East. "I understand these doubts but I do not share them," the pr= esident said.Bush pushed back against skeptics of his goal of spreading fre= edom across the Middle East. "I understand these doubts but I do not share = them," the president said.Bush pushed back against skeptics of his goal of = spreading freedom across the Middle East. "I understand these doubts but I = do not share them," the president said.A bipartisan panel on Iraq is finali= zing recommedations on Iraq. The group led by former Secretary of State Jam= es Baker III and former Rep. Lee Hamilton, D-Ind., plan to present ideas to= Bush next month.

________________________________________________________________________________

BIOMODA=92S(BMOD.OB<= /strong>) SHARES WILL LEAD YOU ONLY ON TOP PLACES IN BUSINES= S.

COMPANY WITH:

* TOP-QUALITY MANAGEMENT

* LONG-LASTING COMPETITIVE ADVANTAGES

* SIMPLE BUSINESSES QUALIFY FOR ENTRY INTO THE PORTFOLIO =

THIS UNBELIEVABLE SHAREWITH STE= ADY STRATEGY GRAB IT SOONER.

TRIPLE YOUR INCOME. DO NOT FORGET ON FRIDAY= IT WILL BE EXPLODE!!!

________________________________________________________________________________

In Riga to attend a NATO summit, Bush also enlisted renewed commitme= nts from the NATO allies that have deployed 32,000 troops to Afghani= stan. He said NATO commanders must have the resources and flexibility to do= the job =97 an apparent reference to the fact that only a handful of count= ries =97 primarily Canada, Britain, the United States and the Netherlands = =97 are doing much of the heavy lifting in the dangerous southern provinces= against a resurgent Taliban.A bipartisan panel on Iraq is finalizing recom= medations on Iraq. The group led by former Secretary of State James Baker I= II and former Rep. Lee Hamilton, D-Ind., plan to present ideas to Bush next= month."Defeating them will require the full commitment of our alliance," B= ush said.

...Looks like broken HTML but the middle part is clearly the pump 'n dump content.

[jongrose]

...Looks like broken HTML but the middle part is clearly the pump 'n dump content.

Yes, looks like you are correct. I noticed on the link I posted from ADVFN shows that "someone" bought 8368 shares of BMOD [at] 1.00 per share on 1/12/07. So, these spammers obviously work very fast. He/she bought the shares of the stock on the same day the email was sent out.

The question I'm wondering is if the average reader would pick up on this particular message. The subject line is "You must buy BMOD right now!!! Hurry up The alert is ON!!!" Then, in the body of the text you see "BIOMODA=92S(BMOD.OB<= /strong>) SHARES WILL LEAD YOU ONLY ON TOP PLACES IN BUSINES= S.

COMPANY WITH: ". Would the average person realize that this is even a stock lead? If I didn't know anything about PKs or investing, I would be saying to myself "What the hell is a BMOD?" In the body, it is a little bit clearer with the .OB extension on the end, but again, that would apply to someone is familiar with investing.

Anyway, just an interesting observation. Thought I would share it with the board.