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CodeOffsets.com: A bad idea for solving a real problem

December 7, 2009 By rjamestaylor

CodeOffsets.com aims to assuage the guilt of programmers for bad coding practices by allowing offenders to contribute money towards quality open source projects. From their own webpage:

The Bad Code Offset provides a convenient and rational approach for balancing out the bad code we all have created at one time or another throughout our lifetime—even when we can’t go back and fix it directly.

As a programmer I find the idea of code offsets offensive and near to insulting.

The best way to solve bad code is to report it (if not open source) or patch it. If a project is unwilling to fix it, quit using/recommending it.

Some have suggested that Code Offsets are really a ironic joke about the similar fallacy of carbon offsets (or religious indulgences which predate both).

Better efforts included the re-write of Matt’s Scripts archive, which were security-riddled perl-cgi scripts popular in the early days of the web. The project called “Not Matt’s Scripts” aimed to be drop-in replacements for these buggy scripts used on sites everywhere. Matt even endorsed the project (mostly)!

I personally wouldn’t want to participate in a project that assuages guilt without solving the real problem! Fix the code or ditch it!

Filed Under: General, Tech, scams

SPAM: Robot Terror’s Selection Into Princeton Premier

February 20, 2008 By rjamestaylor

Flattery may get you nowhere but it sure can help build your “double opt-in” spam list. Taking a page from long-term vanity publisher Who's Who, some outfit calling itself “Princeton Premier” is looking to flatter people into divulging their contact information including “the best time to contact.” Let me make this perfectly clear: the reason a company asks for the best time to contact you is that they intend to contact you. Yes, that is the Monty Python “Spam, spam, spam, spam” theme song playing in your subconscious right now. Princeton Premier hopes your personal vanity drowns out your better judgement, however, with claims like “Inclusion is considered by many as the single highest mark of achievement.”

Just remember this: if they are including “Robot Terror” how prestigious is this registry, anyway?

Robot Terror,  

It is my pleasure to inform you that you are being considered for inclusion into the 2008-2009 Princeton
Premier Business Leaders and Professionals "Honors Edition" section of the Registry.

The 2008-2009 edition of the Registry will include biographies of the world's most accomplished
individuals. Recognition of this kind is an honor shared by thousands of executives and professionals
throughout the world each year. Inclusion is considered by many as the single highest mark of
achievement.

Upon final confirmation, you will be listed among thousands of accomplished individuals in the Princeton
Premier Registry. 

For accuracy and publication deadlines, please complete your application form and return it to us within
five business days. 

You may access the application form using the following link:

http://app.formassembly.com/forms/view/3366

On behalf of the Managing Director, we wish you continued success.

Sincerely, 

Jason Harris 

Managing Director
Princeton Premier

This email was sent to redacted@robotterror.com, by
Princeton Premier

23-35a Steinway Street
Astoria, NY 11105 United States 

If you do not wish to receive future e-mail
from Princeton Premier, please use the link below.

http://rm.resultsmail.com/unsubscribe.cfm?uid=[redacted]

Powered by ResultsMail (http://www.resultsmail.com/)

ResultsMail Privacy Policy: http://www.resultsmail.com/privacy
ResultsMail Permission Email Policy: http://www.resultsmail.com/permission

At the hosted mail form page (how lame!) are the following fields to be filled out by the honorees:

     First Name: *
     Last Name:  *
     Job Title:  *
     Company Name:
     Phone Number:  *
     Email:  *
     Full Address:
     Country:
     Personal Specialty:
     Best Time To Contact: Morning Afternoon Evening

Thankfully this appears to simply be a mailing list building ruse and not a full-fledged phishing scam. However, there is not a big jump from connecting the requested information with other data sources to provide con-artists what they need to steal your identity. I wonder what the follow-up questions are going to be — will the bio have a standard format that includes your parents' names? With the above information and your mother's maiden name I have most of what I need to get access to your bank accounts. Scary.

RECOMMENDATION: Junk this solicitation!


Update: I filled out the form and visited the site. It is a social networking site built on phpFox. (They've not even turned off the “Safari warning pop-up” … lame.) Yeah. It's an attempt to make another LinkedIn. Guess what? FAIL.

Filed Under: import, robotterror.com, scams

SCAM: “Congratulation! You have received an OFFICIAL USA Green Card Letter.”

December 15, 2007 By rjamestaylor

It's time for another episode of “stupid advance fee scams that target the gullible.” This time, the scammers pretend to represent the US Government. Yes, this is the “Congratulation! You have received an OFFICIAL USA Green Card Letter.” scam-mail. This letter would have you believe that the US government is awarding Green Cards to email address holders…and is using mail.com (a free email service) to process its award notifications. Read on for the email, analysis and chuckles.

                                                                           Office # 1793
                                                                                                    14781 Memorial Drive
                                                                                                    Houston, TX 77079  USA
From the U.S. Department
of State Bureau of Consular
Affairs Visa Services:
www.usagreencardlottery.org

Case Number: 411DVL2H23320L1
Preferences Categories:  DV DIVERSITY
Foreign State Chargeability: Asia-Pacific

Dear Winner.
We wish to notify you that you are among the selected lucky winners of the U.S visa lottery (Green Card) through our email
ballot lottery program held on the 20th of October 2007 in Arkansas (USA) The Green Card email ballot lottery program was
conducted under the terms of Section 203 of the Immigration and Nationality Act (INA) Section 131 of the Immigration Act of
2006 (Pub.L.101-649) The aims and objectives of the program is to give free visas to citizens of developing countries around
the world who wishes to travel to U.S and start a new life and work.

Selection.
6.3 million email addresses were randomly extracted during the 33-days extraction period that ran from 12.00 AM on September 10,
2007 until midnight, October, 9 2007. All extracted email addresses were assigned to different ticket numbers for representation
and privacy for final selection through computer draw system, your email address attached to ticket number 56402-188 drew the
lucky numbers which subsequently won you the U.S Green Card.

Notification is through the selected winning email addresses with the PA names, approximately six hundred and twenty five (625)
lucky selected winners had been notified through their selected winning email addresses.  All the selected lucky winners will
need to obtain their visas from any of the U.S Embassies and arrive here in the USA for the issuance of their Green Cards under
the U.S Government Green Card lottery program and they should act on their visa claim application quickly before the expiration
of the visa claim extended deadline which is on the (20-1-2008)

The visas have been apportioned among the six geographic regions with a maximum of seven percent available to persons born in any
single country, our Green Card experts had been apportioned among the six geographic regions. Your visa duration is 10 years
multiple entries to the U.S, it is renewable upon expiration and it permits you to travel to the U.S with your spouse.

Basic question.
How can I make the claim of my visa?
You will obtain your visa through the U.S Consular officer in your home country or any of the U.S Embassy nearest to you with your
Green Card Certificates and visa claim application documents and arrive here in U.S for the issuance of your Green Card. Selected
lucky winners living legally in the United States who wish to pursue their Green Card status should contact any of our regional
offices where their winning details falls for information's on the requirements and procedures.

Visa claim application (step 1)
Your Green Card winning details falls within our Asia/pacific booklet representative office as indicated in the draw system and we
have forwarded your winning details to our Asia/Pacific office for the processing of your Green Card Certificates and visa claim
application documents with your case number which will enable you to obtain your visa, therefore, FOR YOUR VISA PROCESSING FORM,
REQUIREMENTS AND FURTHER DETAILS, contact our Asia/pacific Region Processing Office with the below contact details;

CONTACT PERSON: MR.MICHAEL MORROW
Address: 377 Wichayanond Road, Chiang Mai 50300, Thailand
Tel: +66-26-5343 29  Hotline +66-8 471 060 74.
Fax: +66-2- 234 9834
Email:  region.office@sfax.ws

Processing Fee. $755USD
What is processing fee?
The processing fee pays for the accuracy preparation of every document. Green card experts charges a nominal fee to cover
administrative and processing costs incurred in conjunction with the careful processing of every document.

Advanced question.
How can I pay the processing fee?
The following forms of payment are accepted,
Money orders
Bank transfers
Western Union

The payment of the processing fee should be directed to any of our regional office where your winning details falls for the
processing of your Green Card Certificates and visa claim application documents. According to J.Stevenson Wilson, Author of
Visa Lottery services Report, the green card Lottery is a matter of huge benefits for those who want to try themselves abroad.
The total average fee charged by green card lottery services ($755USD) for one person,there is no correlation between the fee
charged and the quality of services provided and its benefits.

Benefits.
Winners will get FREE Airline Ticket to the USA.
people that win this Lottery will get the constant legal status of the US inhabitant, an opportunity of free country entrance
and departure, the right to be working in the USA legally and getting American salary. You may have any job in America, whether
it is a government, public or private job. A permanent residence visa (as well as American work visa) eases your life. In
addition to permanent legal residence Green Card holders also receive health, education, retirement, taxation, social security
and other benefits.

Non-Eligible Countries.
Selected winners from the following countries are not eligible to make the claim of their visas.
(Mexico-Brazil-Canada-Haiti-Columbia-Elsalvador-Jamaica-Poland-Peru-Korea-Dominican Republic-Philippines-Vietnam-Taiwan-China
(mainland born) Russia and United-Kingdom (except Northern Ireland) and its dependent countries) This is because each has more
than 50, 000 candidates in the USA.

US Embassies and Consulates.
US Embassies and consulates does not issue Green Cards, they issue all types of visas after visa interview, you will obtain your
visa from any of the US Embassy when directed and arrive here in the USA for the issuance of your Green Card.
All selected lucky winners should follow the instructions in their notification letter and must fully complete the information
requested and should go to the U.S Embassy when directed with their Green Card acknowledgement processed documents and interview
appointment letters for the issuance of their visas.

Please read and follow all the enclosed instructions very carefully.
Do not reply back to this notification email (busy)

Sincerely yours,
Mrs.Jesica Morre.

(Secretary General U.S Consulate-Kentucky)

--
10 Great Gift Ideas - Take a Look!
mail.com Shopping

Again, the scammers have increased the boundaries of audacity to claim to represent the US government. If you are wanting a US Green Card, this email is targeted for you. Should you be convinced that the US is randomly sending email notifications using a free email service … well… lets just say that travel abroad is probably not the best thing for you to engage in; stay home near people who can look out for your best interests.

Some observations:

  • “Congratulation!”

    Ah, yes. This mistaken singularization of the idiomatic plural exclamation, “congratulations!” is a standard tip-off that the sender is either not a native English speaker/writer or is not proofreading their “official documentation.” Either case indicates this is likely not a US Government document.

  • Selection: random e-mail addresses chosen from pool of 6.3 million.

    This is probably the only true item in this scam-mail. The scammers have access to a small database of 6.3 million addresses harvested from various means. In my case, the email address used is one that I have posted in a very conspicuous place on one of the most popular community web sites on the Internet. Any mail to that address is likely spam/scam. I redirect to GMail to handle the extreme amount of junk. It is highly unlikely that the US Government uses random e-mail address selection methods to determine Green Card holders.

  • “Processing Fee. $755USD”

    Forgetting that the proper designation of USD currency amounts is “USD$755″, this is the profit part of the scam. To obtain this “Free” Green Card you've “won” just submit a nominal fee of “USD$755″ to insure careful processing. I assume the fee ensures “accuracy processing” on the same scale as the professionally produced email notification we are now reading. Perhaps we should send an extra amount to improve the “accuracy processing.”

  • Since when is there a US Consulate in Kentucky?
  • “10 Great Gift Ideas – Take a Look!”

    How helpful! A free Green Card for $USD755, a free airline ticket to the US, and helpful shopping hints from Mail.com, the free email service used by the US Government to notify me of winning the Green Card lottery!

These confidence games via email are so ridiculous. Unfortunately, they WORK. I know people are confused when they receive these scam-mailings. My previous article on a scam-mail, The Catholic Church (Italy) is giving out donations!, is by far the most requested page on my site. I put this article up as a service to those people hoping to come to the US legally so that if they are able to find this page they can be saved the loss of USD$755 (and worse!).

Filed Under: import, robotterror.com, scams

The Catholic Church (Italy) is giving out donations!

August 31, 2007 By rjamestaylor

After centuries of receiving donation upon donation the Catholic Church (Italy) recently announced it will begin sending and not merely receiving donations! This glorious news was revealed to a lucky few (perhaps more than a few, though) via e-mail (that’s the Catholic Church for you — always embracing the newest trends, being early adopters of technological advances) which I include, in full (click the toggle to see the headers, minus my email info) for your amazement:

Rcpt

The Catholic Church Italy (http://www.chiesacattolica.it/), would like to notify you that you have been chosen by the board of trustees as one of the final recipients of a cash Grant/Donation for your own personal, educational, and business development. The Church is one of the biggest church built for God in Italy. In the year 1901, they started offering collection for the sole aim of human growth, educational and Community development. In conjunction with the ECOWAS, UNO, and the EU, We are giving out a yearly donation of US$650,000.00 each to 100 lucky recipients each year. These specific

Donations/Grants will be awarded to 100 lucky international recipients worldwide; in different categories for their personal business development.

The objective is to make a notable change in the standard of living of people all around the Universe (From America to Europe, Asia to Africa and all around). Kindly note that you will only be chosen to receive the donation once, which means that subsequent yearly donation will not get to you. Take time and thought in spending the donation wisely on something that will last you a long time.

Based on the random selection exercise of internet websites and millions of supermarket cash invoices worldwide, you were selected among the lucky recipients to receive the award sum of US$650,000.00 as charity donations/aid from the Catholic church Italy, ECOWAS, EU and the UNO in accordance with the enabling act of Parliament. (Note that all beneficiaries email addresses were selected randomly from over 100,000 Internet websites or a shop’s cash invoice around your area in which you might have purchased something from). You are required to contact the Church Executive Secretary below, for qualification documentation and processing of your claims. After contacting the secretary, you will be given your donation pin number, which you will use in collecting the funds. Please endeavour to quote your Qualification numbers +(N-2 2 2-6 6 4 7, E-9 1 0-5 6) in all discussions.

Exec Sec.Rev sister Abrielle Gallo

Email: chiesacattolicaitl@yahoo.it

Please note that the EU, ECOWAS, UNO, strictly administers these donations/Grants. You are by all means hereby advised to keep this whole information confidential until you have been able to collect your donation.

On behalf of God, The Church, ECOWAS, UNO and the EU, accept our warmest congratulations.

May God Bless you with this donation.

M. Paccino

 

Ok… this is by far the most interesting “Nigerian 419” (advance fee) scam I’ve ever received.

Some things that stand out:

  • The audacity to claim to represent the Catholic Church
  • The idiocy to mis-name the Catholic Church — yes, it’s in Italy, but it’s Roman, dammit!
  • The lunacy that the Catholic Church (of any kind) would donate its windfall … to anyone…
  • That the Sister in charge of the program uses a Yahoo!Italy e-mail address. When did God start preferring Yahoo! over Google?
  • The Catholic Church is making donations for business development. Oh, my! What a change of affairs for the Old Time Religion!
  • The Catholic Church is in league with the EU? Is the Harlot riding the Beast already?
  • The Catholic Church is coordinating with the UN? Perhaps Vatican City is vying for a seat at the Security Council?
  • The Catholic Church Italy is coordinating with … er … ECOWAS (Economic Community Of West African States — yeah, I had to look it up, not being a Nigerian, unlike the sender… oops.)?
  • The Catholic Church is data mining millions of supermarket cash invoices worldwide! Holy Father in Rome! How did they score these receipts? Did Mormon-founded Albertsons work out a deal with the Catholic Church for receipts?

Oy, vey! Inshallah! OMG! $FAITH_BASED_INVECTIVE!, indeed. The Catholic Church Italy in league with the EU, UN and some West African group to give money out based on grocery receipts. Ugh.

And yet… in a few months there will be a story of some poor victim of this scam that will try to make us feel sorry for the greedy idiots who fall prey to this drivel.

“On behalf of God, The Church, ECOWAS, UNO and the EU, accept our warmest congratulations.”

Yeah, yeah… as if that group of entities (and deity) would ever be seen in the same room together!

Filed Under: import, robotterror.com, scams

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