Misc Resources | Scams and Scammers | Phishing Scams | Spam and Spammers

Articles

Domain Names

Deciding on a Domain name Registrar - Michael Fowler
Review of a number of wellknown Domain name Registrars including Trustpilot review scores.

Choosing the right domain name extension - Michael Fowler
Discussion of the different domain name extensions available and their suitability for different types of website.

Free Domain names - Michael Fowler
Discussion of the Pros and Cons of Free domains, popular free domains available and their suitability for different websites.

Website Hosting

Website Builders - Michael Fowler
Review of a number of Website Builders

Deciding on a Webhosting Company - Michael Fowler
Review of a number of well known Webhosting Companies including Trustpilot review scores... more >>

Choosing a Webhosting company - Michael Fowler
What to consider when deciding on a webhosting company, recommendation that you consider uk based webshosting company Just Host Me.

Hosting Reviews - Michael Fowler
A listing of leading website hosting companies with links to Review centre and Trust Pilot reviews.

Free Hosting - Michael Fowler
The Pros and Cons of using free hosting. A review of the free hosting available in the early days of the internet (1990 - 2000) and the free hosting options available today.

E-Mail

Setting up Global E-mail Filters - Michael Fowler
Setting up Global E-Mail Filters on cPanel to "bounce-back" spam e-mails.

Free E-Mail - Michael Fowler
Discussion of the inadequacies of isp e-mail addresses and the free e-mail alternatives available.

Free Resources

Images for your website - Michael Fowler
Where to find images for your website without falling foul of copyright infringement and what might happen if you use images without permission... more >>

Free File Hosting - Michael Fowler
Uses of Online File Hosting and how you might use such services. Details of a selection of free online services available and guidance on choosing the most appropriate for your needs... more >>

Choosing a Webform provider - Michael Fowler
The advantages of using webforms compared with e-mail links, the features you should consider when choosing a webform provider with the recommendation that you consider Ireland based Aidaform

Website Design

The Journey to Wordpress - Michael Fowler
My journey into using the Wordpress CMS instead of hand-coding.

Website Maintenance

Sitemaps - Michael Fowler
Discussion of the different types of sitemap, their value and the desirability of using them on a website

Broken Links - Michael Fowler
Discussion of broken links, what they are, how they occur, their detrimental effect and how to eliminate or minimise the effect they have on the performance of your website.

Misc Resources

Project Names - Michael Fowler
An alternative to using Name Generators, just pick a name from this list of project, usernames derived from street names.

Project, Usernames - Michael Fowler
Another alternative to using Name Generators, just pick a name from this list of possible project names.

Scams and Scammers

PNC Financial Services Group Fund Scam - Michael Fowler
In this scam email I am being offered US$8.2 million by PNC Financial Services on behalf of the United Bank for Africa. It is not explained why I and the other recipients are entitled to this enormous sum of money ... more >>

Washington Dulles International Airport Delivery Scam - Michael Fowler
My name is Croxson Mike, an immigration officer currently stationed at Washington Dulles International Airport (IAD)... so starts a standard 419 scam. You are entitled to a large sum of money provided in advance you pay me... more >>

Quotation and Pricing Scams - Michael Fowler
The object here is for the recipient to click and open the attached file which may contain "deadly" viruses... more >>

Purchase Order Scam - Michael Fowler
Now if you are a manufacturing or wholesale trading company you might be intrigued and rush to click to download the attached purchas order document. The file is in .rar format, a compressed archive format similar to .zip and could contain any number of malicious .exe (executable files) or other dangers to your computer and ultimately to your finances... more >>

Official Payment Notification Interpol - Michael Fowler
A compensation payment email being sent to you by no less than the Head of Interpol, Valdecy Urquiza. Many long words, your urgent response is requested and you stand to be paid €15,000,000.00... more >>

Supplier Inquiry Scam - Michael Fowler
If you are a manufacturer of something or a supplier is this a genuine trade enquiry? I think not as the "purchaser" does not specify even in general terms what he might wish to purchase... more >>

Human Rights Campaign Scam - Michael Fowler
So the "Great and the Good" including Kelley J Robinson, the White House Federal Office, the U.S. Embassy, and the International Monetary Fund (IMF) are looking to compensate me for lost money in the past to the tune of $23.7 million USD... more >>

UN Compensation Scam - Michael Fowler
A non-existant UN Compensation Board together with the World Bank Group and the IMF have awarded you US$3 Million in compensation and the payment is going to be administered by no less than Antonio Guterres the Secretary General of the United Nations... more >>

Safety Considerations When Interacting With Scammers - Michael Fowler
Safety precautions in dealing with possibly violent Nigerian Scammers. Never use your real name, email address, postal address or telephone number. Create a fictitious identity when engaging with scammers... more >>

Treasury US$10.5 Million Compensation Scam - Michael Fowler
Funds worth $10,500,000.00 each have been approved for disbursement to a few scam victims as compensation by the United States Government in conjunction with the Treasury Department... more >>

RPK Trust Bank Scam Website - Michael Fowler
RPK Trust Bank does not exist. Despite the long history claimed for the institution it has never existed or done business and the website set up at www.rpktrust.com is fake, it is not a real bank website and has been set up to support a number of 419 scams... more >>

Fake Inheritance Scam - Michael Fowler
I suppose someone could think that they have a long-lost relative that might have left them money, but why would they be contacting you from an Institute of Chemical Engineering at the Bulgarian Academy of Sciences?... more >>

Free Gifts and Surveys Scam - Michael Fowler
We all like a free gift and don't mind answering a few questions. Some surveys might be legitimate but some like the ones on this page have warnings (Red flags) that they might not be genuine... more >>

Blackmail Threat Scam - Michael Fowler
This email received takes scams up a level. Blackmail threats to release embarrassing videos to all your friends unless US$2,000 in Bitcoin is paid to the scammers. .. more >>

Piano Donation Scam - Michael Fowler
On first glance this sounds like a very genuine gesture by someone down-sizing after a breavement and wishing to donate a much loved piano to a worthy cause. Think again, this is a scam that has been going the rounds for a few years... more >>

Compensation Payment from Department of Justice Scam - Michael Fowler
A US$3,950,000.00 compensation payment is on offer from no less than Pam Bondi, United States Attorney General, U.S. Department of Justice so it must be real? You want to ask yourself why would someone claiming to be the US Attorney General and emailing from a Thai email address want to give you this fortune? more >>

Federal Reserve Bank Compensation Scam - Michael Fowler
Now I have not been contacted before by the Federal Reserve Bank offering me US$50,000,000.00 but as we all should know this is a 409 Advanced Fee Scam whereby you end up paying out "fees" to persons who are clearly scammers... more >>

Link Request Spam - Michael Fowler
From time to time we receive Link Request Spam (also known as Back Link Requests) where someone contacts us by e-mail or website contact form and asks us, often weaving a complete fairy story, to link to a particular website... more >>

Vendor Scam E-Mail - Michael Fowler
Individuals not in business might quickly determine that this spam e-mail is not intended for them but persons in business especially ones who trade internationally might fall for this scam... more >>

Cortts Bank Scam Website - Michael Fowler
Fake Bank websites are often set up by scammers to use in conjuction with other scams. These may copy or mimic an existing genuine Bank website, using a slightly different domain name than the genuine bank or may by an entirely "new" bank you probably won't have heard of because however long they say it has been in existence, it does not and never has existed.... more >>

Another Fake Beneficiary Scam - Michael Fowler
This time USD 40.7 million awaits you if you pretend to be the next of kin of the deceased client of a UK based barrister, well that is the start of a web of lies... more >>

Global Citizen Lottery Scam - Michael Fowler
We are pleased to inform you that you have been selected as one of the ten recipients chosen to receive Gobal Citizen payment compensation of USD2.200.000.00 (Two Million Two Hundred Thousand United States Dollars). This recognition is part of our ongoing commitment to elevate poverty ... more >>

Foreign Affairs Commitee Accra - Republic of Ghana Scam - Michael Fowler
We at Potential Communications receive e-mail communications from the most illustrious persons and organisations on the globe. The latest e-mail is from the Foreign Affairs Commitee Accra - Republic of Ghana. Let's read what they have to say... more >>

Sigrid Rausing Beneficiary Scam - Michael Fowler
Being contacted by Swedish Philanthropist and Benefactor Sigrid Rausing and promised €100,000,000,00 is a good start to the day but such things are most often too good to be true. I am sure that the person contacting me isn't Sigrid, is not contacting me from Sweden or Denmark and has no money to give to me... more >>

Vera Elasquez - Content Researcher and Freelance Journalist - Michael Fowler
This lady found my writing "exceptionally insightful. Your writing is not just informative, but truly illuminating on the subject. The clarity and depth of your research are remarkable"... more >>

IMF Compensation Scam - Michael Fowler
If the International Monetary Fund contact you offering you compensation for being scammed then it is itself a scam. The IMF does not contact people in this way and their officials do not email using Gmail accounts... more >>

Fake Beneficiary Scam - Michael Fowler
Pretend to be the next of kin of a deceased corrupt political figure and a fortune awaits you... more >>

Terminally Ill Benefactor Scam - Michael Fowler
I am Agnes Schulze, a Munich, Germany resident, and a widow. At 51 years old, I have dedicated my life to humanitarian efforts. Regrettably, I am currently battling breast cancer, and my health is declining rapidly... more >>

Cheap Gold Scam - Michael Fowler
Everyone loves a bargain and in uncertain times Gold is said to be a good place to put your money. So when you receive an unexpected e-mail offering Gold below current market prices it might be worth looking into. But be wary it could be a scam... more >>

Natasha - Romance Scammer - Michael Fowler
Natasha, another lady from Kazakhstan would like to get to know me but is it all lies ... more >>

Amelia Argueta - 419 Scammer - Michael Fowler
Help this Sergeant in the US Army stationed in South Korea transfer US$15 Million out of the country to be rewatded with 30%. What could go wrong? ... more >>

Alina - Romance Scammer - Michael Fowler
It would seem that there is this lady called Alina from Kazakhstan who would like to develop a relationship with me... more >>

FBI Compensation of US$15 Million - Michael Fowler
Is it my lucky day when the Director of the FBI (Federal Bureau of Investigation) contacts me to tell me I am due compensation of US$15 Million? more >>

Project Funding Scam - Michael Fowler
Greed the precurser to being defrauded. Why would someone serious about project funding send out such an email more >>

Investment Opportunity Scam - Michael Fowler
Promises of funding up to US$6.5 Billion can they actually believe it themselves? more >>

Beluga Bible Translations - A Bit Fishy? - Michael Fowler
Alright we know a Beluga Whale is a mammal and not a fish. But what I am questioning is whether Beluga Bible Translations is a legitimate Christian Mission or whether it is fishy?

China Domain name Scam - Michael Fowler
The China Domain name Scam and what to do when you receive an e-mail from the Chinese Registrars.

Scamminder.com - Legit or Scam - Michael Fowler
Scamminder is it a legitimate Scam Detection website or a scam itself?

Phishing Scams

Message Restriction Activity Phishing Scam - Michael Fowler
I was impressed by the choice of the green colour for the heading text, a change from the orange colour used in cPanel scams. A minimalist message with an ominous though perhaps not too ominous Message Restriction Activity. What is that but an opportunity to access your email account and use it for untoward purposes... more >>

Cloud Storage Payment Declined Phishing Scam - Michael Fowler
A "catch-all" phishing scam not mentioning any specific cloud storage platform but urging you to submit bank account payment details to their fake page. They claim to be emailing from a Cloud storage and yet the email address gives the name Cloud-Stockage such sloppiness would not be present if this was a genuine payment declined email for an online account.. more >>

Renewal of W-8BEN Certification Phishing Scam - Michael Fowler
"Our compliance team has identified that your certification has expired or will soon expire. To remain in compliance, you must renew your documentation immediately" That as it may be but the email coming from an email address welcome@zykxdj.com seems suspicious... more >>

DVLA Phishing Scam - Michael Fowler
On first glance this email appears to have come from DVLA the Driver Licencing Authority in the UK but examine the sender email address, inconsistencies in the email and the click through web address and this is a scam email designed to capture your bank debit card details... more >>

Interactive Brokers Phishing Scam - Michael Fowler
I never cease to be amazed at the range of legitimate companies scammers choose to imitate to lure their customers into entering their personal details into a fake phishing website... more >>

First Direct Phishing Scam - Michael Fowler
Aimed at First Direct bank customers who perhaps are in a hurry and don't look at sender email address or click though web address... more >>

Barclays Bank Phishing Scam - Michael Fowler
Professional looking email from Barclays Bank just let down by the sender email address and the click through website. Some people with Barclays accounts will be taken in, don't let it be you!... more >>

Trading212 Phishing Scam - Michael Fowler
Phishing Scam email purporting to be from the Trading212 Investment platform. Usual "red flags" unusual sender email address, click through web address and the sense of urgency being instilled, but take a few minutes to think before you act... more >>

NHS Testing Kit Scam - Michael Fowler
The NHS (National Health Service) runs continuous screening for Bowl cancer but the kits that are sent out are sent by post and are in small cardboard cartons which will easily go through a letter box. You will never be sent a kit the size of the box shown in this scam email... more >>

Car Finance Drip Trial Phishing Scam - Michael Fowler
Two scams for the price of one! Two different scams on the same email! One a Car Finance scam and the other a Drip Trial Renewal Scam... more >>

Account Termination Verification Phishing Scam - Michael Fowler
Panic sets in. If you don't click on the link and cancel the termination notice everything will go... all your emails, files, and everything associated with your cPanel Account Services but you don't have cPanel Account Services... more >>

Companies House Phishing Scam - Michael Fowler
These scammers are using Quickbooks Invoice system as a way of sending fraudulent Microsoft 365 invoices. The invoice comes from a genuine Quickbooks email address.. more >>

Quickbooks Fake Invoice Scam - Michael Fowler
These scammers are using Quickbooks Invoice system as a way of sending fraudulent Microsoft 365 invoices. The invoice comes from a genuine Quickbooks email address.. more >>

Nat West Phishing Scam - Michael Fowler
If you have a bank account with Nat West this might alarm you thinking some unknown person is trying to change your contact phone number (the one you receive one time passwords) But don't jump to cancelling the phone number change... more >>

Contract Form Approval Phishing Scam - Michael Fowler
I was not expecting any Docusign notification for an EFT (Electronics Fund Transfer) contract so I knew it was a scam email to try and obtain my login details... more >>

Voicemail Phishing Scam - Michael Fowler
I don't know why I would get a genuine voicemail notification, it is supposedly from a service called GVoice Encrypted. Follow the usual rules don't click on anything... more >>

Verify Your Email Address Phishing Scam - Michael Fowler
The sender email address has been spoofed to appear to come from your own email address. Slightly different wording but the same objective to obtain email password credentials and access to bank accounts and untold other financial goodies... more >>

E-Mail Administrator Notification Scam - Michael Fowler
In this phishing scam Roundcube (the webmail provider) claims to be contacting you with an urgent resoltion required for an email blockage... more >>

Account Security Alert Scam - Michael Fowler
Your password is due to expire. The "Security Team" need you to login to your account now... more >>

Email Deactivation Alert Scam - Michael Fowler
A deactivation alert for your email account, no time to lose confirm your credentials now, but this is a phishing attempt to gain access to your account... more >>

Companies House Evri Scam - Michael Fowler
Evri is apparently so keen that I review these delivery contents before despatch that they have sent me SEVEN identical emails within hours of each other from different email addresses... more >>

Mail Delivery Incomplete Phishing Scam - Michael Fowler
Well laid out email appearing to be a message from your cPanel telling you of email delivery difficulties. The sender email address has been spoofed to appear to come from your domain name... more >>

Incoming Emails Blocked Phishing Scam - Michael Fowler
The objective of this email is to panic you into clicking the Verify Me link to release the blocked emails. Clicking on the link you will be prompted to enter your email login details thereby giving scammers access to your account... more >>

Coinbase KYC Verification Scam - Michael Fowler
Received an email saying that suspicious activity has been observed on your Coinbase account and for safety the account has been frozen. That gets your attention but has Coinbase contacted you or have scammers?... more >>

Netflix Renewal Scam - Michael Fowler
Phishing scam to entice Netflix users to login to a fake Netflix site, provide their card details enabling scammers to abstract money from their accounts... more >>

Cloud Storage Renewal Scam - Michael Fowler
If the scammers send out enough emails they are sure to hit targets who have a cloud sync storage account or think they have such an account... more >>

Companies House Scam E-Mail - Michael Fowler
If you happen to be a Company Director this very official looking email purporting coming from the UK Business Regulator Companies House might take you in. Look carefully there are the usual "red flags".Let's read what "Companies House" have to say... more >>

Notice of Personal Information Processing - Michael Fowler
Phishers or Scammers pretending to be Veridion by using a veridion.eu email address rather than the veridion.com email address and legitimate website that the genuine Veridion organisation uses... more >>

Binance Phishing Scam - Michael Fowler
If you are a Binance user (the cryptocurrency trading platform) you would be interested to know of these developments in the Binance trading platform but this is where the scammers step in and try to get you to provide your details to a fake binance login page... more >>

Fedex Delivery Scam - Michael Fowler
Typical courier delivery scam where the scammers are phishing for your card details to scam you... more >>

Romanian Courier Payment Scam - Michael Fowler
The chances of falling for this scam should be minimal if your native language is English and you do not read or understand Romanian. Obviously this Romanian phishing scam is directed at their fellow countrymen... more >>

MetaMask Phishing Scam - Michael Fowler
If you make use of the MetaMask Crypto Platform the last thing you want is that a scammer gains access to your account through you revealing your login details on a fake webpage... more >>

Insufficient Storage Space Scam - Michael Fowler
If you have been using your email account for several years without clearing out old emails it could be that you are approaching and possibly exceeding the storage limits that you have on your email account. What you will not get is an email in this form to try and get you to click on a link... more >>

Microsoft 365 Renewal Scam - Michael Fowler
Receiving an email from Microsoft confirming that you that a subscription for Microsoft 365 has been automatically renewed at a significant expense will be concerning if you have in fact never subscribed to the software. All though is not what it seems... more >>

HMRC Scam Email - Michael Fowler
A very poor scam attempt from scammers pretending to be from HMRC (His Majesty's Revenue and Customs) ie the UK Tax authorities... more >>

Royal Mail Delivery Scam - Michael Fowler
Now if you are expecting a delivery by Royal Mail you might easily fall victim to this e-mail which has not come from Royal Mail. If you click on the link and make the small requested payment you will have provided all your bank details to the scammers who will come back and empty your account... more >>

Meta Policy Violation Scam - Michael Fowler
Considering the organisation being contacted does not use Meta advertising this is obviously a scam, most probably a phishing attempt to obtain login details such as username and password... more >>

Webmail Password Expiration Scam - Michael Fowler
One of my e-mail addresses was targetted with a quick succession of emails claiming my webmail password was due to expire and that I had to update it ... more >>

Password Expiration Notification Scam - Michael Fowler
A password has expired and you need to click on a link to retain your existing password. The senders e-mail name might suggest it is to do with your e-mail account but if you are careless and in a rush you might just click on the given link... more >>

McAfee Renewal Scam - Michael Fowler
Two days running I received this e-mail. I don't use McAfee but this isn't a genuine e-mail sent in error by McAfee but an e-mail sent by scammers... more >>

Amazon Shipment Update Scam - Michael Fowler
I received four Amazon shipping update scams in quick succession. How do I know they are scams? First I do not have an Amazon account or buy anything through Amazon but if I did just follow the simple rules... more >>

DHL Shipment Update Scam - Michael Fowler
I received the following e-mail supposedly referring to a DHL shipment en-route to me. I have no expectation that any shipment is en-route to me from DHL or any other carrier... more >>

Immediate Peak Phishing Scam - Michael Fowler
So an e-mail purporting to have been sent from the Immediate Peak Investment platform but actually from scammers seeking most probably to obtain your login details to the application... more >>

Government Gateway Phishing Scam - Michael Fowler
You can imagine the havoc and harm that can be inflicted if someone manages to trick you by a phishing e-mail redirecting you to a fake login page whereby you unknowingly reveal your username and password details... more >>

Anti Virus Renewal Scam - Michael Fowler
Out of the blue comes an anti-virus program renewal e-mail. An anti-virus program you probably don't have. You are urged to respond urgently... more >>

cPanel Password Expiry Scam - Michael Fowler
To hear that your cPanel might be inoperative if you don't immediately renew your password is a matter of concern. But pause, is this a genuine e-mail from cPanel?... more >>

Ebay Fake Transaction Scam - Michael Fowler
You receive a notification that someone has purchased an expensive watch on ebay using your Paypal account. You know it is not you, what should you do?... more >>

Spam and Spammers

Amory Dixon - Persistant Spammer - Michael Fowler
What happens when you reply to a persistant spammer.

SEO Services Spam - Michael Fowler
If you have a website be prepared to be inundated with emails from SEO companies offering to get you Google page 1 listings, for a price... more >>

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