How to verify a website is who they claim to be
.org are presumably for “non-profit organisation” in the past, and is more widely accepted as non-commercial in nature. However, that does not imply that all .org sites are who they claim to be. In fact, anybody can register a .org domain name for as cheap as $9.95, and call themselves “accredited”.
Lets say there are 2 fictitious sites as follows:
- authority.gov (the authoritative site, or it can be .edu, etc)
- anothersite.org
anothersite.org approaches you to say that they belonged to authority.gov, and would like to ask for a favour from you.
Most people will go to anothersite.org and find all the references back to authority.gov.
However, the correct way of verifying is not through the links at anothersite.org, but there must be a page at authority.gov that points to anothersite.org.
Its commonsense, but some people will take it for granted, out of convenience, that as long as “anothersite.org says that it belongs to authority.gov”, it’s real.
What some scammers do is to “overload” you with information so that you will give up checking and believe that its real. They exploit the fact that many would not like, or does not have the time to perform due diligence to verify the facts before plunging in.
And by connecting series of cheap $9.95 sites, they are able to overload you with information, to the extent so as to convince you or a potential victim that “analysis paralysis” is kicking in and “why not you just accept its real and believe in them”.
What is “analysis paralysis”? Its a saying that the more information you have may lead you to the wrong decision. However, its not how much information, but its where you get the information that matters. Research students have been told not to rely simply on information they found on the web, but to verify which are the authoritative sites. Quoting an article or comment from an unauthoritative site will not add credibility to the research.
Cheap and free stuff are the reasons for spam, and that is why its hard to stop spam mails completely. Free emails, cheap domains, free posting at social networking sites, free posting at classified ads, free blogs (wordpress, blogspot), etc. There are great stuffs from cheap and free sites, but not without the bad side-effects that can grow worse as more and more people join in the spam.
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My letter congradulates me on a $1000,000.00 winfall. I am to contact Mr. Dave Sayer/email:usapch.02012@hotmail.co.uk. It includes my alleged winning numbers; and email ticket #. The letter was sent by Mr. Todd Sloan; Publishers Clearing House (allegedly).
dear sir
i have received the e mail
UK OLYMPIC/CRICKET MOBILE DRAW GLOBE AWARD FORTUNE BONANZA 2012
THE PROMOTION DEPARTMENT
====================================================
245 SQUARE HOUSE BERKLEY SQUARE
LONDON NW1J 8BD LONDON, UNITED KINGDOM
Phone :00448719741176,/ Fax:00447014243919.
ATTENTION:MR.SUNIL BHAT.
FILE NO:OMGA/UK/75490/2012.
DELIVERY NOTIFICATION.
Attn: Mr Sunil Bhat.
Your mail was received and the content was understood in respect to your winning funds which is about to be claimed by you. We will like to use this medium to congratulate you as one of our lucky winners in this year’s British UK OLYMPIC/CRICKET MOBILE DRAW Lottery Promotion which your Number was randomly selected alongside other lucky winners which was carried with the help of Number extracting machine and your Number was selected as one of our lucky winner of £350,000.00.Britain Pounds.
Dear winner congratulation once more be inform that your pending prize payment processing has been completed. & been process and your Winners Certificate has been confirm the approval of the prize (350,000.00 GBP) on your favor. In furtherance to the transfer of the sum electronically into your account through the assistance of our international agent
To avoid this Banking Strenuous Bureaucracy/delay we have gone as far as releasing your Bank Winning Demand Draft from our assigned Bank to our international agent from United Kingdom for delivery to your door step.
This is to make the redeeming delivering of your winning prize very smooth for you as there will be many stoppages/impediments by authorities should we attempt to transfer the funds from United Kingdom directly to your private local bank account in your country India. The Demand Draft is cash able in Reserve Bank of India or any foreign Bank in your country. In the light of the above, Your Bank Demand Draft of 350,000.00 Pounds including winner certificate and Letter of Authorization has been sealed with our official stamp and dispatched to the assigned international agent that will delivered your winning prize to your country India.
Following our arrangement with the delivery agent, your winning prize will be officially air lifted to your country and will be arriving Indian with our agent Representative who will be coming to India for the delivery of your wining prize right now we need Your full address as well and your telephone number to Ensure your delivery address is correct as we shall at no time be responsible for delivery error caused by Misinformation.
NOTE: The official registration and clearing of your demand draft at the airport according to the international agent has already be paid for the released and final delivery to your door step(District Address) the same day. The registration is necessary to declare that your prize is legal. This is as per rules and regulations of Indian Government. To avoid delay when the agent arrived. Please follow the directives of our agent he will help you to fulfill the registration process required so that your prize will not be seized by the authority.
RE-CONFIRM THIS THE INFORMATION WE NEE
YOUR FULL NAME………..
YOUR FULL ADDRESS………
YOUR TELEPHONE NUMBER……………
YOUR PASSPORT COPY OR ANY ID………………
YOUR AGE AND WORK…………..
YOUR COUNTRY AND STATE………………..
KINDLY ACKNOWLEDGE THE RECEIPT OF THIS MAIL.
Congratulations
Yours Sincerely,
Dr. C.M. Johnson MD.
Claims Officer U.K Fortunes Bonanza
UK/ICC Award Bonanza Great Britain.Phone: +448719741176/(+44)7010046821
Fax
+44)7014243919.
AND I HAVE GIVEN THEM 6 LAKHS AND ID PROOF OF PAN CARD.BUT THEY HAVE SEND ME THE NOTIFICATION AS
OUR REF: RBI770/49/2012
YOUR REF: …………………
DATE:..05/06/2012
RESPECTED MR. SUNIL BHAT:
WE HAVE RECEIVED THE PAYMENT OF (Rs.1,00,000/- INR) INRESPECT OF YOUR FUND RELEASE ORDER PROCESING FROM MINISTRY OF FINANCE, MEANWHILE THE PAYMENT HAS TO BE COMPLETE AS THEY DEMAND BEFORE THE COMPLETION OF YOUR TRANSACTION. THEREFORE WE ARE HERE ADVISE YOU AND MR. JIMMY TO TRY THE BEST YOU CAN FOR THE BALANCE OF (Rs.3,00,000/- INR) TO GET THIS TRANSACTION COMPLETED AS MATTER OF URGENT.
THANKS AND REGARDS,
BOARD OF FOREIGN REMITTANCE DEPARTMENT/FUND TRANSFER DEPARTMENT OF RESERVE BANK OF INDIA.
The Information contained and transmitted by this E-MAIL is proprietary to Reserve Bank and/or its Customer and is intended for use only by the individual or entity to which it is addressed, and may contain information that is privileged, confidential or exempt from a disclosure under applicable law. If this is a forwarded message, the content of this E-MAIL may not have been sent with the authority of the Bank. Reverse Bank shall not be liable for any mails sent without due authorisation or through unauthorised access. If you are not the intended recipient, an agent of the intended recipient or a person responsible for delivering the information to the named recipient, you are notified that any use, distribution, transmission, printing, copying or dissemination of this information in any way or in any manner is strictly prohibited
SIR IF ANY BODY TELLS ME HOW TO GET THE MONEY BACK FROM THEM.THERE MOBILE NO ARE 9769737272,9920138512,9619142613
are they scammers , they seem to sound real and true is this site a scammer or what
has anyone received an email from Cadbury World Promotions stating that you have won a lucky numbers, an aniversary promotion. They give a email of cadburyworldpromotions.co.cc It seems lagit but I’m weary. They dont ask for cash only tipical info such as name ,address,telephone #……no ss# or bank info. I am worried and dont want to proceed into a scam
Inregards to #51 I have contacted Cadbury World and they have informed me that their company does not have any such winning number lottery, they have advised me not to give out any personal information to the fraudulous individuals. Cadbury World has turned this over to their legal team.
I guess it is a scam, because I got the same email. I am waiting now for it to be approved by the British High Court to approve my winnings. Ha!lol They really use their imaginations, maybe they should put their minds to use in more respectable ways.