UGN safenet UGN safenet
UGN Spam Trackers follow stock scams purveyed in spam
Following the 60-Second Window article we began tracking spam that promotes stocks. Here is the report for the week ending on March 12th, 2006
This week seemed to be a transitional week with previously heavy spammers now running behind or gone all together. King-of-the-hills spammers Ever Glory International and Nano Superlattice Technology are now gone from the list to be replaced by top criminal spammer Resort Clubs International Inc. (RTCI.PK) who spammed us with 90 spams -- nearly half of all stock scam spams this week! (The record still held by Ever Glory with 154 spams in a single week!)
Stocks Named in Criminal Stock Scam Spams:
March 5 through March 12, 2006:
222 scams - 31.7 per day, average of 1.3 per hour.
:
Resort Clubs International Inc. RTCI.PK = 90
:
US MedSystems UMSY.OB = 67
:
Premium Petro|eum Inc. PPTL = 44
:
Wide E Convergence WDCV.PK = 9
:
GROFEED INC GFDI.PK = 9
:
Interlink Global Corp ILKG.PK = 9
:
Nanoforce Inc. NNFC = 3
:
G0lden Apple Gas and Oil GAPJ = 3
:
Dark Dynamite Inc. DKDY = 3
We did get one breakthrough that we could track down. Usually the messages are pure text, sent through foreign server farms using forged headers. Very seldom do we get one brazen enough to lead a trail. Thanks to SpamCop's excellent interface (the best web-based email interface we've seen) we're able to open components of email for investigation.
The spammer pumping Interlink Global Corp. (ILKG.PK) made the mistake of embedding a pop-up window in the email. This stealth tactic opens a tiny window behind the viewer's window so the viewer cannot see or detect it. Embedded javascripting prevents the user from making the window larger, expanding it or otherwise changing it. Of course we know how to short-circuit those ploys, so we tracked the sources. Even though the spammer used stealth techniques to hide his identity, including bouncing the mail through foreign servers, the ILKG spammer was sending the spam from 64.27.16.103, which translates to Hollywood Interactive, Inc., Wilshire Blvd., Los Angeles. The spamcop complaint went to their dial-up provider, calpop.com, also in Los Angeles.
The ILKG spammer tried to blame the spam on "Preserv.net" a legitimate arm of ATT. First the spammer sent the mail from market.stream@analystcenter.prserv.net, and then invited the user to obtain more "info" by clicking this link. pws.prserv.net/fishbowl/Request.htm ... of course the idiots used the same link for the "unsubscribe" which is almost always discounted by the spam trackers and black holes as bogus. This one leads to a Midwestern Investment Bank (MWB) email subscribe link.
The stealth pop-up took us to http://www.pinksheets.com/quote/quote.jsp?symbol=ilkg which hovered in the background, as a 1-inch square browser window. We do not know why this technique was employed other than several iframes we believe intended to gather user ID and passwords. We do not know if PinkSheets.com is involved or an innocent intended to lead spam blockers astray.
We know the ILKG spammer is a criminal because this spam committed three distinct felonies under the Federal Can Spam law : 1) Sent the email in bulk; 2) utilized forged headers to elude detection, 3) Sent to an unused email address seeded in a single location on the web (intended to trap email harvesters.) 4) allowed no "Opt Out" vehicle; 5) was not identified in the subject line as an ad. The fact that they spoofed the ATT and PrServ.net entities in itself reveals the criminal intent. Just about 100% of these spams break these or more of the Federal Can Spam Act.
Tracking ILKG.PK throughout the week at the end the spam barrage we see the stock take a nose dive and remain flat at closing yesterday. (chart)
On another note, at least one spammer is now ganging two stocks in each spam. Stock scam spams for Wide E Convergence and Grofeed Inc always arrived in pairs, with both stocks pumped in each spam. This is the first we've seen of this technique.
Over the past few weeks we've seen a trend in spam subject lines -- some of the spammers run the same subject line again and again, unafraid of being caught or getting a black-eye from their criminal activities. These have been used consistently since we began this research back in January.
: Aggressive Traders Alert
:
Before the Bell
:
Complimentary investment alert newsletter
:
Daily Stock Barometer
:
EagleEye Stock Alert (sometimes "Report")
:
GrandSlam Stock
:
Monthly investment newsletter (more like 'daily')
:
New Breed Equity Report
:
Platinum Stock Report
:
Savvy Investors Small-Cap Report
:
Strong Buy Alert: Monthly Newsletter
:
Strong Buy Alert: Weekly Member Newsletter
:
Wall Street Pulse
:
Wallstreet Insider
These are but a small representation because most stock scams include no domains, but only references to the symbol.
If you are active in the market, be careful and don't believe what you get in your email box. If someone is pumping stocks, chances are they're doing so for their own, personal gain -- not yours. Always rely on known, secure sources for your information -- or rely on a reliable brokerage firm.
A zip archive of this folder is available upon request. The list below lists all human readable stock scam spams received for the 7-day period. Beware that the "sender" name is always forged, and does not incriminate any real person with that same name.
See the:
*
March 5, report
*
Feb 27, report
*
Feb 18, report
*
Feb 5, report
*
Jan 29, report
*
60-Seconds: Pump & Dump Stock Scams (original article)
Please share your concerns or discoveries, we're listening.
This report is not a stock purchase advisory. Stocks listed were the subject of spam caught in UGN spam traps. We are reporting on spam activities only -- not asserting that the company listed is in fact involved in the act of spamming. Readers are cautioned to make their own decisions about purchasing spamvertised stocks. We use a three-step process to research and validate all spam received: 1 Spamcop: all spam listed has been pre-authenticated by SpamCop filtered email addresses. We do not include spam received at other email addresses. SpamCop filters are based on spam reports filed by the SpamCop population. 2 SpamAssassin Ranking: a SpamAssassin rank is assigned to each spam listed. The spam must achieve a "3" rank to be included. 3 Anti-Spam Definition: email which matches one or more criteria established in the Anti-spam Initiative Spam Definition.
Return to: the top of this page, or the INDEX for this department
Exit to: The User Group Network front page
Contact: The Editor, Webmaster or Membership Director
The List Sender [tabkey] Subject Line Jackelyn Rutherford All Investors, L@@K iFor Big Returns! moonbow Jon F. Mason All Investors, L@@K For Big Returns! phwca8 Mohamed Jacobson All Investors, L@@K For Big Returns! 34h Angelia H. Hawkins Alert!!Alert Chad Yang Alert!!Alert Freddy W. Keith Alert!!Alert Luisa Bonilla Alert!!Alert Marshall Merritt Alert!!Alert Frederick W. Keith Alert!!Alert Corrine Flores Alert!!Alert Shawn Stephens ALERT!! Frieda Rivas ALERT!! Corine Shannon ALERT!! Chelsea Curry ALERT!! Emmanuel A. McAllist... ALERT!! Jonathon Sanchez ALERT!! Monroe French Alert Maritza Sheridan Aggressive Traders Alert Myron L. Childs Addicted to Growth Stocks? Merle 3z20_Touchdown_Equity_Report Enid Hayden 2 Hot Picks, Don't Miss These rr4ev Miles Eubanks Recipe for Market Gains? Ester Hagen Promo Movers: Weekly Member Newsletter Emma A. Rouse Promo Movers: Weekly Member Newsletter Nicholas Gray Promo Movers: Weekly Member Newsletter Jaylon Klee Re: Praramcy news Olga Blanchard Powerhouse Stock Jenny Dumas Powerhouse Stock Joseph Rhodes Powerhouse Gains Possible in SmallCaps Angelica Godwin Platinum Stock Report Margarito Ferrell Platinum Stock Report Kelly E. Ledbetter Platinum Stock Report Ross Murphy Platinum Stock Newsletter Ericka P. Franks Penny Stocks Can Make You Money... Marsha S. Maynard Penny Stock Trading Report Fannie Collier Penny Oi| St0cks Are About Timing Rafael Elliott Penny Oi| St0ck Poised to Explode Higher? Josh Greene Our alerts make investors money Clara S. Chappell Our alerts make investors money Merle Roman Our alerts make investors money Gabrielle D. Kay Our alerts make investors money Wilburn Moran Only Winning Trades, Two Hot Ones! 6jqz Jacqueline Madden New Growth Stock Report Israel W. Marks New Breed of Stock Trader Milford Terrell New Breed of Stock Trader Molly Richards New Breed Equity Report Francis Mercado Monthly investment newsletter Benjamin Beard Monthly investment newsletter Jennifer Tanner Monthly investment newsletter Celina Sanderson Monthly investment newsletter Billie S. McDowell Money Magnet Stock? Stephan A. Tran Momentum Building for This Small Stock? Elena Holden MicroCaps can Equal Macro Gains Erin Holmes MicroCap Equity for You Galen Durham Microcap Communiqué Suzette C. Corbin Micro-Cap Stock Idea Kari Bates Micro-Cap Oi| St0ck Idea Robbie S. Benton Markets expected to open higher Lynda Driscoll Markets expected to open higher Joanna N. Lowery Markets expected to open higher Brett Barber Markets expected to open higher Laurel Connor Markets expected to open higher Miranda Simons [fwd] Market watch news Marcy Weeks Is this Oi| St0ck Undervalued? Nelda Wood Is This Company's shares ready to Go Higher? Vincent Devine Is This Company's shares ready to Go Higher? Jana Schwartz Is it a MicroCap Bonanza? Chuck Wills Is it a "Penny Oil St0ck Payday"? Laurie D. Davenport Investor Notice Marta Arnold Investment Idea For You Alden Fowler Hot Stock News! Oil & Gas stocks Maribel Tillman Hot Shot Stock Info Angeline F. Rollins Hot penny Stocks Forest Hutchison Hot Penny Stock Alert Wanda Dudley High Octane Stocks Johanna Fitzgerald High Octane Stocks Lola Palmer Hidden Winners Stock Alert Warren R. Cornell GrandSlam Stock Report Corina Franklin GrandSlam Stock Report Jackson P. Ochoa GrandSlam Stock Therese grains _newsletter jorge@graphic-design... re: Friday news pool-162-84-228-205.... Friday March 10: Xian tourism up 8.5% Stacey Dodd Flying Under The Radar With Stealth Stocks Maggie Delarosa Featured SmallCap Company Harvey Green Featured Penny Stock Alert Marion Blount Ever Have a Small Oi| St0ck Take Off? Hathaway Equity"Spotlight Dino D. Krause Emerging Public Company Report Billie D. Cody Emerging Oil Stock for Your Review Margery A. Fuentes EagleEye Stock Report Bertie Beck EagleEye Stock Alert Milo Massey Do You Play Penny Stocks? Ed J. Everett Do You Play Penny Stocks? Leon Avery Do You Love Low-Priced Stocks? Dennis C. Peterson Do You Love Low-Priced Oi| St0ck? Nola Gallegos Diamond in The Rough Equity Report Margery Dumas Diamond Equities Stacey Emerson Daily Stock Barometer Sandy E. Burch Daily Stock Barometer Funk Julianne d0W_small_Cap_stox_Can_sizzle Rachelle Kirkland Could this Stock be Undervalued? Amy Welsh Complimentary investment alert newsletter Maureen Joseph Complimentary investment alert newsletter Isiah Gilliam Complimentary investment alert newsletter Kenneth F. Whaley Complimentary investment alert newsletter Louella C. Anthony Complimentary investment alert newsletter Armando Lowery Complimentary investment alert newsletter Janine N. Simmons Climb Aboard the Small Cap Gravy Train Lorna Coleman Climb Aboard the Small Cap Gravy Train Micheal P. Rankin Chart Watcher Stock Report Reginald Koch Bull's Eye Investing Sandra Meyers Big Investor Alert: UMSY Natalia Lamb Big Investor Alert: UMSY Annie Nance Big Investor Alert: UMSY Jefferey Contreras Big Investor Alert: UMSY Jodi Owens Big Investor Alert: UMSY Francesca Klein Below the Radar Equity PrivateClientService... Before the Bell: (ILKG) Traders: Your Head Start O... Jeff C. Kaufman Attention SmallCap traders Anthony McFadden Attention SmallCap Stox Players. Louise J. Barrera Will This SmallCap Shine? Marilyn Edmonds Watch this Stock Trade Elliott M. Spivey Watch this Stock Trade Deandre Maynard watch this Micro-Cap Issue Trade Edward T. Kemp Watch This Emerging Growth Stock Jeri Dunn Want to Turbocharge Your Portfolio? Clinton Cleveland Wallstreet Insider Gordon D. Dyer Wall Street Stock Watch Amparo Wall Wall Street Pulse Damian Gunn Wall Street Pulse Irving W@ll"Street"News Kenny Pritchard Uptick Stocks Ida T. Abrams Under the Radar Equity Craig Ruffin UMSY Stock on the move Rosalind Ortiz UMSY Small Cap Promo Mover Luis I. McKinney UMSY Small Cap Promo Mover Efren Dahl UMSY Small Cap Promo Mover Terence R. Dempsey UMSY making major breakthroughs Jill McElroy UMSY making major breakthroughs Nathaniel G. Coffman UMSY making major breakthroughs Daphne Stewart U M S Y making major breakthroughs Gene Waller U M S Y making major breakthroughs Amado E. Dunbar U M S Y making major breakthroughs Angela Britton Two Great Picks At Low Prices, Huge Returns me65 Scot K. Haynes Trend Rider Stock Report Therese Faulkner Trade To Win, With Our Picks! 5lk Earl Clark Top Stock to Consider Right Now? Stewart S. Stewart Today's Cribsheet Bernadette D. Barry Tip Top Equities Renee Weston This Week's Target Stock Mccoy The"D@ily"5t0ck"B@rometer Olivia Cook The Trend Rider Earlene F. Nunez The Stock Profiler Diann M. Bowling The Stock King Presents Saundra H. Stubbs The SmallCapInvestor Shannon Scott The Small Cap Trend Kristy Lewis The Savvy Investor Stock Report Shelly L. Sinclair The Next Dynamite Stock? Jimmie H. Mays The Investor's Toolbox Stefanie Whitehead Take it to The Bank Stocks Danny Carr Take it to The Bank Stock Report Faustino take it to the bank st0ck report Jennifer D. Wolfe SuperStock Investor Jules E. Wilkinson SuperNova Stocks Sabrina Ortega Strong Buy Alert: Weekly Member Newsletter Robert Horner Strong Buy Alert: Weekly Member Newsletter Olga Lee Strong Buy Alert: Weekly Member Newsletter Jame Shafer Strong Buy Alert: Weekly Member Newsletter Ben C. Meyer Strong Buy Alert: UMSY Lilia Campbell Strong Buy Alert: UMSY Carissa D. Burgos Strong Buy Alert: UMSY Elnora Castro Strong Buy Alert: UMSY Ursula Huff Strong Buy Alert: UMSY Jame D. Choi Strong Buy Alert: Monthly Newsletter Miriam Childers Strong Buy Alert: Monthly Newsletter Rita Lam Stox in Play Catherine Olson Stocks in Play Allie Solis Stocks in Play Tanisha Shaw Stocks in Play Kurtis House Stocks in Play Reyes T. Dickey Stock Wizard Gerry Capps Stock Wizard Frances Frye Stock Trader Alert Josefina L. Ritter Stock Radar Eugenia Levine Stock Profiler Journal Reyna Koch Stock Player Emerging Equity Report Doreen Crockett Stock Player Emerging Equity Report Dan T. Baldwin Stock Player Emerging Equity Report Owen Baez Stock Off Its Bottom? Rhoda B. Barry Stock Momentum Alert Elizabeth H. Alston Stock Maven Newsletter Velma Shepard Stock Market Profits? Kirsten Hurt Stock Market Profits? Marcella Huggins Stock market News Carmen Hooper Stock market News Lucien S. Washington StealthStock Report Gale Fuentes Stealth Microcap April Johnson Squawk Box Stock Report Vernon Prince Special Equity Situation Meredith Shoemaker Special Alert to Investors Deon Briggs Solid Refinances made simple Allie Clayton SmallCap Investment 0pportunity Bob Goff SmallCap Hunter Fritz J. Mullins SmallCap Companies in the News Miranda Fleming Small-Cap Review Noemi C. Nicholson Small-Cap Preview Ellis E. Pearson Small Stocks Can Give You Short Term Returns Rhonda N. James Small Stock- Big Returns? Sadie W. Helton Small Cap Stox Can Sizzle Ricky Merritt Small Cap Stock Watcher Claire Ritchie Small Cap Insight Estelle S. Garrison Shooting Stars Stock Report Darrin H. Cooley Savvy Investors Small-Cap Report Annmarie Baca Savvy Investors Small-Cap Report Mandy McDonough Rising Stars Equity Report Earle Mansfield Rising Star Stocks Arnulfo Feldman Ride the Bull Today Colleen Vaughan Ride The Bull Stocks Gloria Brantley Red Hot Stock Watch