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 20th, 2006
This March 20, and 27 reports are delayed because of changes in the inflow of the spam. We were hit with roughly 30 scams per day -- more than one per hour -- however dozens of those we believe are not serious stock scams. It took longer to analyze all the "spoofed" spams, therefore no report last week. Now, this week the flow of scams slacked off to amazingly few. Let me explain...
Some of the spams seemed to be written just like spam, and sent through the normal spam channels, but were spamvertising erroneous web site, or legitimate stock sites having nothing to do with the spammer. Since this raised quite a bit of curiosity, we chased down a half dozen or so of these before chalking this spammer up to non-spam mischief. I'm not going to lug this article down with the detail, but I've posted some cursory observations about the spammer and the spams in a separate document for those interested.
We believe the 'fake' spams were deliberately sent to derail our reports, and knock SpamCop and other spam filters off the path. Most of the 'fake' stock spams did not trip the SpamCop as bulk. Normally we would consider such spam to be attempts at injuring legitimate web sites competing with the spammer. But this series is just too stupid to suggest such a useful function. Instead, we believe it's merely to pad the "stock spam" research to pull the heat off the real spammer. About half of the 'fake' spam domains are registered through GoDaddy.com or Joker.com -- two well known spam-friendly registrars.
We do know the barrage was sent by a professional spammer because of the unsecure proxies he mailed through, and the clever forgery of SMTP headers using IP addresses reserved by IANA (Internet Assigned Numbers Authority). Why the fake barrage, we cannot guess. Generally spammers don't spam without a profit motive unless it's to attack a competitor or intentionally fog the spam detection process. We also know the spammer used the same Microsoft products and a Windows PC to send the spam.
Top Spammer: Premium Petroleum Inc. (PPTL.PK)
Last week's top scammer was Premium Petroleum Inc. with 81 spams. Last week's first place spammer, UMSY (US Med Systems) fell to second place with 66 spams.
March 20 Stocks to Avoid:
:
Premium Petroleum Inc. PPTL.PK = 81
:
US Med Systems UMSY.OB = 66
:
Infinex Ventures Inc. IFNX = 25
:
ZALDIVA INC ZLDV.OB = 10
:
Nano SuperLattice Technology Inc. NSLT = 8
:
Premier Information PIFR = 7
:
Golden Apple Oil/Gas GAPJ.PK = 6 (No data found on Yahoo!)
:
CounterPath Solutions, Inc. CTPS.OB = 6
:
Nanoforce Inc. NNFC.PK = 5
:
Grofeed Inc. GFDI.PK = 3
:
Wide E Convergence Tech. Amer. Corp. WDCV.PK = 3
:
Syngas International Corp. SYNI = 2
:
Rouchon Industries Inc. RCHN.PK = 2
As you can see in our evidence file, the tested samplings from the "false" spams vary greatly but share some interesting characteristics. First, almost all of the spammers' sites were created very recently. (Some as late as early March of this year.)
See Evidence File
See Subject Lines posted below
Here's an example of one that proves the stock scammers are getting bolder and bolder. This one from http://www.mnngf [dot] com/ -- they actually asked me to sign up for their stock-scam newsletter.
The profile is classic spam, recently registered, using foreign name servers, low-cost operation.
Domain: mnngf.com
Registrar: NameCheap.com
Registrant Contact:
max grisham (max_grisham@yahoo.com)
+1.7144995208
Fax: +1.7144995208
1699 E SUNSHINE
Brea, Ca 92835 US
Creation date: 03 Mar 2006
Most interesting about this one is the name server is in China.
Registrar: ENOM, INC.
Registrant Name: james linke
Registrant Organization: personal
Registrant Address1: No.245 YangZi road
Registrant City: NanJing
Registrant State/Province: JI
Registrant Postal Code: 234-456
Registrant Country: China
All of which is probably bogus, however they wanted us to invest in http://www.e-casino-profits [dot] com/. C'mon! Do they really think we're that stupid!
And finally, a comment about the very popular stocks forcasting web site Motley Fool. We really can't figure out whether some of this stock-scam spam is somehow connected with Motley Fool, or if Motley Fool is reading the same spam as we are, basing their predictions on it. Somehow we feel they're connected but cannot say for sure. Since beginning this series back in January, we suddenly receive a subscription to Motley Fool. We've unsubscribed twice, but they still keep coming.
Isn't it odd that when we start exposing criminal stock scams, the Motley Fool begins sending us their stock picks. We've emailed Motley twice, for comment, both times got no response and no comment on whether or not they're involved with the spammers. A legit web site should be very anxious to keep their name clear. I plan to attempt contacting Motley Fool again this week, and we'll report next week on what we discover.
See the:
*
March 12, report
*
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 Junior Leach fwd: Your St0kkMarrkett Picks Trade Special specia... Trenton D. Haskins Will this Stock be a "Super Nova?" The Motley Fool Welcome to Stock Madness 2006! The Motley Fool Welcome to Stock Madness 2006! Nita Courtney Watch this Stock Trade Georgina D. Crockett Watch this Oi| St0ck Trade Nick Salas Watch this Oi| St0ck Trade Sonya E. Wheeler Watch This Emerging Growth Stock Billy K. Curry Watch this 0il Stock Trade Emmie Freeman want to invest ? Christopher Ervin want to invest ? Ricardo B. Rogers Wallstreet Insider Francesca Fernandez Wall-street Insider Mavis F. Oneill Wall Street Stock Wizard Marilyn Manley Wall Street Pulse Ester Swan Wall Street Pulse Frankie Valuable stock market information including inside... Tyree Castro USA Small-cap Review Jaclyn Carlton Urgent St0ck Alert Frankie Espinosa Uptick Stock Jody Hoffman Under the Radar Equity for You Ali B. Kessler UMSY Stock on the move Delmar Farley UMSY Small Cap Promo Mover Hilda N. Hyde UMSY Small Cap Promo Mover Aurelia Cornett UMSY making major breakthroughs Betsy Turner UMSY making major breakthroughs Joaquin Coker UMSY making major breakthroughs Kip Mullins UMSY making major breakthroughs Shaun Leonard U M S Y making major breakthroughs Sammie W. Vinson U M S Y making major breakthroughs Alejandra Overton U M S Y making major breakthroughs Aurora Walker Traders Daily Report TraderBait TraderBait Monroe Hagen Trade To Win, With Our Picks! k2kh Pauline Mcbride TopWeeks the wire news Leland Leach fw: TopNews daily news Marquis Butcher RE: Top market Picks Ila Holland Timely Stock Opportunity? Shelia Bryant This Week's Target Stock Edwin Lay This Offer won't last forever Angeline Lyons The Touchdown Equity Report Lucas Roper The Stock King Presents Ellen Pearson The Next Gangbuster Growth Stock? Gino F. Contreras The Early Bird Investor Blake Melendez The Bull is Back in Select Small Caps Lorena Shook The Bull Hunter Casey Barber Strong Buy Alert: Weekly Member Newsletter Kelvin D. Owen Strong Buy Alert: Weekly Member Newsletter Jules Rosa Strong Buy Alert: Weekly Member Newsletter Rafael Herring Strong Buy Alert: UMSY Frances Feldman Strong Buy Alert: UMSY Melva Bingham Strong Buy Alert: UMSY Robin Harris Strong Buy Alert: UMSY Diana A. Franks Strong Buy Alert: UMSY Lilly Whitfield Strong Buy Alert: UMSY Emery Duncan Strong Buy Alert: UMSY Belinda Merrill Strong Buy Alert: Monthly Newsletter Terence Payne Strong Buy Alert: Monthly Newsletter Marisol Crowe Strong Buy Alert: Monthly Newsletter Marianne Drummond Strong Buy Alert: Monthly Newsletter Kirby Barnes Stox in Play Rosa F. Patel Stockmarket Small-cap Profile Lindsey Blankenship RE: Stock watch news Brandy Stock recommendation boosting stock performance Queen M. Mead Stock promo mover: UMSY Lorena T. Proctor Stock promo mover: UMSY Jewel K. Berger Stock promo mover: UMSY Israel Carey Stock promo mover: UMSY Kirk Hanna Stock Opportunities on Wall Street Director Manager Stock News: CTPS is HOT! Director Manager Stock News: CTPS is HOT! Director Manager Stock News: CTPS is HOT! Director Manager Stock News: CTPS is HOT! Director Manager Stock News: CTPS is HOT! Director Manager Stock News: CTPS is HOT! Alicia Medeiros [fwd] Stock News1etter Damon Shepherd Stock Market Profits? Corrine Weaver Stock Market Profits? Cornelia Cornett Stock Market Profits? Esmeralda Gipson Stock market picks and analysis from world class e... Hilary Glenn Stock coverage highlighting booming markets Leanne Ladner Sterling Stock Watch Billie Carlton Stellar Stock Report Bennie Guerrero fwd: St0kkMarrkett Picks Watch special pr news rel... Bruno Kerr re: St0kkMarrkett Picks Trade Special daily news Eve Williamson Squawk Box Report Luz K. Warner Squawk Box Equity Tony Turner SmallCap Traders Alert Pearl Olson SmallCap Investment 0pportunity Angelia Santana Small-Cap Stocks Candace Workman Small Stox Can Equal Big Returns. Graham D. Tyler Small Stock- Big Returns? Juanita Drummond Small Oi| St0ck Can Give You Short Term Returns Jonah Carrillo Small Cap Companies in the News Allyson G. Tapia Shooting Stars Stock Report Rita Meza Shooting Stars Stock Report Ginger W. Kyle Secret Stock Files Lelia Baez Savvy MicroCap Investor Christian Carr Samurai Stock Info Tricia T. Goss Rising Stars Equity Report Benjamin R. Ford Rising Star Stocks Armand Crabtree Ride The Bull Today Walter Herman Putting The Bull in "Bull Market" Hung Kidd Promo Movers: Weekly Member Newsletter Joanna Baez Promo Movers: Weekly Member Newsletter Scotty Professional stock advice that drives up the profi... Brigitte Fitzgerald Pre-Open Oil Stock To Watch Rocco Kirby Powerhouse Stock Profiles Delia Crocker Penny Oi| St0ck Poised to Explode Higher? Lazaro Faulk FWD: Pay attention this one is moving Charmaine Overton Our alerts make investors money Ursula L. Moser Our alerts make investors money Garth Noel Only Winning Trades, Two Hot Ones! 5eogs Micheal Bailey Oil St0cks..Big Idea Investor Jenny Bowers offer for investors Arthur Kidd offer for investors Millie Wong offer for investors Kerri Cabrera New Stock Profile Jamie Bradshaw New Small Cap Growth Stock Lucy Brady New Small Cap Growth Stock Alfonzo Harden New Penny Stock Idea For You Emanuel Tipton New Penny St0ck Oil Report Adele W. McCoy New Penny Oi| St0ck Profile Lincoln Bassett New Breed of Stock Trader Ethel Perez New Breed of Equity Trader Damon Dunbar New Breed Equity Alert Angelique Crow Monthly investment newsletter Maryanne Frank Monthly investment newsletter Dustin J. Ashley Monthly investment newsletter Francine C. Coulter Monthly investment newsletter Janelle Riley Monthly investment newsletter Milford Wills MicroCap Stock Profile Margie Fields Microcap Idea for You Everette S. Cabrera Micro-Cap Diamonds Aurora K. Blackwell MegaTrader Energy Stock Report Lauri Hand Maverick MicroCap Stock Benita R. Ortega Markets expected to open higher Kristin Dominguez Markets expected to open higher Marcel Flynn Markets expected to open higher Linwood W. Huerta Markets expected to open higher Matt Acosta Markets expected to open higher Edgardo B. Boyle MarketMasters Stock Alert Ollie L. Blake Market Investor Alert Keisha Nielsen Little Oi| St0cks Can Mean Dollars For You Charlie Tabor Let spiking stocks make your profits skyrocket Bart Lee Is This Oi| St0ck Ready to Blaze Higher? Gail Hogan Is it a MicroCap Bonanza? Mary Shannon investors news Peg Dye investors news Judith Weiss investors news Linwood I. Merritt Investors Need To Know Roderick Daniels investor alert Kitty Grace investor alert Keith Britton investor alert The best Investment ... Investment Pack's Opal Faulk FWD: Investment News Katharine Increase your profits in rocketing stock environme... Louisa J. Holcomb Hidden Market Gem? Jenifer Shepherd Gotham Alerts: Monthly stock tips Ebony Ferrell Gotham Alerts: Monthly stock tips Lelia Christopher Gotham Alerts: Monthly stock tips Seymour Cordero Gotham Alerts: Monthly stock tips Merrill P. Dominguez Gotham Alerts: Monthly stock tips Walter Dyer for investors Gabriel Perez for investors Madge R. George Flying Under The Radar With Stealth Stocks Evan Case re: Financial Market Trader Picks Candy Logan Expert stock analysis and market booming tendencie... Darnell K. Lund Ever See A Small Stock Take Off? Ervin C. Pham Ever See A Small Stock Take Off? Herbert Tomlinson Ever See A Small Oi| St0ck Take Off? Roderick Moran Equity Preview Wyatt Aldridge Equity Preview Dixie Dahl Emerging Growth Stock Profile Reyes Crockett Emerging Growth 0pportunity Josefa Coffman Emerging Equity Spotlight Will R. Davis Do You Like Penny Oi| St0ck Willie Roberts Complimentary investment alert newsletter Brandie Valencia Complimentary investment alert newsletter Denny Sanford Complimentary investment alert newsletter Arnold Head Complimentary investment alert newsletter Milford Henry Complimentary investment alert newsletter Marcus Broussard Complimentary investment alert newsletter Rebekah Quinn Can You Afford To Ignore Small Caps? Hank Montes Can You Afford To Ignore Small Cap Oil Stox? Virginia F. Castro Big Investor Alert: UMSY Marisol Tuttle Big Investor Alert: UMSY Salvatore Bloom Big Investor Alert: UMSY Lanny S. Wills Big Investor Alert: UMSY Glenda Webber Big Investor Alert: UMSY Ollie Guy Big Investor Alert: UMSY Berry Hansen Big Investor Alert: UMSY Victor Stout best way to invest Wallace Rogers best way to invest Bella Chandler best way to invest Graham Collier best offer for investors Peggy Harris best offer for investors David Mullen Below the Radar Equity Kerri Solomon Attention Small Stock Players Lottie Barton Attention All Penny Stock Players Cornelia Morse Attention All Penny Oi| St0ck Players Suzette Flanagan Are Shares of This Issue Poised For a Run? Jerrod I. Buck Alert!!Alert Augustus Gary Alert!!Alert Tory R. Akers Alert!!Alert Ramona Gorman ALERT!! Eddie Gagnon Aggressive Traders Alert Lynette Stout A Perfect Stock In An Imperfect World? Larry 3ZM7___Do_Investors_Even_Know_Your_Company_Exists?