Warning SCAM, Using the SUP site as bait

[Blaise]

  Hey just wanted to give everyone a heads up. I just received an Email from a person who said he got my name from this site. He stated he had great deals of money  but that he was in africa and needed my help getting thing set up in the states. I didnt read much further then that, already have heard of this scam.
Im sure your all aware of this but just wanted everyone to be on the look out.
   This is a place I come to relax an see whats happening in our world, Even if I do live in land locked Western Mass.

[mikejh3]

I got the same email last night.

[Lightning Bolt Maui]

I got the same scam email yesterday.

[Rand]

Hi guys,

This is an unfortunate reality of the internet these days.  Spammers use "bots" (the same type of software used by the search engines) to comb all public websites for email addresses.  You all have selected to have your email addresses publicly displayed on the site.  This is a choice that you can change in your profile settings. 

-If it is important to you that your email address be publicly displayed, then you will want to leave it (with the understanding that it is likely that it will be picked up by spammers).  If you have good spam protection procedures in place this will not likely be a problem for you.

-If it is not important to you that your email be displayed, then change that in your profile.

NOTE:  Trying to fool the bots is becoming very tricky.  Typing things like admin***at ****standupzone***dot***com with instructions to remove the *** and use an @, are no longer any protection.  The spammers make a lot of money doing what they do, and work very hard at it.  Most of the simple efforts to evade them don't work. 

[HaleiwaBill]

Yep, I got that email yesterday as well. I am not overly concerned because like Randy said, its simply an "unfortunate reality of the internet".

My bigger concern is that I am aware of another SUP site that got "hacked" recently. Thankfully no damage was done. Then I get this letter last night and right after that I could not log on to the standupzone from 7 to 10pm last night. I was worried maybe something happened here? Perhaps that just some maintenance downtime?

[paddlesurf.net]

Yeah, what was up with that? I was jonesing for some 'zone, must've hit the refresh button like ten times!

[Rand]

Hi guys,
Sorry about that.  The forum software we use (actually all forum software) hiccups and stalls services every now and again.  It takes a reset to fix it, but I need to be awake for that

Rest assured, we have not been compromised.  The most personal thing that the standupzone site collects is an email address, and for all of those who have participated in this thread so far, your emails were set up as public.  Unfortunately, we can not protect public content from bots and still allow the site to be searched by bots (which we needs it to be). 

Again, unfortunately, once spammers have your email address in their database, it will stay there and you will continue to receive junk (and they tend to sell them too).

Another side note: it is a good practice to never respond to junk mail, even to request that your name be removed from their lists.  This just confirms the address to the spammers and guarantees the continuation of the spam.

My primary business email address filters over 4,000 spam emails a day.   What a freaking waste of bandwidth!

[bodhi]

Crap... you mean I gave them my SS# for nothing?

[Paddle Hard]

Howzit Surfers,

Yah, I'm another person to get that e-mail. Don't get suck into this scam...

Aloha,

NK

[Byronmaui]

Damm I thought I was getting a whole lotta money. I wonder if he SUP's...jk

Aloha

Byron