Author: admin

One of the best email scams I’ve seen in a very very long time

Posted on By admin

The oldies called me earlier tonight asking me about a weird email I sent them, asking them to do an urgent Western Union transfer to my friend in Mumbai.

Yeah….

I logged into their email and I was, against my better judgement, impressed.

Their account has to have been compromised, because the scam is using an actual email I wrote to them, and the reply email is rglcote@gmall.com (spot the error). It’s also using the same form of address that I use.

I changed their password, flushed all active sessions, and did a quick scan of settings and sent/deleted emails. Nothing obviously wrong, but I’ll be keeping a close eye on things until I can check out their laptop myself.

Here are the two crap emails they received:

From: Richard Cote <rglcotegmall.com>
Sent: 01 December 2022 15:54
To: Mel And Pam
Subject: Re: Your Google Store shipment is here

Hi Mel and Pam

My apologies to bother you again.
Actually, a colleague of mine is supporting his wife who is in a bit of a medical mess right now and receiving treatment in Mumbai. They’re experiencing issues to meet up with their deadline and requested me to help them with Western Union Transfer.

Please would you be able to settle this on my behalf as it’s a time sensitive matter. I will reimburse you back the equivalent amount. I will forward email trail to you now,

Cheers and thanks,
Richard

From: Richard Cote <rglcotegmail.com>
Sent: 01 December 2022 13:05
To: Mel And Pam Grogan
Subject: Re: Your Google Store shipment is here<

Great, thank you!

On Thu, 1 Dec 2022, 14:00 Mel And Pam Grogan, wrote:
Yes and we have put it with the other envelope, so we can bring them with us xx

From: Richard Cote <rglcotegmail.com>
Sent: Thursday, December 1, 2022 12:37:53 PM
To: ICE – Mel and Pam
Subject: Fwd: Your Google Store shipment is here

Hi Mel and Pam

Did you get a parcel for me today?

Cheers and thanks,
Richard

And here’s the sob story between myself and my friends Brenton and Sandra:

Sent: Thursday, December 1, 2022, at 2:49 PM
From: “Richard Cote”
To: “Brenton Cobb”
Subject: Re: Hi Richard

Brenton,

I can send by transfer to your account and not Western Union. I will check and get back to you soon if I can make other arrangement.

Sending my love to you both.

Cheers and thanks,
Richard

On Thursday, December 1, 2022, at 04:52:53 PM PST, Brenton Cobb wrote:

Richard,

Thank you for getting back to me and thanks for your concern on this matter.
I need it ASAP, the surgery is scheduled for Monday.

Please send it to my Name and present location via Western Union transfer.

My details are:
Name: Brenton Cobb
Address: No. 15, Mansarovar Building, 24, S. N. Road, Andheri (East), Mumbai 400069, Maharashtra, India

Please send me the necessary details on the receipt including the details you use in sending it, it’s important.
Kindly let me know how much I will receive here in rupees.

Looking forward to your reply.
Thanks Brenton

Sent: Thursday, December 1, 2022 at 1:49 PM
From: “Richard Cote”
To: “Brenton Cobb”
Subject: Re: Hi Richard

Brenton,
When do you need it and how can I get the funds to you?

Cheers and thanks,
Richard

On Thursday, December 1, 2022 at 03:52:53 PM PST, Brenton Cobb wrote:

Richard,

Thank you for getting back to me.

Please I wanted to ask if you could help me with a loan of $1,500. I will make arrangement to refund you when we return. Could you please let me know just so I can advise on what to do to help.

Please forgive me for the short notice and I hope you can understand I will like to keep this between us, which is why I have asked via Email for your record.

Looking forward to your reply.

Thanks Brenton

Sent: Monday, November 28, 2022 at 8:44 PM
From: “Richard Cote”
To: “Brenton Cobb”
Subject: Re: Hi Richard

Brenton,
Sending my love to you both. You are in good hands and I wish quick recovery.

Please let me know if you need my help in anyway.

Cheers and thanks,
Richard

On Monday, November 28, 2022 at 05:28:14 PM PST, Brenton Cobb wrote:

Good Evening Richard,

Hope you’re well. I and Sandra are fine. We arrived this morning in Mumbai and Sandra is trying to relax as she did few test and scan.

She’s dealing with shingles, and have pain. Scrambling to get her potassium levels up before her scheduled surgery for Monday.

I’m experiencing issues with our account from here while I was trying to pay for deposit. It should be alright by midnite I guess.

Thanks Brenton

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[gallery] Connor Brothers

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The Connor Brothers is the pseudonym for British artists James Golding and Mike Snelle. The duo came to prominence in 2012 and for several years maintained their anonymity by using a fictional biography. Best known for their Pulp Fiction series, the pair are also known for their activist work and their playful hoaxes. In 2014 they created a fictional museum -The Hanbury Collection, which fused truth and fiction in such a way as to render it impossible to work out which exhibits were real and which were not. This obsession with truth and fiction can be seen throughout their work, and is particularly relevant in the current climate of fake news, post-truth, and social media obsession.

The Connor Brothers have exhibited internationally from New York, Sydney and Dubai to London, Hong Kong and Berlin. Their work frequently appears at major auction houses where a record price was achieved in 2020. Works can also be found in major public and private collections including The Victoria and Albert Museum and The Penguin Collection.

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[gallery] Allan Teger – Bodyscapes

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The artist in every culture takes on some of the roles of the shaman. The artist walks the fine line between the conscious and the unconscious, the obvious and the hidden. My background (Ph.D. in psychology) led me to the study of consciousness, meditation and spirituality. After years of teaching I left academics to apply what I had learned to the realm of art.

I had been the school photographer all through high school and college, but put it aside during my psychology days. I returned to photography this time as art rather than photojournalism, in 1976. I returned, not because I was inspired by other photographers, but rather because I wanted to express my new understandings that came about through my studies and my teaching.

I began the Bodyscapes in 1976 with the intention of showing that it is possible to hold two different perceptions at the same time. The images are also a play on “figure-ground reversals” where the figure (in this case the body) becomes the ground (or landscape)! Two different perceptions, I felt, indicated that it possible to hold two different levels of consciousness – or two different realities… and that was the inspiration behind this work.

The body as landscape reminds us that nature’s shapes repeat throughout the universe. Nature’s forms are similar in landscape and in the human body. In making these images I am always aware of the viewers experience. If I want the viewer to see a “mountain” then it is important that I also see the body as a mountain. It becomes an interesting discipline for me – forcing me to see beyond the body to the landscape that it represents.

I choose black and white because the point of the work is the design, the lighting, the shapes – not the details of the objects. As such, black and white seemed to be more effective. Also, the color of the body didn’t match the color of the landscape that I was portraying. I tried using color at one time, but quickly stopped.

The images sometimes begin when I find a miniature which I could use in a Bodyscape. Other times, I have an idea and have to find the appropriate miniature. I sometimes have a shot planned ahead of time, but usually I have only a general feel for what I want and try out a number of different locations/angles etc. Sometimes the model offers ideas and helps with the composition! My technique is simple. Lights on booms are aimed at the white background. The model lays on a table in front of the background.

The figurines that I place on the body are from model railroads, Christmas ornaments, doll houses or collector miniatures. It is very important that I use high quality, detailed miniatures, or the illusion of a real landscape is lost. The images are done with toys set on the body and a single exposure, rather than with multiple exposures or photoshop.

Some people see humor, eroticism, or beauty in my work. Others notice the “ah ha!” experience. Everyone brings their own consciousness to bear as they react to what is in front of them.

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