Elliott C. Back » Spam

GMail Blocking Chase Emails as Spam

Elliott Back — Fri, 23 Sep 2011 22:52:58 +0000

For whatever reason, Gmail keeps blocking my account alert emails from Chase. In my spam folder, guess which are really spam, and which are legit?

When I move them to my inbox and/or mark them as spam, I get warned that “Warning: This message may not be from whom it claims to be. Beware of following any links in it or of providing the sender with any personal information.”

How do I get Google to believe that my emails from Chase are real? I keep marking them as not spam, but that doesn’t help! Ridiculous that Gmail is hurting Chase Bank’s ability to conduct business and manage their fraud/risk. I highly suspect that account fraud alerts would get thrown into the same bucket…

Update 1:

The message headers seem to indicate a failure between Cornell and Google’s servers on SPF (Sender Policy Framework):

Delivered-To: XXXX@gmail.com
Received: by 10.231.53.18 with SMTP id k18cs6777ibg;
Sat, 24 Sep 2011 05:13:22 -0700 (PDT)
Received: by 10.52.93.112 with SMTP id ct16mr4101007vdb.423.1316866401115;
Sat, 24 Sep 2011 05:13:21 -0700 (PDT)
Return-Path:
Received: from limestone3.mail.cornell.edu (limestone3.mail.cornell.edu. [128.253.83.163])
by mx.google.com with ESMTP id bz6si11946296vdc.126.2011.09.24.05.13.20;
Sat, 24 Sep 2011 05:13:21 -0700 (PDT)
Received-SPF: fail (google.com: domain of Chase@alerts.chase.com does not designate 128.253.83.163 as permitted sender) client-ip=128.253.83.163;
Authentication-Results: mx.google.com; spf=hardfail (google.com: domain of Chase@alerts.chase.com does not designate 128.253.83.163 as permitted sender) smtp.mail=Chase@alerts.chase.com; dkim=hardfail header.i=@alerts.Chase.com
X-CornellRouted: This message has been Routed already.
…

Update 2: A helpful Googler/blog reader said this:

It appears to be a problem specifically with Cornell. It’s a known issue when Cornell is forwarding e-mails to GMail. The Cornell IT admins [are fixing] their exchange server. In the meantime you can fix this with either:

- have Chase send info direct to @gmail.com
- create a filter to “never mark as spam” for that address.

My solution is to change my old rules to email directly to gmail rather than forward through Cornell’s servers.

The Independent is Malware

Elliott Back — Sat, 27 Nov 2010 19:30:51 +0000

At least, if you’re using Chrome. While I’m not the only one to notice this, no action has yet been taken by either The Independent or Google. Here’s the problem, as seen on The Independent home page:

As you can see, they show a yellow toolbar across the top of their site with the text: “The Independent now has a Google Chrome Extension. Get the latest news on the topics you like, direct to your browser.” There is an install button and a grey x to hide the bar. However, this is mimicking the kosher Chrome UX for extensions. For example, when extensions crash, they display a similar bar:

I’m not sure what’s to be done; the marketing is deceptive and shady, tricking people into thinking that Google/Chrome/their browser is encouraging them to install a new/cool/shiny extension for The Independent’s website. The extension itself, which I am not installing ever, seems relatively innocuous.

Credit Card Fraud at Zoosk.com

Elliott Back — Mon, 18 Oct 2010 01:02:35 +0000

I received the following warning from Chase bank via email and a series of harried transactions. Apparently someone decided to try to use my Chase British Airways BA Visa card to signup for an e-dating site. The baddie was doing this from London, Ireland, and had tried four times today with different expiration dates and CSV confirmation codes:

URGENT: Confirmation of Recent Transaction
Your Account Ending in XXXX

Dear ELLIOTT:

As part of our ongoing effort to protect your account and our relationship, we monitor your account for possible fraudulent activity. We have recently attempted to contact you by phone and/or text message but we have been unsuccessful in reaching you. We need to confirm that you or someone authorized to use your account made the following transaction on your British Airways Visa account ending in XXXX:

Transaction for $54.94 at ZOOSK.COM was declined on or around 10/17/2010 in LONDON, Ireland.

Zoosk is some kind of scammy online dating site that I definitely did not sign up for. Currently, it looks like this:

Apparently a lot of people think Zoosk itself sucks. I wonder if it’s the company itself is behind this. I can’t really see people using stolen credit cards to sign up for a dating service. Maybe it’s just a test run? Or an accident?

MSN Messenger Spam – FreakyLoving.com

Elliott Back — Sun, 27 Jun 2010 18:03:28 +0000

So I got this unwanted piece of MSN spam (from a friend who has now changed their MSN password):

(10:40:23 AM) ZZZ: You are not going to believe this!! FreakyLoving.com , you HAVE to go there and tell me what your results are!
(10:40:36 AM) ZZZ has signed off.

I went to the site, and indeed it’s a typical MSN virus scam:

* TERMS AND CONDITIONS
I agree and acknowledge that I am subscribing to Impression Media’s Text Alert subscription service, either by entering my cell phone number and the PIN Code that was sent to the cell phone supplied by you on this website and clicking the “Submit” button, or by replying to the text message sent by Impression Media to such cell phone with the word “YES”, pursuant to which I will receive a text alert three times per week. I am also confirming that I have read and understood the Terms and Conditions and Privacy Policy, and I agree to be legally bound by the Terms and Conditions and Privacy Policy. I represent that (1) I am at least eighteen (18) years of age AND (2) I am of legal age to agree to the Terms and Conditions and Privacy Policy, or I have my parent’s permission to use and register on this website. Please note that you must be 18 or older in the State of Florida to participate in this offer. I understand that I will be charged a fee for the service of $9.99 per month if my carrier is AT&T, VERIZON WIRELESS, T-MOBILE, SPRINT PCS, CELLULAR ONE, NEXTEL AND CINCINNATI BELL. $6.99 per month if my carrier is BOOST, VIRGIN MOBILE USA AND U.S. CELLULAR. This fee will be billed to, or deducted from, the mobile account or the prepaid balance I identified until I send “STOP” to 51345 to cancel subscription, and I confirm that I hold the account corresponding to the mobile phone number that I have entered, or that I have the account holder’s permission to use this service and incur this fee. Unused credits will not be rolled over to next month. Message and data rates may apply. To cancel your subscription, text message the word “STOP” to 51345 at anytime. For customer support, please send e-mail to care@quiz4now.com or call 1866 285 4637. Send HELP to 51345 for more info.

If you sign up, they will charge you $10 / month until you figure it out and cancel. Lame! There are a couple other posts at WC Replays and Casual Discourse showing interactive chat attempts to direct users to similar URLs. The baddies who are doing this seem to be Las Vegas based Impression Media.

How to Detect a Facebook Spammer

Elliott Back — Tue, 09 Mar 2010 01:54:33 +0000

Here are a few ways to tell if someone who has just friended you is really the hot girl you think she is, or rather just a marketing promotion who intends to establish herself as an account and spam you to death. Note: this is a real-life example!

1) All her recent activity is adding friends

Real people tend to do other things that just add friends…

2) You have no friends in common

Most of your real friends in life will know someone in your network. The rule of “6 degrees” aka the birthday paradox makes it extremely unlikely an actual friend doesn’t know at least one of your other friends.

3) You can find their profile pic on Tineye

Cute girl whose profile picture shows up on a “hot spring break party” website? Probably not a real girl…

4) They don’t belong to any networks

If you’re in a college network, it means you have an address @yourcollege.edu that actually works. Even this little bit of verification goes a long way in our age of spam.