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To reply or not to reply

PostPosted: Fri Dec 31, 2004 6:22 am
by wiggins
I'm not sure if this is where i should post this, but I recieved an e-mail from a girl whom I don't know called Slyvvia. She's from Thailand, is 17 yrs old and sent a picture with the e-mail. The picture doesn't show up for some reason. She wants me to be a penpal. In the interests of internet and personal security, do you think I should reply. I don't normally recieve e-mails like this, and my hotmail account has been getting spammed recently by Russian ladies looking for partners...So... should I reply, or just delete the e-mail? :?: I'm also wondering what the Christian thing to do would be... what would Jesus do?

PostPosted: Fri Dec 31, 2004 6:29 am
by ZiP
Hmm...
If you've been spammed a lot lately, and this came during the midst of the spam, and you've never received an E-mail like this before, I'm inclined to believe it's spam, and if someone's sending you spam, they probably don't want to be your friend.
I wouldn't suggest replying.

I also don't think Jesus would reply to spam, but I don't know. =)

PostPosted: Fri Dec 31, 2004 8:20 am
by Mithrandir
Hmm.... If "she" didn't say where she got your email address, I'd give it five nines (99.999%) that it's a "phishing" campaign. You might want to look it up on google, though. You may want to try 419 eaters too...

I would suspect that the "attached picture" is really a virus, too. Did you try to click on it? You may have unwittingly installed a virus/trojan/spyware prog on your computer. I'd recommend running adaware and some AV software.

PostPosted: Fri Dec 31, 2004 9:23 am
by Jman
I agree with oldphil, you probably shoudn't reply...I wouldn't

PostPosted: Fri Dec 31, 2004 9:49 am
by Tycho
Delete it. Replying only proves that the email is valid. And if you have the capability, bounce the email back. I don't know if any Windows email clients have that ability though.

PostPosted: Fri Dec 31, 2004 12:38 pm
by wiggins
well, i've never seen this e-mail address before. It didn't come in the bulk mail box. Here's a copy of the e-mail:

Hi...
I'm Slyyiva.i like to be ur penpal.I'm 17 years from Thailand.I already sent my photo with this mail.I hope to keep contact with u...so I will waiting for ur mail.
TAKE CARE

PostPosted: Fri Dec 31, 2004 11:28 pm
by agasfas
If it was me I would delete it. Honestly, any email I get from someone I don't know or is over 5kbs I delete it w/o reading. Actually, I only read email from people I know. Anyways, it's really up to you but personally, I wouldn't chance it. If you really want to, download it w/o opening it, then scan it. Though even that isn't accurate all the time.

Though like oldphilosopher has already stated, a lot of times just opening an email is enough to contract a computer virus. That's why I don't open email from people I dont know or over a few kb's.

Her email seems a bit random. Question, how do you think she got your email? Seems a bit suspicious if you ask me... <.< II >.>

PostPosted: Sun Jan 02, 2005 12:49 pm
by Mr. SmartyPants
it definately looks fake. No penpal goes like "hi im blah blah from blah blah talk to me" They usually talk more. But yeah. Delete it and dont reply

PostPosted: Mon Jan 03, 2005 3:59 pm
by Godly Paladin
Delete, I would say.

PostPosted: Mon Jan 10, 2005 8:29 am
by Fsiphskilm
Whenever in doubt, o