I started getting these a while back on my stevecoates.net address. First the images were in ZIP files, but now they just attach the PNG files to the email.



I also just got this one which is quite interesting.



I still get tons of spam on my GMail account but the GMail spam filter catches most of that
[Reply]

I too have received that Adobe one.

I rarely use hotmail anymore, but keep the account active just in case. There are HEAPS of the annoying some_random_stranger wants to be your friend on live messenger (which I can't remember the last time I actually used to send a message).

The Lady has been getting some 'cleverly' crafted phishing ones recently, including an email from 'HSBC' regarding 'suspicious activity in your account' in which the links were bit.ly addresses. Also one from HMRC saying her tax rebate has been processed and they want some 'details' - and this is where they catch people - it sounds quite believable, and she was hoping to get a tax rebate but hasn't actually filled in the forms yet. And why would HMRC send an email out.... they have a c/o postal address for her. It was a close call, I insisted that if she wants to check the plausibility to contact HMRC directly herself, and not through the email links.

It's a bit of a shame, as there is so much spam around that even something that might be genuine (not that I have actually received much of that) has to be treated with suspicion until proven true. Bah.
[Reply]

I saw a topic on another forum about emails claiming to be from HMRC.

I sent off for a tax refund a few months ago, but I deliberately didn't put my bank details on the form, knowing that they would then post the cheque to me.

If I got an email from HMRC I would be more concerned about how they actually got my email address.

I still get spam emails claiming to be from various banks which I have never had any business with. I am registered for internet banking with the Nationwide, but have never had any spam emails claiming to be from them.

I read on a site the other day that some spammers are trying to make their messages look more genuine by taking whatever is before the @ in the address and using it in the email. So a spam email to spam@whatever.com would say 'Dear spam' instead of 'Dear valued customer'.
[Reply]

They have been trying similar techniques for years. I'm always getting ones saying security issues have been discovered in a bank account and I need to click a link to fix it. So obvious those are false because banks never send emails like that. They would always ask you to go to their site and log in, not provide a link. Most I get are pretending to be HSBC, Natwest, or EGG. None of which i have accounts with.

Most of the spam i get is caught by my email server's spam system and then I just get a daily alert listing what was caught, in case something got caught by accident. I do still get a few that get past that and into my inbox. These often get caught by Outlooks own spam filters so very little actually gets into my inbox. Just looking at the 60 I have today in the junk email folder, there are the usual things like cheap printer ink adverts, earn $ a day online, you have won a holiday, 70% off a holiday, and similar... along with the usual buy a diploma, reclaim money now or loan ones. I also still get the odd one claiming to be the layer of a rich African wanting to use my account to move money... nothing seems to change.
[Reply]

You don't get any offering enhancement?
[Reply]

Problem is they still get people with these things. Very recently a friend of mine who I thought knew better by now got into a world of trouble after installing an important security update Microsoft had e-mailed him.
[Reply]

Probably, but the email server's spam filter seems to catch all of those.
[Reply]