More Social (Network) Engineering

[phernandez]

Beware the Facebook frauds:

Facebook fraud causes problem for site users - The Daily Targum

Facebook user Bryan Rutberg of Seattle, Wash., had his profile hacked into by someone who changed his status to: “Bryan Rutberg NEEDS HELP URGENTLY!” Many friends immediately responded to the status change wanting to know what had happened to him. One friend, Beny Rubenstein, got a direct message from Rutberg saying he had been robbed at gunpoint while in England and was in desperate need of cash in order to get home. Being a good (but dumb) person, he wired his thought-to-be troubled friend $1,143 in two installments, only to find out Rutberg was sitting home safely in Seattle. Rubenstein told CNN that he misses the money he lost, but feels worse about being tricked by someone impersonating his friend on the Web site.

Couldn't he just have picked up the phone? In any case, nice to have friends that can wire you $1K on the spot

[nihil]

I take it both monkeys had opposable digits.................

Just pick up a telephone............ we do have them in England you know, and we can handle collect (reverse charge) calls. We have a few banks that still function, just like the USA............. with all this modern technology it only takes one of their carrier pigeons about a week to cross the Atlantic Ocean?

Errr.............. I get it....... due to the World economic crisis the US has closed all its embassies and consulates.................... and obviously don't give a flying f*** about their nationals.

All those Amex and Diners club card adverts are also a scam? like if you get robbed they don't replace your card and travel cheques within 24 hours, like they promise?

Also, does anyone see anything strange about knowing someone well enough to use them as a last resort to borrow 1200 bucks, and not even tell them you were going abroad?

And then:

he had been robbed at gunpoint while in England and was in desperate need of cash in order to get home.

So, you travel to a strange country thousands of miles away without a return ticket?..............ah! I hear you say, but the robbers stole it.............. why not his passport as well.......... it would be his only valid ID in this country? Obviously, if his passport is stolen then that is immediately a US embassy job? and the return half of the ticket is pretty useless anyway.

Incidentally, we don't have gunpoint armed street muggings over here..... the additional sentence isn't worth the risk of tooling up.

As for using fakebook as a means of requesting help..............I won't even go there

[Cheap Scotch Ron]

Remember, it's the Daily Targum...staffed by NJ's finest young talent.
Could just be a work of fiction.

[nihil]

CSR................. can you send me an application form for the Purlitzer Prize?

[The-Spec]

Remember, it's the Daily Targum...staffed by NJ's finest young talent.
Could just be a work of fiction.

Sites like that generally have things more in proportion with reality than lets say, The Register, who'll quote and side with *****ing douchebags like Roberto Preatoni.

[Cheap Scotch Ron]

can you send me an application form for the Purlitzer Prize?

http://www.pulitzer.org/how_to_enter

[The-Spec]

http://www.darwinawards.com/

[nihil]

Sites like that generally have things more in proportion with reality than lets say, The Register,

That would depend on your definition of reality. The Register's articles are generally written by people who at least understand their subject, and they don't take sides with people like Roberto Preatoni.

They are controversial and therefore newsworthy. You are left to form your own opinion................