-----BEGIN PGP SIGNED MESSAGE----- Hash: SHA1 I think the simplest is probably true, they genuinely are after something, they do a quick web search and a mass mail out to all matches. I got this one which I can only attribute to the <<TUNNEL CONNECTION BETWEEN DIVING TANK AND DEEP DIVING SIMULATOR IN CHINA-DSIGN & BUILD PROJECT>> above method. (included for entertainment value) It is probably hard for people in some countries to get their hands on certain equipment and thus end up resorting to Spam. A 'sting' operation would be one where the only response would be one that confirmed guilt, I think these are just mis-directed pleas for help, when they should be doing a little more research and approaching only those that can help. The paranoid side of me notes a certain similarity in style (has anyone else received emails like these?) cya, Andrew... - -----Original Message----- From: Ken Brown [SMTP:k.brown@ccs.bbk.ac.uk] Sent: Wednesday, November 29, 2000 10:19 PM To: Anis Ahmed Sheikh Cc: cypherpunks Subject: Re: Survey meters. I was 99% sure that these posts were some sort of spam-scam, whose purpose I didn't quite get. (Am I falling for it by replying?) And about 1% doubtful that it might be a genuine company who had somehow been tricked into sending mail to toad. In which case, if you are reading this, know that your mail got sent to an obsolete gateway to a discussion list on the political and economic effects of new communication technologies & cryptography and we don't now anything about scintillation meters (I haven't used one since September). But what if, just what if, it is some crazy snoop trying to fish for illegal arms dealers? Are they that crass? Are they that imaginative? Do they really have that much time and money to play with? Are these the sort of people who have been so successful in getting Iraq to disarm? (if there are any intelligence agents reading this, that last bit was an example of "irony". This paragraph is "sarcasm". You need to know about those things to decode communications between civilians. Look it up in the handbook. It will be in the exam.) Ken -----BEGIN PGP SIGNATURE----- Version: PGPfreeware 6.5.8 for non-commercial use <http://www.pgp.com> iQA/AwUBOiVYLUAhpS53eUNhEQK7DwCfVjs+d5NGpNzEWN9unTi2Lux7XAQAoJVF Umcm2oe2jMSTnVGl/ExVB+jC =Meho -----END PGP SIGNATURE----- = --------------------------------------------------------------------------------- The information transmitted is intended for the person or entity to which it is addressed and may contain confidential and/or privileged material. Any review, retransmission, dissemination, copying or other use of, or taking any action in reliance upon, this information by persons or entities other than the intended recipient is prohibited. If you have received this in error, please contact the sender and delete the material from your system. Utility Services Corporation (USC) is not responsible for any changes made to the material other than those made by USC or for the effect of the changes on the meaning of the material.