Spammers Spark Rumor of Liz Taylor's Murder
Fake MSNBC Breaking News Alerts in my Inbox
Starting this week, I have been receiving numerous false MSNBC breaking news alerts in my work inbox. Since I didn't sign up to receive these alerts using my work email address, I was fairly certain these emails were just spam. However, I have signed up to receive MSNBC breaking news alerts to my personal email account, and these fake emails are strikingly similar. Here's an example of a fake MSNBC breaking news alert I received today:
msnbc.com: BREAKING NEWS: The Founding Fathers Fought for My Right to be a Stupid Jerk
Find out more at http://breakingnews.msnbc.com
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See the top news of the day at MSNBC.com, and the latest from Today Show and NBC Nightly News.
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This e-mail is never sent unsolicited. You have received this MSNBC Breaking News Newsletter newsletter because you subscribed to it or, someone forwarded it to you. To remove yourself from the list (or to add yourself to the list if this message was forwarded to you) simply go to http://www.msnbc.com/id/3152399, select unsubscribe, enter the email address receiving this message, and click the Go button.
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Microsoft Corporation - One Microsoft Way - Redmond, WA 98052
MSN PRIVACY STATEMENT http://privacy.msn.com (http://privacy.msn.com/>)
For a spam email, the grammar, spelling, and wording are all very good. Only upon further inspection does one realize the links provided actually go to sites such as http://3zebras.net.
Subjects of Fake MSNBC breaking news alerts are realistic enough to be believable
Not all of these fake MSNBC breaking news alerts are as obvious as my example. Among the topics I received in the past week, one did catch my eye and I did a Google search on it: "Christina Applegate Dies of Breast Cancer." I quickly confirmed my suspicions that this was a hoax also.
Perhaps the most humorous fake MSNBC breaking news alert I have encountered was "Bush and Cheny to Star in 'Flip This White House.'" When you have headlines like "Video Depicts Burger King Employee Bathing in Restaurant Sink", the other more ridiculous headlines featured in the fake MSNBC breaking news alerts really aren't so unbelievable.
These spammers are preying on Americans who have a voracious appetite for the unsavory celebrity news. Be alert to these fake alerts and don't click the links.
Sources:
"Liz Taylor Murdered Rumors False, Result of E-Mail Spammers", TransWorldNews.com
"Email Starts "Liz Taylor Murdered" False Rumor", Huliq News
"Liz Taylor Murdered: Reports Claim Elizabeth Taylor Has Been Killed Are False", The National Ledger
My inbox
Published by Heather K. Adams
Heather K. Adams is an award-winning journalist with the North Dakota Newspaper Association. While she can write on many topics, she specializes in personalized national and state news reports, music, and pa... View profile
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- Liz Taylor Helps with Michael Jackson's Kids
- Spam looks like MSNBC Breaking News Alerts.
- Spammers sent fake headline: Liz Taylor murdered in her home.
- Don't click the links provided in the email!
8 Comments
Post a CommentI will never understand the point of spamming. Don't people have anything better to do? Great reporting :)
I do not understand what makes people want to waste their time spamming others with useless false information. Congrats on front page feature!
Thanks for the reporting.
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That email did look legit and I've atually read that article before so i would have been fooled. Thanks for the update and I'm glad Liz Taylor is fine. However, as long as people slow down at traffic accidents hoping to catch site of something gory people are always going to be looking tro the unsavory gossip.
Glad to know it is only a rumor and wonder how many fell for it?
Great reporting of this.
I get so tired of people spreading trash on the Internet. I had missed this one. Thanks for the update.