Here I am minding my own business, taking photos of quail and working on my photography presentation due Wednesday (today). Then I checked my email and I’m receiving dozens — no make that hundreds — of emails about a free Bugatti.
What’s a Bugatti, you ask? I googled it and this is what I found:
Everyone on the spam list is replying all with “remove me” to more colorful expressions that begin with the letter “F.”
I was on the phone with my son and told him what was happening. I’m trying to block the sender and move them to my junk folder. But they come in faster than I can click.
One reply made me laugh out loud. “This looks legit. Can I send you my bank account number and mother’s maiden name?”
But I’m literally receiving hundreds of emails every hour. I mark them junk and block or mute the sender. They’re coming into my Apple email folder and the culprit is from China. Not good. I’m worried I could be hacked.
I may turn off all my email devices like laptop and phone until tomorrow!
More QUAIL:
“Where’s she going?”
What a beauty this poppa quail is.
Here he is again! I think…might be another guy.
Busy times on the birdseed block. I can now navigate the stairs that go down to our sunken pool bar which I used earlier this year — prior to my broken ankle — as my bird blind. I can now take photos on level again with the critters.
Have you been spammed like that with hundreds of emails? Have you been hacked? How did you handle it?
Gamble’s Quail, or California Quail are sooo cute! I love the fun sounds they make too. They are common around the Red Rock Canyon area and in town too. I hope that you are not hacked! So ridiculous and abusive! That car has a great body design but the front facia is horrid. 😂
I’m glad you enjoy my quail. You’re lucky to have them, too. They are so entertaining. I’m not an expert on cars, so I had to google the name to see what it was. The emails are still coming in but fewer in number. Also, I’m not hacked…at least I don’t think so.
I’m glad you aren’t hacked!
Me too! What a hassle that would be.
Right on! 👍
👍🏼
What? A free Bulgati! I am in! Can you forward them my e-mail address – slanteyessuck@china.net?
😅
I haven’t been spammed like that in my email, but during the months of September and October I was getting tens of thousands of views on WP, and most were from China. Yet not a one bothered to leave a “like” or a comment. Strange.
Nice photo of the Bugatti, but I like the quail better.
That is so strange to have all those views from China. I wonder what that was about?
I’m happy you enjoyed my quail photos. Yesterday my photography professor introduced me to Adobe Camera Raw which will enhance my pictures. I’m learning to use it now. It’s easier to use than Photoshop.
I don’t know what it was about, but I’m hoping the Chinese were trying to gather intelligence on America. They couldn’t have found much of it, on my blog.
Have fun with Adobe Camera Raw.
Maybe you had a headline or word that they were interested in? Adobe Camera Raw is fun. I’m enjoying learning it.
Here’s hoping your quail seek out the spammers and wish them well on their email campaign by leaving a few surprises on their fake Bugatti. Ha, ha. Love your shots. Poppa Quail is different than Big Red, but no less distinguished.
Good idea! I need to tell the quail to go after the spammer! It might be a long flight or walk to China. Quail don’t have the best wings for flight. I’m glad you enjoyed my quail pics.
I can just see you driving around impressing all the neighbors with that car EA 😉
However it’s not at all funny that this is happening. Of course like most people I get the occasional spam email but “knock on wood” nothing bad has come from them yet. I spam and block them right away without ever opening them. If I’m unsure I always check the URL and look for weird spelling and such. Those were just some of the tips from all the tech classes we routinely had to take when I was working for the hospital system in WA. Those concepts have stuck with me thankfully.
I’ve gotten the type of emails you’ve mentioned. They are usually easy to spot — especially checking the URL. This day was unique because of the flood of emails for several hours that hit my inbox. Someone finally said to quit replying because that let the spammer know the email address was a working one. I didn’t reply to anyone!
Wow! They were really trying hard to get you to fall for the scam.
It was very annoying, but thankfully behind me today!
Oh my gosh, so many beautiful quail!
I’m so jealous.
I thought of you while I posted the quail pictures. I remembered you always like my quail photos.
To a Yankee like me, they feel like an exotic backyard visitor.
We didn’t have them in Palm Springs so they are exciting to me, too. They are so entertaining. They have a funny walk or waddle where they cross one foot in front of the other.
Do they make any noise? I feel like they should coo..
Yes, they make noise all the time. I have more than two dozen in my backyard right now. They are making calls. Also when they take off to fly we think they sound like jets.
Here’s a link to a quail call: https://www.instagram.com/reel/DJC7gvQR-WU/?hl=en
Thanks.
That’s different than I thought it would be.
I wonder if the scammers send out the obviously false emails so that they get people asking to be removed. Those who respond let them know they have a legit email address. Best to ignore, I think.
Exactly. That’s what I think the purpose was. Or for somebody to click on their link. I didn’t respond.
That’s awful! I was affected by a data breach in 2013 and found a great solution. I switched to ProtonMail for email and they have “aliases” which is basically a unique email for each company/person. For example, “wordpress.pineapple2345@passmail.net” or “family.jewel780@passmail.net”. I create a new one for each mailing list, so can easily identified who has been compromised and just as easily block forever. It is a bit of a hassle up front, but it’s saved me a lot of headache over the years. I hope that the spammer leaves you alone soon!
Thanks for your advice. I switched to a google email after my apple email from the 1990s got out of control. Too much spam! So far it’s working, but I’m sure it will go the way of my other email. I’ll take a look into proton email. I had one my son recommended, Newton, but I think they sold or went out of business.
You can also do the same with Google by adding a “+”, which is what I did before proton. It would look like EA+wordpress@gmail.com, so you can at least identify where there was a compromise: https://support.google.com/a/answer/33327?hl=en A little easier than switching to a new service!
Thanks for the tips!
Oh my goodness – what a cluster! I think your decision to shut your laptop and take more pictures is a good one. Those quail are beautiful!!
Yep! I let it play out without me stressed out watching the action.
This is so bothersome! Can’t you report the sender for spamming your account?
I didn’t have anyone to complain to. When I get specific companies fake emails, like Paypal, I forward them the emails and they shut them down.
I think there is an option where you can report spam in gmail or/ and Hotmail.
That’s good to know but it was in my Apple email. I now use a gmail account which I don’t receive any spam.
Yes, Gmail is good in that respect
The quail photos are great. We used to see some around here, but haven’t in a very long time.
Never had a barrage of spam email like that, thank goodness.
Ooh love the quails! Great pics!
Uggh on your spam emails. How irritating! I hope you can figure out a way to stop it soon!! Sorry, I don’t know what to do besides what you already are doing.
Thanks! It finally slowed down. It took a couple days, but I’m through it!
Yay! That would drive me batty!
I’m going to remain quiet because I believe in jinxes
👍🏼
The quails are so cute and I’m glad to know you’re back in your Bird Blind!
The spam sounds ridiculous—hopefully you’re not gonna have anything else happen with your computer.