I recently came across spam that was offering “Google Earth 2008″. In case you don’t know, Google Earth is a free beta product by Google that lets you view satellite images of our planet, probably including a view of your own rooftop.
“Why would someone other than Google promote Google Earth, a product that makes no money?” I asked myself. A little digging soon provided the answer: It’s a scam.
If you search for “Google Earth 2008″, the peculiar product name used by these people, you will not find it on any website owned by Google: There is no product called “Google Earth 2008″ by Google. Unlike Microsoft, Google does not include year numbers in any of its product names. The official name of the real product is “Google Earth beta” (there are also Pro and Plus versions, which are not free).
The links in the spam email take you to “new--features.net” and “now--official.com“, which have no connection to Google. Both had only just been registered. Clicking on these links will take you to “instant-access.org” and on to “secure.signupsecurity.com” where you get a choice of several subscription plans, ranging from one year at $2.49 per month to three years at $12.97 per year — for downloading a free product that these people don’t even own the copyright to! If you read the small print you’ll find that you’re buying technical support for a free product that basically doesn’t need any support.
Other domains used with this scam: earth-2008-online.com, mysoftwareprovider.com, googleearth.2008-download-now.com, googleearth-now.com, googleearth.downloading-now.com, googleearth.2008-new.com, googleearth.current-version.com, dailylifeinfo.com, earthvideos.net, dailyfeedback-online.com.
By the way, you can get the real Google Earth beta download for free at http://earth.google.com and it’s a great product.
Sample spam:
Secret Images from Space. Real Photos from a Orbiting Satellite.
Go here to watch video
Search and find different star constellations.
Locate and find comets, asteroids and other heavenly bodies.
A new perspective from our tiny planet.Explore the universe & our galaxy here
Find your way around town - Search schools, parks, restaurants, & hotels. Also included, driving directions.
Searchable geographic maps - Search and then zoom in! Save and share your searches with your family and friends.
View in 3D and 2D - View the entire world in 3D! Tilt and rotate 3D terrain and buildings.Go here to visit website
Have a Great Earth Day!
Thank you for your interest,
Steven Nantel
Sales VPTo unsubscribe from onlineproducts-now.com’s list, you may click on the link below: http://onlineproducts-now.com/uns.php?c=isolutions2&m=somenumber&e=emailaddress
Plaza Neptuno, local #7
Via Vicardo J Alfaro, Tumba Muerto
Panama Ciudad
Republica de Panama
Update 2008-06-15:
The same people also run a scam in which they promise you can watch 3000 TV channels on your PC. When you sign up and pay a $19.95 “activation and software fee” (and various subscription fees on top) they apparently send you to a website to download LimeWire and Kazaa.
Example email:
Cable & Satellite bills are becoming more and more expensive these days.
Why pay high monthly fees to watch TV?What if I were to tell you that there is a TV to PC product which offers you thousands of channels and does not charge you a monthly rate?
http://live-tvnet.com
Online TV Networks is an easy-to-use computer program that legally accesses thousands of television channels from all over the world and sends them to your computer through the internet!
Have you recently missed any of your favorite shows? With our Satellite TV to PC software you can get right back on track and pick up where you left off.
Never miss a show again!
http://live-tvnet.com
No cable box or TV card is needed. There are no reoccurring charges.
Are you out of the loop on current events from around the world? Have you been following the election and other political news? Now you can on your own time and at your own pace. Watch TV when you want to.
The Most Watched TV Shows Online:
Lost
Family Guy
One Tree Hill
Naruto
Househttp://live-tvnet.com
Enjoy News, Sports, Weather, Educational Broadcasting, Children Channels, Home & Gardening, Cooking, Shopping & a wide range of multimedia content.
Watch all of your favorite shows, with satellite television on your computer!
Enjoy,
Steven Mathews
Customer Relations
http://live-tvnet.comTo unsubscribe from onlinetec-help.net’s list, you may click on the link below:
http://onlinetec-help.net/uns.php?c=isolutions3&m=bignumber&e=emailaddress
Domains used:
live-tvnet.com, onlinetec-help.net, liveonlinedata.com
newonline-vds.net
And a video download version:
New anticipated summer releases for this weekend
Don’t forget the popcorn!Weekend Premier:
The Incredible Hulk (Action/Fantasy)
Fugitive Dr. Bruce Banner must utilize the genetic accident that transforms him into a giant, rampaging hulk to stop a former soldier that purposely becomes an even more dangerous version.
http://mymovies-now.com/You Don’t Mess with the Zohan
Adam Sandler stars in this new film about a Mossad agent fakes his death so he can re-emerge in New York City as a hair stylist.Kung Fu Panda
Po the Panda is the laziest animals in all of the Valley of Peace, but unwittingly becomes the chosen one when enemies threaten their way of life.
http://mymovies-now.com/Here are the current top movies at the box office:
Sex and the City
Carrie Bradshaw returns with her friends in the much-awaited film version of the hit TV series.Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull-
Famed archaeologist Dr. Henry “Indiana” Jones is called back into action when he becomes entangled in a Soviet plot to uncover the secret behind mysterious artifacts known as the Crystal Skulls.
http://mymovies-now.com/The Strangers
A young couple staying in an isolated vacation home are terrorized by three unknown assailants.Iron Man
When wealthy industrialist Tony Stark is forced to build an armored suit after a life-threatening incident, he decides to use its technology to fight against evil.
http://mymovies-now.com/Here’s our picks for the newest released DVD’s of this week:
Rambo, The Golden Compass, 27 Dresses, Paranormal State - Season 1, Cloverfield
http://mymovies-now.com/Thank you for your interest,
Steven Nantel
Sales VPTo unsubscribe from newonline-vds.net’s list, you may click on the link below:
http://newonline-vds.net/uns.php?c=isolutions2&m=bignumber&e=emailaddressPlaza Neptuno, local #7
Via Vicardo J Alfaro, Tumba Muerto
Panama Ciudad
Republica de Panama
mymovies-now.com
23 responses so far ↓
1 Gina // Jun 29, 2008 at 8:12 am
Now, they’re “offering” Windows firewall updates. The address they’re using is http://www.update–now.net
2 hector // Jul 3, 2008 at 6:05 pm
This is what I had from them - Update your Firewall for Windows….
This Firewall update expires soon.
Block hackers & viruses from entering your PC
http://update–here.net
How do you update your firewall?
1. http://update–here.net
2. Download Firewall Protection
3. Receive access immediately
Thank you for choosing us, the worldwide leader in Firewall Protection Solutions.
Regards,
Firewall Protection
If you want to stop receiving mail, please go to:
http://uonline-news.com/
or you may contact us at the following address:
Plaza Neptuno, local #7
Via ricardo J Alfaro, Tumba Muerto
Panama Ciudad
Republica de Panama
3 wellwisher // Jul 4, 2008 at 8:44 am
Thankyou for all your information.
Just a note to say dont think google earth doesn’t make money. It makes a lot of money.
Try asking how much to feature your business on there etc.
Kind Regards
4 Edward // Jul 8, 2008 at 5:02 pm
I know what these people/scammers are up to but how to stop them?
5 Iya // Jul 21, 2008 at 11:26 pm
yeah, how do we stop them? It’s really annoying. Can anyone help us? Do you think reporting them as spammers to site admins can stop them from sending spam emails?
6 Spamhater // Jul 24, 2008 at 2:46 am
New site sending spam from this addy in Panama - updates-foryou.com. Hosted in .nl @ we-dare.net. We have been seeing these servers pound our servers with spam (which is deleted before I see it).
Registered to Steve Johnson, Plaza Neptuno, local #7, Via ricardo J Alfaro, Tumba Muerto, Panama Ciudad, Republica de Panama na (stever117@gmail.com)
7 Tammy // Jul 30, 2008 at 2:32 am
I recently paid 42.95 for the goggle earth plus service, thinking I was going to get the live version of goggle earth. However, it will not down load on my computer. I want to call goggle earth about this, but cannot find a telephone number for them. Can you respond with a tech. help number? I do not want to pay for something I cannot use…….
8 Michael // Aug 1, 2008 at 4:02 am
I’ve gotten them for firewall updates, Google Earth updates, and today this one ….
PDF Reader 2008 Update
Open, Create & Edit Files in PDF Format
At least 2-3 a week.
9 Natalie // Aug 2, 2008 at 2:49 am
I get at least 2-3 of these a day. Usually selling Windows Firewall, but also Google Earth, on line TV, films to download, PDF reader. They are driving me mad!!!!
10 joew // Aug 5, 2008 at 4:52 pm
More of these scam domains:
11 joew // Aug 5, 2008 at 4:57 pm
And more:
12 joew // Aug 5, 2008 at 5:01 pm
Hello Tammy,
Google Earth Plus is not US$ 42.95, it’s $20 per year. Maybe you signed up for one of these scam sites. If that is the case I would advise contacting the bank that issues your credit card and dispute the charge. There might also be a phone number for the scam company on your credit card statement, but I’m not sure how cooperative they would be. It’s easier via the credit card company.
13 Michael J. // Aug 6, 2008 at 4:21 am
Has anyone succeeded in creating an effective email search to catch these emails?
Many “user’s email filters” work the same way as “email searches” within an email account.
These no good s.o.b. criminals are using technical tricks to make this task difficult here,
they want to subvert efforts to protect email boxes from this annoying unsolicited spam.
It would be nice to identify the criminals and expose them,
then we might see these emails stop polluting our email boxes,
and, even better still, the criminals prosecuted and punished for their anti spam laws violation crimes.
I am sure “Mr. Google” would be able to identify the criminals and get them prosecuted.
In fact, this would deter others from using the Google’s name in fraudulent schemes.
It’s obvious, this is a fraudulent spam operation,
with new domain and outgoing email address generated for each new email,
a variety of rotating subjects and the email text rewritten each time to make it difficult to catch the spam with filters,
with phony “unsubscribe” closes,
and with a fake address in Panama.
Let’s catch the criminal spammers, and enjoy them being punished!
14 john // Aug 10, 2008 at 1:55 am
How can you block this spam email?
15 Ron // Aug 16, 2008 at 6:12 am
I am going to contact Kansas’s Attorney General Office and Consumer Protection Agency and see if I can get our tax dollars to do something beneficial to the public. We’ll see.
16 Miker // Aug 27, 2008 at 6:11 am
You can set up a message filter (message rule) to dump or delete anything with ‘Neptuno’ (or any word common to all the emails) in the subject .
17 T3 // Aug 31, 2008 at 2:39 pm
They are also doing Quicktime, Adobe Reader, and various other software.
If you are asking “How can you block this spam email?” you shouldn’t be doing it here… you should be asking your current email provider that but before that you should be asking youself why are you paying them for giving you crappy service that you need to upgrade? Switch service if you want to block these.
18 U-weey // Sep 13, 2008 at 7:37 am
Ive just had one where they have embedded a video for “GOOGLE EARTH 2008″ on You tube.
Just an FYI
19 skinnybird // Sep 15, 2008 at 1:15 am
I also have recieved numerous emails as above, the latest is ” ARE YOU LOOKING TO DOWNLOAD MOVIES”
20 joew // Sep 25, 2008 at 8:54 am
They’re doing AVG anti-virus spams as well. Here are more domains:
email–online-info.org
email–daily-feed.org
new–info–online.org
email–info-online.org
info–direct–mail.org
vpn1.new–direct–info.org
email-new–info.org
online–now–help.org
info-mail–direct.org
ns5.new-info–direct.org
server4.new–info-direct.org
new-daily-content.org
daily–email-feed.com
email–info–online.com
web.online-support–staff.com
direct–email–info.com
new–email–info.com
latest-news–info.com
email–direct–info.com
daily–new–info.com
web.new-email-info.com
email-new-info.com
daily-new-info.com
helper–ivdos.com
online-news-videos.com
emails-direct-news.com
internet–daily-news.com
email-daily–feed.net
daily-email-feed.net
email-daily-feed.net
new-info–online.net
pc1.new–direct–info.net
email–new–info.net
direct–email-info.net
ns.new-email-info.net
helper–ivdos.net
ssl.inbox–daily-news.net
firewall1.new-info-direct.net
21 Pieter Kaan // Sep 25, 2008 at 1:03 pm
Yeah!…I got caught off guard with the Google Earth 2008. But I could kick myself. It’s my own fault…I should have realized that none of these applications such as Google, Adobe, AVG, etc etc. and any MICROSOFT updates are never delivered via emails….they are in the auto update that comes with the application it offers to update.
I realized it a bit late but almost immediately after I submitted my credit card details and got no download at all, I rang the number on the back of my MasterCard and had it blocked.
I sent an e-mail to GOOGLE with all details.
The RULES….DON’T accept anything you didn’t solicit for….be it the internet, surface mail or your front door. And…..be careful with your choices in the goods and services you DO solicit for.
22 Pieter Kaan // Sep 25, 2008 at 1:45 pm
Furthermore…..We all need to adopt the SECURITY protocol in our daily affairs. As awful at it sounds…it is necessary in these times we live in.
Information is easy to gain by anyone invading your privacy.
Unfortunately, we are required to give certain information in trust to institutional organizations in both government and private utilities and services such as licensing, medical, educational, social welfare/pension, banking. This is mostly compulsory and is necessary in order to benefit from the infrastructure of our legal and civil society.
And if you have “nothing to hide” then you need not see that as a threat to your private life.
However….that said…there always seems to be an element of corruption within our systems and therefore it remains possible for that information to be abused.
And…what about GOOGLE’S enormous database? What about FACE BOOK? and MY SPACE. They all prove just how gullible and trusting most people are including Yours Truly…..
23 Sue // Oct 2, 2008 at 7:44 am
I can not get these losers to stop emailing me! They are driving me crazy!
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