Topic: Getting spam email from supposed family members with my last name

[W7RE]

Let's say my name is John Smith.

I'm getting emails from dougjsmith@gmail.com that have personal messages and no links. Here's one:

Hello sir. Didn't get the e-mail with photos that mom said you sent. Charter doesn't like big attachments. Maybe resend to my gmail account. Or else I will just look forward to seeing your photos when you get home.

I've gotten 2-3 in the past week, and none before that. Is someone legitimately sending mail to the wrong address, or is this spam/phishing of some sort?

[idolminds]

Have you sent photos to some family member recently that they could be referring to? If not, then ignore. I'm betting its spam.

[W7RE]

Nope I very, very, VERY rarely use email with family members. Only with my dad, and only like once a year, if that.

I marked the last one as spam, but another got through today.

[Cobra951]

One of your family members might have a hacked email.  The hacker could then use the account to send an infected message, and you would assume it came from them.  I had an email from one of my brothers not long ago with some spam text and a link into somewhere in Iran.

If the security people don't figure out a way to make online communication secure once more, I predict we're all fucked eventually.  It seems we're losing ground every day.

[W7RE]

It's probably my dad. He's got a gmail account, and isn't all that smart about spotting spam/scam online, and I think he might be the only family member with me in his contacts. BTW there's no one in my family with the name Doug, but that's the name they're using.

[Cobra951]

Well, if it was an actual family member's compromised email spamming you, it would use the actual legitimate name and email address.  That's what makes this so insidious.  If you're getting it from an unknown (first) name and address, then it's something else entirely.