Why Am I Getting This Email? – Brian’s Blog

I got an email on Monday that had me asking two questions: Why am I getting this, and why is my curiosity aroused?

Here's the headline from the email I got on Monday.

 

Find Your 90 Day Russian Fiance.  Member ID 23229004

My first thought was "doggone spam!" Then "Why would I get this? What web search have I done that would make this pop up?"

Then I read more.

Spend the holidays with a beautiful, young Russian girlfriend.

To view your e-messages, by follow the directions below -

(1) Sign in with using your member name and password here: XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

(2) On the left, search your private messages.

(3) Connect with your choice of beautiful Russian ladies waiting to meet you.

You have (3) private e-messages waiting for you.

 

Wow! I could spend the holidays with my beautiful new Russian girlfriend. Apparently I made an inquiry about getting a Russian mail-order bride using a now inactive email account that made its way to my current account.  And there are three private messages waiting for me! Wow they must figure that I'm some catch! Only I didn't make an inquiry. Little do they know that I'm a almost 60-year-old father of five who has been happily married for nearly 20 years.

I have to admit that I'm curious. What kind of scam are they running? Are they exploiting young Russian women who yearn for a better life in the west? What do the women look like? Are they being coerced to sign up for this deal?

I think I've seen one to many TV dramas where the Russian Mafia is the villain.

There are two hyperlinks embedded in the email, but I know better than to open one lest I bring the wrath of our IT guy down on me by putting some sort of virus into our computer system.

A mailing address in Poland is also listed.

I did a web search using the phrase "Russian mail order brides" and no less than six different websites popped up.

I have to say that this gets the prize for best spam of the week, and it's only Monday!