Ok, so it’s not funny if you’re not properly protected from such things, but I am… erm… well covered (pretty much to the point of paranoia).

Got this one a few minutes ago:

Dear Lanoitar Member,

We have temporarily suspended your email account (account name deleted -ed)@jonathanmurray.com.

This might be due to either of the following reasons:

1. A recent change in your personal information (i.e. change of address).
2. Submiting invalid information during the initial sign up process.
3. An innability to accurately verify your selected option of subscription due to an internal error within our processors.
See the attached details to reactivate your Lanoitar account.

Sincerely,The Lanoitar Support Team

Anyone recognize the idiocy of this email?

One, I am L’ano Itar, the referenced domain belongs to me.
Two, I don’t host email accounts for anyone but myself.
Three, bad spelling… not to mention a reference to some mysterious “internal error with our processors”.
Four, I have no “support team”!

The email came with an attachment carrying the http://www.sophos.com/virusinfo/analyses/w32agobotqc.html Agobot.QC worm, which my virus scanner has stored safely away in the special place where bad programs go. A free email service of some sort based in France seems to be the tool used… any French speakers who’d like to email these jokers and let them know, here’s the source: can59-3-82-233-173-248.fbx.proxad.net [82.233.173.248]. I’m sure even the French ISPs enjoy learning how their service is being abused.

Edit: Found the {{email abuse@proxad.net abuse email address for the domain “Proxad.net”, forwarded the email along with a note – hopefully someone there reads English! 🙂 )