This approach is so ham-handed that consideration should be given to its source being other than the Chinese. Who else might want to compromise you by publicly waving some dollars in your face with the intention of smearing you once you accept money, maybe not that first $500--you should be insulted at being done in by so puny a sum--but later when your reputation can be absolutely smashed to pieces?
Thanks Colin. I thought of that, too. If someone was out to get me, they had way too much time on their hands. This was a pretty substantial effort. The rest of the team at Visionary Advisory Group also had profiles on X and were presumably targeting other people. Or at least they were. Mary's Twitter profile has vanished, and so have the others.
Is not wasted resources considering that is probably outsourced. Just like Indian scams. Private companies compile a lead list and target the potential candidates to then forward the list to the professionals.
Or they are training some AI profile model with supervised filtering of potential candidates. Congrats, you made it in the non-pool.
Sorry...my first real journalism job was as a make-up editor on the Atlanta Constitution when it was still hot type. I had to read upside down and backwards and I better damn sure not miss anything since I was the last eye to look before the press started.
to me this was entry level attempt. (to me, that is).
the did not have a website? see where they were incorporated from. open source check (USA search, ect) on mary taylor? granted common name but approximate age and city of the claimed business would narrow it down.
question: did you think appropriate to forward, using drobox or VPN, to the FBI CI section?
would put a light on them (whoever "they" are) and put an umbrella of protection on you IF something sired in the pot of accusations?
They liked the way you write.
I noted also "Patricia Davis" under a clearly male photo.
Could be a trans person….
This approach is so ham-handed that consideration should be given to its source being other than the Chinese. Who else might want to compromise you by publicly waving some dollars in your face with the intention of smearing you once you accept money, maybe not that first $500--you should be insulted at being done in by so puny a sum--but later when your reputation can be absolutely smashed to pieces?
Thanks Colin. I thought of that, too. If someone was out to get me, they had way too much time on their hands. This was a pretty substantial effort. The rest of the team at Visionary Advisory Group also had profiles on X and were presumably targeting other people. Or at least they were. Mary's Twitter profile has vanished, and so have the others.
Is not wasted resources considering that is probably outsourced. Just like Indian scams. Private companies compile a lead list and target the potential candidates to then forward the list to the professionals.
Or they are training some AI profile model with supervised filtering of potential candidates. Congrats, you made it in the non-pool.
Its not a "photo illustration"...its an illustration.
Fixed.
Sorry...my first real journalism job was as a make-up editor on the Atlanta Constitution when it was still hot type. I had to read upside down and backwards and I better damn sure not miss anything since I was the last eye to look before the press started.
I like sharp-eyed readers.
Thanks
Did you report it to FBI or CIA? They might have gotten some info out of them.
Thanks for the insight!
U should have contacted CIA and turned this into a counter intelligence operation - passing info the US wanted them to believe.
Great article! Love the use of satire and humility. Keep up the awesome work. Perfect ending...."Almost".
to me this was entry level attempt. (to me, that is).
the did not have a website? see where they were incorporated from. open source check (USA search, ect) on mary taylor? granted common name but approximate age and city of the claimed business would narrow it down.
question: did you think appropriate to forward, using drobox or VPN, to the FBI CI section?
would put a light on them (whoever "they" are) and put an umbrella of protection on you IF something sired in the pot of accusations?
Highly amusing - just like the Charles Soludo emails that used to be so common. Or like fonejacker - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tXzUde5DMUo
han chinese appropriating generic white ladyness!