[Cerowrt-devel] Scam: Bufferbloat e-book

[Rich Brown <richb.hanover@gmail.com>]

I investigate so you don't have to...

In the last few days, I have seen two Google Alerts mentioning a "Bufferbloat pdf ebook write by a good author" (scam warning #1 - bad grammar).

The offers came from different domains (warning #2 - multiple domains - highly suspicious)

If you follow the link from the Google alert, you get to a plan html page with two fields asking for your full name and email (# - bogus on its face, and not even very artful!).

If you do supply that information (mailinator.com is your friend), you get to a page that says, "Attention, you need to make a free Credit Card verification to start download this pdf file". (#4 - grammar) 

There are two buttons, "No Thanks" and "Go to credit card verification", but the second button isn't active. (#5 - shoddy web craft)

The No Thanks button eventually leads to a page at www.donnaplay.com, which requests your credit card info (but with a $0.00 charge!) for verification before you can download. (#6 - what kind of idiot do they think I am?)

I declined to go further, but I Googled "donnaplay scam" and found lots of evidence that they take your card info, upgrade you to the premium account, and then begin raking in the dough.

Final point: who has time to write a free Bufferbloat ebook without mentioning it to any of us? (#7 - implausible)

Rich