Email death threat spreads

A death threat spam that frightened America Online members last week now has spread to Yahoo Mail.

The email message, which comes from an America Online return address, reads as follows:

"Hello, my name is Andy. I know where you live and I know where your kids sleep. If you dont [sic] call me within 24 hours im [sic] going to kill your kids." It lists a phone number and adds: "P.S. This is NOT a joke."

The phone number listed on the email message, which apparently belonged to the family of a teenager named Andy, has been disconnected. The teenager "has never been looked at" as a suspect, according to John Ryan, assistant general counsel for AOL.

"We're working closely with the FBI," Ryan said. "This is a criminal investigation, and we're cooperating fully with the FBI."

Ryan said the account from which the message was transmitted was terminated, but he declined to give further details.

An FBI spokesman could not immediately be reached for comment.

AOL spokesperson Tricia Primrose said AOL has "no idea" how many of its members received the threat.

Yahoo's "customer care" team has not received complaints from users regarding the threat as yet, according to Wendy Yanovitch, vice president of member services for Yahoo.

NEWS.COM received a complaint via email from Yahoo Mail user Darren Killingbeck. He said today that he believes the sender got his email address from his posts to the "alt.2600" newsgroup, which discusses hacking and technology issues.

"My Yahoo account was frozen for a few days," Killingbeck said. "I've had that account for more than six months, and this is the first time I didn't have access."

He said tech support was able to restore his account quickly once he alerted them about the problem.

Overall, email threats are "not very widespread," Yanovitch said today. "There is the occasional report of an event like this."

She noted that the Yahoo Mail terms of service address threatening email.

When registering for an account, users agree to the terms, which include the following: "You agree not to use the service for illegal purposes or for the transmission of material that is unlawful, harassing, libelous, invasive of another's privacy, abusive, threatening, harmful, vulgar, obscene, tortious, or otherwise objectionable, or that infringes or may infringe the intellectual property or other rights of another."

Though that clause refers to users of the mail service and the email threat came from AOL, Yanovitch said: "We're concerned with maintaining an open and friendly environment," and the firm would cooperate with any law enforcement investigation. She said the customer care team deals with complaints on an individual basis.

"There probably has always been an element like this on the Internet," she added. "It's a small population. The bulk of people who use our service want to do good things."

Killingbeck, who does not have children, said he was angered by the email message, but not frightened by it.

"I knew it was probably some 12-year-old acting their age," he said. But "Something like this gives the Net a bad name."

Threats made via the Net are not a new phenomenon. Earlier this year, a 21-year-old Los Angeles man was convicted for sending racist death threats via email to 59 Asian students at the University of California at Irvine. The case set a precedent in that it put online communications on par legally with telephone calls and postal mail. It also was significant because it addressed civil rights violations perpetrated online.

President Clinton has received numerous email threats, most recently by a 14-year-old student. A Web site describing how a number of high school students in Washington state should die was taken down in April.

Online hate speech also has been a subject that has plagued online services, families, and free speech advocates alike.

[rpageio]

Leave or Die ??????

I just received the following death threat from an obvious MORON who put Leave or Die in the subject line. Sounds like a 10 year old Nigerian playing with Babelfish or Babylon again.


Makwell James <[e-mail]>
show details 1:42 pm (2 hours ago)

Friend,


It is important we come to a conclusion now or never because, I have been hired to kill you, this is the simple fact and I have been paid well for this job to be sincere with you, I have your full data?s, from your name, to your address, to your phone numbers including this email address. I watch you everyday since the past two weeks and I know where you go and when you come back and everything you do. Do not dare me, I am a born killer, which is what I do to survive, I was born and brought up in Mexico.


Never the less, I do not want to kill you, reasons best known to me, only if you will comply with my ransom and I will let you go and even send you the pictures of the person in charge (Who Paid me to kill you) including a very important video tape that you might need.


NOTE: No Police. Ignore this message if you wish to die, I give you 5 days to comply or I will come for you. I am presently on another assignment. You have your choice.


Don. Stella
(No Traces)
Reply to: [e-mail]

[josephdownsjr]

help please i just recieved this email today


Flag this messageGOOD DAY......Tuesday, September 22, 2009 2:42 PM
From HATE ME NOT 44 Tue Sep 22 18:42:18 2009
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Date: Tue, 22 Sep 2009 11:42:18 -0700 (PDT)
From: This sender is DomainKeys verified HATE ME NOT 44 <[e-mail]> Add sender to Contacts
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Subject: GOOD DAY......
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Compact Headers
GOOD DAY......

I am very sorry for you Xxxxx, is a pity that this is how your life is going to end as soon as you don't comply. As you can see there is no need of introducing myself to you because I don't have any business with you, my duty as I am mailing you now is just to KILL you and I have to do it as I have already been paid for that.

Someone you call a friend wants you Dead by all means, and the person have spent a lot of money on this, the person also came to us and told me that he wanted you dead and he provided us with your name ,picture and other necessary information's we needed about you. So I sent my boys to track you down and they have carried out the necessary investigation needed for the operation on you, and they have done that but I told them not to kill you that I will like to contact you and see if your life is Important to you or not since their findings shows that you are innocent.

I called my client back and ask her of your email address which I didn't tell her what I wanted to do with it and he gave it to me and I am using it to contact you now. As I am writing to you now my men are monitoring you and they are telling me everything about you.

Now do you want to LIVE OR DIE? As someone has paid us to kill you. Get back to me now if you are ready to pay some fees to spare your life, $15,000 is all you need to spend You will first of all pay $2,000 then I will send a tape to you which i recorded every discusion i had with the person who wanted you dead and as soon as you get the tape, you will pay the remaining $13,000. If you are not ready for my help, then I will carry on with my job straight-up.

WARNING: DO NOT THINK OF CONTACTING THE POLICE OR EVEN TELLING ANYONE BECAUSE I WILL KNOW.REMEMBER, SOMEONE WHO KNOWS YOU VERY WELL WANT YOU DEAD! I WILL EXTEND IT TO YOUR FAMILY, INCASE I NOTICE SOMETHING FUNNY.
DO NOT COME OUT ONCE IT IS 10:00PM UNTIL YOU GET THE TAPE OF MY DISCUSSION WITH THE PERSON WHO WANT YOU DEAD THEN YOU CAN USE IT TO TAKE ANY LEGAL ACTION. GOOD LUCK AS I AWAIT YOUR REPLY

BILLY JINE....
MWAH!!!!!!!

[Diana7123]

This is the First one I got!
GOOD DAY......

I am very sorry for you Xxxxx, is a pity that this is how your life is going to end as soon as you don't comply. As you can see there is no need of introducing myself to you because I don't have any business with you, my duty as I am mailing you now is just to KILL you and I have to do it as I have already been paid for that.

Someone you call a friend wants you Dead by all means, and the person have spent a lot of money on this, the person also came to us and told me that he wanted you dead and he provided us with your name ,picture and other necessary information's we needed about you. So I sent my boys to track you down and they have carried out the necessary investigation needed for the operation on you, and they have done that but I told them not to kill you that I will like to contact you and see if your life is Important to you or not since their findings shows that you are innocent.

I called my client back and ask her of your email address which I didn't tell her what I wanted to do with it and he gave it to me and I am using it to contact you now. As I am writing to you now my men are monitoring you and they are telling me everything about you.

Now do you want to LIVE OR DIE? As someone has paid us to kill you. Get back to me now if you are ready to pay some fees to spare your life, $15,000 is all you need to spend You will first of all pay $2,000 then I will send a tape to you which i recorded every discusion i had with the person who wanted you dead and as soon as you get the tape, you will pay the remaining $13,000. If you are not ready for my help, then I will carry on with my job straight-up.

WARNING: DO NOT THINK OF CONTACTING THE POLICE OR EVEN TELLING ANYONE BECAUSE I WILL KNOW.REMEMBER, SOMEONE WHO KNOWS YOU VERY WELL WANT YOU DEAD! I WILL EXTEND IT TO YOUR FAMILY, INCASE I NOTICE SOMETHING FUNNY.
DO NOT COME OUT ONCE IT IS 10:00PM UNTIL YOU GET THE TAPE OF MY DISCUSSION WITH THE PERSON WHO WANT YOU DEAD THEN YOU CAN USE IT TO TAKE ANY LEGAL ACTION. GOOD LUCK AS I AWAIT YOUR REPLY

BILLY JINE....
MWAH!!!!!!!

[Diana7123]

Then I got this onI don't have time to West. this is the payment information below.

Sender's Names ..............Your Name.
Sender's Location..................Write your address
Amount to Send...............$2,000
Western Union Control Number(MTCN)................
Receiver's Name............... YOUR NAME ALSO (make the payment to your name).
Receiver's Location..................LONDON, ENGLAND
Test Question...........IN GOD? Answer...........WE TRUST

Send me the information immediately you send it. so i can get your tape to you. i don't need you to give me your address i do have that.
You have little time to go. your life starts to tick from now 1:00Am till the next 48 hours.

Billy Jine.e #2

[Diana7123]

#3
AM SORY Diana Shewell OR END YOU BEAUTIFUL LIFE THIS WEEKEND

[Diana7123]

#4
kill her.jpg (10KB) View Slideshow


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

YOU HAVE 48 HOURS TO PAY OR YOU DIE.

DON'T BE STUPID AM GIVING ANOTHER CHANCE IN LIFE AND THIS IS WHAT YOU ARE DOING DON'T BE STUPID DON'T BE STUPID........


THATS YOU IN THE ATTECH PICTUER. YOU MUST DIE IF YOU DONT PAY.


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

1 Image | View Slideshow | Download Selected

[Diana7123]

Please help!! What should I do? Is someone playing games with me or is this true?

[Sawhit0]

I have recieved this one today:

GOOD DAY......

I am very sorry for you Xxxxx, is a pity that this is how your life is going to end as soon as you don't comply. As you can see there is no need of introducing myself to you because I don't have any business with you, my duty as I am mailing you now is just to KILL you and I have to do it as I have already been paid for that.

Someone you call a friend wants you Dead by all means, and the person have spent a lot of money on this, the person also came to us and told me that he wanted you dead and he provided us with your name ,picture and other necessary information's we needed about you. So I sent my boys to track you down and they have carried out the necessary investigation needed for the operation on you, and they have done that but I told them not to kill you that I will like to contact you and see if your life is Important to you or not since their findings shows that you are innocent.

I called my client back and ask her of your email address which I didn't tell her what I wanted to do with it and he gave it to me and I am using it to contact you now. As I am writing to you now my men are monitoring you and they are telling me everything about you.

Now do you want to LIVE OR DIE? As someone has paid us to kill you. Get back to me now if you are ready to pay some fees to spare your life, $15,000 is all you need to spend You will first of all pay $2,000 then I will send a tape to you which i recorded every discusion i had with the person who wanted you dead and as soon as you get the tape, you will pay the remaining $13,000. If you are not ready for my help, then I will carry on with my job straight-up.

WARNING: DO NOT THINK OF CONTACTING THE POLICE OR EVEN TELLING ANYONE BECAUSE I WILL KNOW.REMEMBER, SOMEONE WHO KNOWS YOU VERY WELL WANT YOU DEAD! I WILL EXTEND IT TO YOUR FAMILY, INCASE I NOTICE SOMETHING FUNNY.
DO NOT COME OUT ONCE IT IS 10:00PM UNTIL YOU GET THE TAPE OF MY DISCUSSION WITH THE PERSON WHO WANT YOU DEAD THEN YOU CAN USE IT TO TAKE ANY LEGAL ACTION. GOOD LUCK AS I AWAIT YOUR REPLY

is it just a sick hoax or real?

[musiklvr58]

I, too, have recieved a similar death threat letter this week. The return is a yahoo address. I've done some 'detective' work and found the name and town of the sender. What do I need to do with this info. My son who is with our sheriff's dept. says I need to have officers come out and view the threatening email,make a formal complaint, and let the law get involved. There are some real razies out there so you never know how serious to take these things. What may start off as a sick joke might esculate into something very bad..