Very short scam messages — what I call “mystery scams” — are becoming more common. (See more examples of mystery scam messages.) They are all just versions of the good old advance-fee scam that’s been around for years:
Subject: Hello ..
From: gkailai@lockservice.cn
Date: Sat, 15 Aug 2015
Reply-To: michael.wayne@ssotudis-tn.comHello,
I want to make a Donation for Charity, reply to this email for details.
Ms. Gu Kailai
Like a sleazy salesman who figures if he can just get you talking, he can make a sale, these scammers send a short message to just get you on the hook. Then they’ll take weeks or months to reel you in. In reality there is no charity and there is no “Ms. Gu Kailai,” there is only a scammer trying to separate you from your money.
