Legitimate or spam?

I received two emails today offering a free Pizza Hut pizza, and another offering a free $5 Big W gift card. They appear to come from Pizza Hut Australia ([email protected]) and Big W ([email protected]). I don't recall subscribing to this blog (i.e. I didnt!), but I don't know if this is perhaps affiliated with a site I have legitimately done business with (e.g. Big W/Dealfox/WOW?). I've never had anything to do with Pizza Hut, but I have a BigW online account, and the banner at the top of that page purports to come from FreebieFox.com.au. The layouts of the pages look completely different but all the links appear to be to http://aussiefreebiesblog2….. which redirects to http://au.wowfreebies.com/ which is "WOW Media UK Ltd. WOW Media UK Ltd registered in England and Wales with Company Number 06327961 and VAT Registration 920963422" and has various email addresses like [email protected] (and I'm sure there was also a .co.nz address there that I can't find again). http://www.thefreebiesblog.com/ is yet another page which appears to be legitimate.

Considering that there is a lot of redirection going on and multiple email addresses and variations, I am suspicious, even though the sites look legitimate and that I never specifically signed up with them. Has anyone else received these emails, can anyone tell me if they are in fact legitimate, and how I might have been subscribed to these sites? I know sometimes a legitimate site with a .com address can have a bogus alias created with a variation of their address, changing a portion to still appear legitimate (e.g. .org) as above. Thanks.

Comments

  • i'd rather stay away from them.

  • what are the message headers? (remember to blank out any personal info)

    • I got another one today from "Apple" offering an iPod shuffle for $1.50.

      Here are the headers:


      Subject: Fancy a free pizza?
      From: "Pizza Hut Australia" <[email protected]>
      Date: Sat, 31 Dec 2011 13:06:02 +1100
      To: "[email protected]" <[email protected]>
      X-Account-Key: account4
      X-UIDL: UID12325-1093566409
      X-Mozilla-Status: 0001
      X-Mozilla-Status2: 00000000
      Return-Path: <[email protected]>
      Received:
      from mo118.createsend.com (mo118.createsend.com [206.72.127.118]) by mail14.syd.optusnet.com.au (8.13.1/8.13.1) with ESMTP id pBV27b28013867 for <[email protected]>; Sat, 31 Dec 2011 13:07:39 +1100
      Received:
      by mo118.createsend.com (PowerMTA(TM) v3.5r15) id hvpn6m0vne0m for <[email protected]>; Sat, 31 Dec 2011 13:06:39 +1100 (envelope-from <[email protected]>)
      Reply-To:
      [email protected]
      MIME-Version:
      1.0
      Content-Type:
      multipart/alternative; boundary="_=aspNetEmail=_0a3b859280d64bc6a7ea36e5bffbc205"
      X-Mailer:
      createsend5.com
      X-Complaints-To:
      [email protected]
      List-Unsubscribe:
      http://unsub.createsend5.com/t/j/u/cjjkhy/jhtjirdk/
      Received:
      from [80.45.148.196] by createsend5.com via HTTP; Sat, 31 Dec 2011 01:06:02 +1100
      Message-ID:
      <[email protected]>

      Fancy a Free Pizza from PIZZA HUT?

      Visit Wow Freebies - where everything is FREE!

      Click Here

      This email was sent to [email protected]. If you are no longer interested you can unsubscribe instantly.


      Subject: Free $5 Gift Card
      From: "Big W" <[email protected]>
      Date: Sat, 31 Dec 2011 14:49:10 +1100
      To: "[email protected]" <[email protected]>
      X-Account-Key: account4
      X-UIDL: UID12326-1093566409
      X-Mozilla-Status: 0001
      X-Mozilla-Status2: 00000000
      Return-Path: <[email protected]>
      Received:
      from mo146.createsend.com (mo146.createsend.com [206.72.127.146]) by mail26.syd.optusnet.com.au (8.13.1/8.13.1) with ESMTP id pBV3qaD0016000 for <[email protected]>; Sat, 31 Dec 2011 14:52:38 +1100
      Received:
      by mo146.createsend.com (PowerMTA(TM) v3.5r15) id hvq3gc0vne0d for <[email protected]>; Sat, 31 Dec 2011 14:49:43 +1100 (envelope-from <[email protected]>)
      Reply-To:
      [email protected]
      MIME-Version:
      1.0
      Content-Type:
      multipart/alternative; boundary="_=aspNetEmail=_05f7b65dae214aa69638e45506a482e6"
      X-Mailer:
      createsend1.com
      X-Complaints-To:
      [email protected]
      List-Unsubscribe:
      http://unsub.createsend1.com/t/j/u/cjjkdl/jhtjirdk/
      Received:
      from [80.45.148.196] by createsend1.com via HTTP; Sat, 31 Dec 2011 02:49:10 +1100
      Message-ID:
      <[email protected]>

      BIG W

      Join the pack to be the first to hear about exclusive free products, samples and Australian prize draws.
      At FreebieFox we work with our partners to bring the webs best offers directly to your inbox.

      AND - Claim a FREE $5 Gift Card!

      Click Here

      This email was sent to [email protected]. If you are no longer interested you can unsubscribe instantly.


      Subject: January Sale - iPod Shuffle for $1.50!
      From: "Apple" <[email protected]>
      Date: Sun, 01 Jan 2012 14:32:21 +1100
      To: "[email protected]" <[email protected]>
      X-Account-Key: account4
      X-UIDL: UID12334-1093566409
      X-Mozilla-Status: 0001
      X-Mozilla-Status2: 00000000
      Return-Path: <[email protected]>
      Received:
      from mo120.createsend.com (mo120.createsend.com [206.72.127.120]) by mail26.syd.optusnet.com.au (8.13.1/8.13.1) with ESMTP id q013XfnD011032 for <[email protected]>; Sun, 1 Jan 2012 14:33:45 +1100
      Received:
      by mo120.createsend.com (PowerMTA(TM) v3.5r15) id hvva1i0vne0e for <[email protected]>; Sun, 1 Jan 2012 14:32:57 +1100 (envelope-from <[email protected]>)
      Reply-To:
      [email protected]
      MIME-Version:
      1.0
      Content-Type:
      multipart/alternative; boundary="_=aspNetEmail=_9c4e3093daf04aefb0e11fd30bba8892"
      X-Mailer:
      createsend3.com
      X-Complaints-To:
      [email protected]
      List-Unsubscribe:
      http://unsub.createsend3.com/t/j/u/cjtjhk/jhtjirdk/
      Received:
      from [80.45.160.132] by createsend3.com via HTTP; Sun, 01 Jan 2012 02:32:21 +1100
      Message-ID:
      <[email protected]>

      The January Sale has started now!
      1000 Apple iPod Shuffles are available now for just $1.50 each!
      Once they're gone, they're gone!
      Be Quick - Click Here to get yours!

      This email was sent to [email protected]. If you are no longer interested you can unsubscribe instantly.


  • +1

    spam or scam or both!!!

    • Agree. Don't waste any more of your time. Ignore/delete.

  • +2

    The shear volume of these indicates - sucker in waiting.

    Really why would all these companies use these strange createsend type adddresses. Danger Will Robinson Danger…

    Do plenty of research into these

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  • Thanks all. Normally I'd just nuke these type of unsolicited emails, but there seemed to be some legitimate sites linked like http://www.thefreebiesblog.com/, and there appeared to be a relation to sites I have created accounts with in the past. After the latest "offer" I'm convinced this is scam spam so I'll set up a rule or two to automatically remove them. I appreciate the advice.

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