Dear valued client... When a group email to prospective buyers goes wrong

Yesterday, Crikey received the below email from a tipster in the latest installment of "what happens when you don't b'cc a group of people in an email".

Yesterday, Crikey received the below email from a tipster in the latest installment of “what happens when you don’t b’cc a group of people in an email.” Here we see what happens when the ACT Land Development Agency — in an email to all registered buyers of new land — published the prospective buyers’ email addresses, only for some usurper to try and use that database for their own sordid means… (we’ve blanked out the email addresses to protect their privacy):

So the ACT Land Development Agency sends out an email to everyone registered to buy land in the new suburb of Bonner — adds them all in the “to” field no less, quite a breach of privacy…

LDA <LDA@act.gov.au>
Sent by: “Xxxx, Xxxxxx” <xxxxxx.xxxx@act.gov.au>
17/11/2010 01:15 PM

To “X@gmail.com” <X@gmail.com>, “X@hotmail.com” <X@hotmail.com>, “X@gmail.com” <X@gmail.com>, “X@gmail.com” <X@gmail.com>, “X@yahoo.com.au” <X@yahoo.com.au>, “X@X.com.au” <X@X.com.au>, “X” <X@act.gov.au>, “X@X.com.au” <X@X.com.au>, “X@rocketmail.com” <X@rocketmail.com>, “X@defence.gov.au” <X@defence.gov.au>, “X@gmail.com” <X@gmail.com>, LDA <LDA@act.gov.au>, “X@mailpipe.net” <X@mailpipe.net>, “X@X.com.au” <X@X.com.au>, “X@defence.gov.au” <X@defence.gov.au>, “X@innovation.gov.au” <vX@innovation.gov.au>, “X@hotmail.com” <X@hotmail.com>, “X@yahoo.co.uk” <X@yahoo.co.uk>, “X@gmail.com” <X@gmail.com>, “X@bigpond.com” <X@bigpond.com>, “X@gmail.com” <X@gmail.com>, “X@tpg.com.au” <X@tpg.com.au>, “X@X” <X@X.com>, “X@yahoo.com” <X@yahoo.com>, “X@gmail.com” <X@gmail.com>, “X@defence.gov.au” <X@defence.gov.au>, “X@gmail.com” <X@gmail.com>, “X@hotmail.com” <X@hotmail.com>, “X@gmail.com” <X@gmail.com>, “X@live.com.au” <X@live.com.au>, “X@iinet.net.au” <X@iinet.net.au>, “X@bigpond.com” <X@bigpond.com>, “X@grapevine.com.au” <X@grapevine.com.au>, “X@X.com.au” <X@X.com.au>, “X@hotmail.com” <X@hotmail.com>, “X@health.gov.au” <X@health.gov.au>, “X@hotmail.com” <X@hotmail.com>, “X@bigpond.com” <X@bigpond.com>, “X@grapevine.com.au” <X@grapevine.com.au>, “X@yahoo.com” <X@yahoo.com>, “X@X.com.au” <X@X.com.au>, “X@X.com.au” <X@X.com.au>, “X@X.net.au” <X@X.net.au>, “X@stgeorge.com.au” <X@stgeorge.com.au>, “X@gmail.com” <X@gmail.com>, “X@hotmail.com” <X@hotmail.com>, “X@iinet.net.au” <X@iinet.net.au>, “X@gmail.com” <X@gmail.com>, “X@yahoo.com” <X@yahoo.com>, “X@gmail.com” <X@gmail.com>, “X@gmail.com” <sX@gmail.com>, “X@grapevine.com.au” <X@grapevine.com.au>, “X@aqis.gov.au” <X@aqis.gov.au>, “X@gmail.com” <X@gmail.com>, “X@hotmail.com” <X@hotmail.com>, “X@hotmail.com” <X@hotmail.com>, “X@lizzy.com.au” <X@lizzy.com.au>, “X@internode.on.net” <X@internode.on.net>, “X@gmail.com” <X@gmail.com>, “X@bigpond.com” <X@bigpond.com>, “X@ipaustralia.gov.au” <X@ipaustralia.gov.au>, “X@grapevine.com.au” <X@grapevine.com.au>, “X@hotmail.com” <X@hotmail.com>, “X@hotmail.com” <X@hotmail.com>, “X@live.com.au” <X@live.com.au>, “X@hotmail.com” <X@hotmail.com>, “X@hotmail.com” <X@hotmail.com>, “X@gmail.com” <X@gmail.com>, “X@defence.gov.au” <X@defence.gov.au>, “X@X.com.au” <X@X.com.au>, “X@optusnet.com.au” <X@optusnet.com.au>, “X@yahoo.co.in” <X@yahoo.co.in>, “X@yahoo.com.au” <X@yahoo.com.au>, “X@hp.com” <X@hp.com>, “X@hotmail.com” <X@hotmail.com>, “X@gmail.com” <X@gmail.com>, “X@hotmail.com” <X@hotmail.com>, “X@actewagl.com.au” <X@actewagl.com.au>, “X@tpg.com.au” <X@tpg.com.au>, “X@X.com.au” <X@X.com.au>, “X@mcneillcnd.com.au” <X@mcneillcnd.com.au>, “X@live.com.au” <X@live.com.au>, “X@yahoo.com” <X@yahoo.com>, “X@hotmail.com” <X@hotmail.com>, “X@ozemail.com” <X@ozemail.com>, “X@optusnet.com.au” <X@optusnet.com.au>, “X@yahoo.com.au” <X@yahoo.com.au>

Subject Bonner 3C Block Valuations [SEC=No Protective Marking]

Dear Valued Client,

Block prices for Bonner Stage 3C are now available for the November 2010 over-the-counter land sales event.

The Land Development Agency strongly recommends that you review the block prices and sales documentation in preparation for the sales event.

The block prices and sales documentation can be downloaded from the LDA website at https://www.lda.act.gov.au/?/bonner2/sales/land_available

Kind regards

The LDA Sales Team

This is followed by a fake gmail account suggesting the land release has been delayed, no doubt to delay potential purchasers so the owner of the fake account could get the best land.

LDA <landdevagency@gmail.com>
17/11/2010 05:23 PM
To undisclosed-recipients:;
Subject BONNER STAGE 3C LAND RELEASE POSTPONED [SEC=No Protective Marking

Dear Valued Client,

Given your previous interest in the Land Development Agency’s (LDA) land releases, we would like to inform you that your next chance to buy land in Bonner Stage 3C postponed. We apologies for inconvenience and inform you in coming month.

Kind regards

The LDA Sales Team

The real LDA were not impressed, and sent out another email (although now they’d found how to hide recipients) to announce there was no such delay or postponement of the land release

LDA <LDA@act.gov.au>
Sent by: “Xxxx, Xxxxxx” <xxxxxx.xxxx@act.gov.au>
17/11/2010 07:46 PM To undisclosed-recipients:;
Subject FW: Bonner Stage 3C land release has not been postponed [SEC=No Protective Marking]

Dear Valued Client

Earlier today you would have received two e-mails relating to the upcoming Bonner 3C release.

Firstly, the LDA apologises for the LDA@act.gov.au message “Bonner 3C Block Valuations” having been sent as a group e-mail as this is not our normal procedure. This action may have breached your privacy and the LDA will seek to ensure that this situation does not occur again.

Secondly, you may have received a separate e-mail from a g.mail account, with the sender using an account name of “landdevagency”. This e-mail address and sender has no connection to the LDA and has fraudulently purported to represent the LDA. The LDA will be contacting the Australian Federal Police in relation to this misrepresentation. This fraudulent e-mail also claimed that the release has been postponed. This is not correct.

The Bonner 3C land release is still happening on the original time frame. Registrations are underway and appointments may be booked from 12 noon, Thursday 18 November 2010.

Once again, the LDA apologises for any confusion or inconvenience that this matter may have caused.

LDA Sales Team

But then they had a change of heart, and found some fancy online stationary, to produce this email that now does indeed postpone the release of land!

“Land Development Agency” <lda@act.gov.au>
18/11/2010 10:57 AM
Please respond to
lda@act.gov.au
To “undisclosed-recipients:;
Subject Bonner 3C Sales event important update [SEC=No Protective Marking]

Bonner 3C Sales Event Important Update

Thursday 18 November 2010

CHANGE TO APPOINTMENT BOOKING DATE

The Online Booking System for the Bonner 3C Sales Event will now open at 12 noon on Monday 22 November 2010 for you to book a Block Selection Appointment (rather than 12 noon today, Thursday 18 November 2010).

The Key Dates and Requirements have been amended as follows:

12 noon Monday 15 November 2010 – Registrations opened

12 noon Monday 22 November 2010 – Appointment booking opens

(stays open until all 107 appointments are taken)

From 9am on Saturday 27 November 2010 and from 9am Monday 29 November 2010 – Block Selection Appointments 30 minutes per appointment

We recognise that you may have received a number of emails in the past 24 hours regarding the Bonner 3C Sales Event. The Land Development Agency (LDA) apologises for any confusion.

The LDA has delayed the opening of the Online Booking System to reduce the effect of confusion that may have been caused to you.

We confirm that:

your registration for the Bonner 3C Sales Event is still valid (i.e. you do not need to re-register for the Bonner 3C Sales Event);

at 12 noon on Monday 22 November 2010, 107 Block Selection Appointments will be available; and

it is important to note that the Block Selection Appointment days will remain as Saturday 27 November 2010 and Monday 29 November 2010.

Any further information in relation to this Sales Event will only be sent from lda@act.gov.au. Please ignore emails purporting to be from the LDA from any email addresses other than lda@act.gov.au

Should you have any concerns in relation to the Bonner 3C Sales Event, please contact us via email lda@act.gov.au or telephone 1800 777 952.

All details relating to this Sales Event are on the LDA website www.lda.act.gov.au

The LDA Sales Team

Level 6 TransACT House, 470 Northbourne Avenue, Dickson ACT 2602

Phone: 1800 777 952 Email: lda@act.gov.au Web: www.lda.act.gov.au