FortKnox's Journal: Check out this spam! [Updated]

I dunno where this came from (well, besides [e-mail]), but read this:

Hello,

I'm a time traveler stuck here in 2003. Upon arriving here my dimensional warp generator stopped working. I trusted a company here by the name of LLC Lasers to repair my Generation 3 52 4350A watch unit, and they fled on me. Since nobody in this timeline seems to be able to deliver what I need (safely here to me), I will have to build a simple time travel circuit to get where I need myself. While it might be hard to find parts in this time to build anything decent, I need easy to follow schematics from the future to build one which is safe and accurate that will not disrupt the time space continuum with both forward and backward capability accounting for temporal location settings (X, Y, Z, n), which can be built out of (readily available) parts here in 2003. Please email me any plans you have. I will pay good money for anything you send me I can use. Or if you have a dimensional warp generator available, and are 100% certain you have a (safe secure) means of delivering it to me please also reply with a secure way to contact you. Send a separate email to me at:
[e-mail]

Do not reply back directly to this email as it will only be bounced back to you.

Thank You
Brian Appel

Anyone want to help me out with stupid this sounds?? Reminds me of the story of the guy on wallstreet that made 13 high risk trades, and won on everyone and the SEC asked him how he knew, and he said he was the future (story hoax, obviously).

Update: As pointed out below, this spam has been investigated by wired and is their frontpage article today.

Just need to point out

[bethanie]

That saying "Check out this spam!" is *nearly* as appetizing as saying, "Hey! Check out this scab!"

No thanks there, FK, sweetheart. I'm sure it's lovely spam, but all the same...

....Bethanie....

Heh

[Squidgee]

I get the feeling it's a /.er; I've been getting a lot of spam like that, and having it end with "Reply to...". Usually, that email is some webmaster's email.

Yea, I think it's just some annoying /.er. =p

Got it, too

[baldass_newbie]

And a friend pointed it out as well.
It is entertaining. So entertaining, I was wondering if it had a payload...
I guess I'm just getting too paranoid.
(It is funny, though. Wish I could help.)

Re:Got it, too

[eugene ts wong]

I got it as well. I didn't open it though. I couldn't help but wonder what it was about, but I thought that I better not take the chance. @ least they are getting entertaining, & refreshingly original.

In response to the other fellow, I can't remember which account it came to, so I'm not so sure that it was a /.er.

Re:Got it, too

[ryanr]

I got it a couple of days ago. I assume it's an address probe.

I may just have you beat!

[Otter]

I think I may have you beat [slashdot.org] on the weird spam front.

I've seen this time travel one before, though -- I suspect it is a bona-fide sincere nut.

That's an old one

[turg]

That one's been around for years.

Though, if you think about it, if there's any chance that time travel is possible then this situation is likely to occur. And if it were to occur, this would be the most effective way to adress it (which is not to say highly effective).

Re:That's an old one

[heliocentric]

You don't think meeting up with Doc Brown and going to the Enchantment Under The Sea dance is better than SPAM?

Hmmm, I just raised a creepy question: Would you rather receive tons of SPAM or make out with your own mother?

Re:That's an old one

[bethanie]

Mom. Definitely.

Mmmm.... Moooooommmm.

....Bethanie....
Before y'all go weird on me: Just kidding

Re:That's an old one

[Surak]

Hell, I'd make out with Bethanie's mother, too! ;)

We could make it a threesome. ;)

Well...

[johndiii]

I have to say that I'm tempted to sell him a transdimensional warp generator. I think that I have one out in the garage...

I've got that one too

[glh]

I got that spam the other day. I actually was intrigued by it and did some googling. I found out that there have been others who actually have tried to meet this guy. One guy set up a fake internet site to sell the time warp generator thingy's and the guy actually wanted to order some. Anyway, the conclusion that many people have come to is that the guy is insane. Check out some of these links (warning: this will waste a few hours of time if you read everything and follow the links):

Interesting one whe [lindqvist.com]

Back to the future

[jeepliberty]

I've been getting those emails all summer.

One time the date-time was in the past. I thought: "That's silly. How is anyone expected to comply with the request?" Then I realized: "Duh, if you have on of those AMD time travel models you could easily go Back to the Future!"

My guess, its either:
Marty McFly
Doc Brown
Biff

But definitely not Einstien the dog.

I just received a rather entertaining one...

[TechnoLust]

It says [SPAM] in the subject line. The message body is simply a hypertext link. The link read, "Life is short, get a big ding-dong."

I must admit, it's the only spam to have ever made me laugh.

article on wired....

[jeffy124]

Today incidently, currently as the top headline.

http://www.wired.com/news/culture/0,1284,60141,00. html [wired.com]

One guy has built an online store for the poor sap sending this stuff out.

methinks this will end up on the /. front page.