Amazing Email Claiming That Babies Made from Marzipan to be Used as Cake Decoration - - Reality and Analysis

Beware! Its a Cyber World - - Summary:

An email message spreading on the internet claims that attached photographs show cake-frosting babies made from marzipan.

The fact is that the photographs are genuine, but the babies are not made from marzipan nor are they used as cake decorations. In fact, the babies are polymer clay sculptures created by artist, Camille Allen.

Let see the images and mail content of this hoax:



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Subject: Fw: Frosting? You've got to be KIDding!

These babies are made of cake frosting , but who could take a bite? THIS WOMAN IS DEFINITELY TALENTED....



Marzipan Babies
Thought you'd be as fascinated with these as I. These are made with marzipan....really unbelievable! Every detail is amazing, and they look VERY real.



Marzipan is Almond paste: a sweet paste made of ground almonds and sugar, often with egg whites or yolks, used as a layer in cakes or molded into ornamental shapes.






UNBELIEVABLE!

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Beware! Its a Cyber World - - Explanation:

According to this email, the delightful and incredibly detailed miniature babies featured in the attached photographs are made of marzipan frosting and are used as edible cake decorations. However, this claim is untrue. Although the photographs are genuine, the babies they depict are in fact polymer clay sculptures created by talented artist, Camille Allen.

The photographs are also sometimes attached to an inspirational story about a premature baby called "The Smell of Rain" that has circulated via email for a number of years. While the story itself is basically factual, the images of Camille Allen's clay babies were apparently added to some versions of the email later and have no relation to the events described.

Camille Allen's website includes the following statement about these emails:

Note: If you've seen the following emails:
"The Smell of Rain"
"Marzipan Babies" ( Or "Sugar Babies")
"The most expensive chocolates in the world"
"She makes babies"
"This is incredible! She makes babies..."
"Elle fait des bébés..... !!! on en mangerait!!!"
"WOW! marzipan babies"

Decorative fruit made from Marzipan

If you have seen these emails you have probably seen some images taken from this website. However those pictures are really of sculptures created out of clay by Camille Allen.

The babies are NOT made of Marzipan, icing, chocolate or soap; they are not edible.
They are not real premature babies.

Marzipan - a paste made from almond and sugar - is indeed suitable for creating frosting models and is often used to decorate cakes with attractive three-dimensional shapes. However, it certainly was not used to create these wonderfully detailed baby sculptures.

More images of Camille Allen's babies are available on her website. The artist creates life-size baby dolls as well as miniatures. While many of the babies featured on the site are now in private collections, some are for sale via the artist's website.

Shark Attacking Scuba-Diving Couple During a Family Holiday in Australia - - Reality and Explanation of the Mail and Attached Image

Beware! Its a Cyber World - - Summary:

Email claims that an attached image showing a large shark very close behind a scuba-diving couple is a real photograph taken during a family holiday in Australia.

With all the due research about the mail; it is found that this image is not a genuine photograph. In fact, it is a composite picture created by manipulating two or more other images. The image was an entry in a Photoshop contest.

Let's have a look to the image and mail contents:


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Subject: Read before you look at the pic

Family on holiday in Australia for a week and a half when husband, wife and their 15 year old son decided to go scooba diving. The husband is in the navy and has had some scooba experience.

His son wanted a pic of his mum and dad in all their gear so got the under water camera on the go. When it came to taking the pic the dad realized that the son look like he was panicking as he took it and gave the "OK" hand sign to see if he was alright.

The son took the pic and swam to the surface and back to the boat as quick as he could so the mum and dad followed to see if he was OK. When they got back to him he was scrambling onto the boat and absolutely packing it.

When the parents asked why he said "there was a shark behind you" and the dad thought he was joking but the skipper of the boat said it was true and that they wouldn't believe him even if he told them what it was. As soon as they got back to the hotel they put the pic onto the laptop and this is what they saw.

(Try and tell me you wouldn't have emptied your entire digestive system right at the point you saw it)

Would you have stayed to take the picture??

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Beware! Its a Cyber World - - Explanation:

This striking image of a scuba diving couple being approached from behind by a very large shark is currently circulating via email. According to the message that comes with the picture, it was snapped by the couple's son during a family holiday in Australia. The relaxed demeanor of the divers adds to the visual impact of the picture since they are seemingly unaware of impending danger. What's more, the shark almost seems to be smiling, perhaps as it contemplates the tasty meal just ahead.

The message claims that both the pictured couple and the panicked youngster who snapped the photograph luckily made it back to the boat without becoming Great White Lunch. And it wasn't until they later viewed the photograph that the couple realized how close was their escape.

However, these claims are completely false and were apparently made up simply to provide a compelling background story to suit the image. Moreover, the image itself is not a genuine photograph, but a composite picture created by manipulating two or more other images. Research indicates that, in fact, the image was an entry in a Worth1000 Photoshop contest titled Vacation Bloopers 6. The entry was created by Worth1000 user "MataleoneRJ" and was titled My first diving in the vacations.

The deception becomes clear when one views the original, and unaltered, shark photograph (shown below). The Photoshop artist has cleverly merged an unrelated photograph of a diving couple with the shark photograph so that it appears that the shark is swimming just behind them. The placement of the divers in the manipulated image makes the shark appear to be much larger than it really is.

This shark image can be viewed on the Great White Adventures website.

Photoshop contest entries regularly escape the confines of the contest website and begin circulating via email and online, often accompanied by a fanciful tale invented by some unknown prankster. Within the context of the original contest website, the status of these manipulated images is quite clear and no deception is intended. However, once they stray outside of this context, these manipulated images are quite often good enough to fool many recipients into believing that they are genuine photographs.

Cybercrime on The Rise in South Africa As The FIFA World Cup 2010 Approaching

Africa is currently seeing a spur of phishing attacks, and with South Africa’s hosting of the World Cup this year, cyber criminals in that region are getting even busier.

“Major sporting events provide a perfect cover behind which cyber criminals can launch sophisticated attacks on individuals, companies and governments,” said researchers from Symantec. “These range from simple identity theft to full-blown denial of service attacks.”

Symantec recently reported that World Cup-related scams have included a 419-type of email that claims the recipient has won $1,950 million in a weekly lottery. Another targeted email attack enticed users to open an infected PDF attachment, and other unsuspected users had their computers infected by a Trojan when they tried to take advantage of a bogus offer of VIP passes to the World Cup.

As a result of increased cybercrime activities in South Africa before the soccer finals, Symantec has launched a special website with information on related attacks and how to buy genuine World Cup tickets.

So far, more than 100 sites selling fraudulent tickets have been shut down by FIFA and South African authorities in an effort to stop fake World Cup tickets from being purchased by unsuspecting victims, according to TechWorld.

"Cave Dewelling" in Afghanistan: Alleged Hide-out of Osama Bin Laden - - Reality of The Mail Showing Natural Cone-shaped Rock Formations

Beware! Its a Cyber World - - Summary:

Message claims that a series of photographs showing incredible "cave" dwellings cut in to natural cone-shaped rock formations depict a village in Afghanistan.

The reality of the shown photographs can't be challenged; as the village is real and the photographs are genuine. However, the village is not located in Afghanistan as claimed in the message. In fact, the photographs show a village named Kandovan that is located in Iran.

Before going towards the detailed explanation; let's have a look to the contents of the mail and the attached photographs:

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Subject: Village in Afghanistan ... Incredible!

Village in Afghanistan . Can you believe it?

Very interesting.








And you wonder why they can't find Osama Bin Laden?


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Beware! Its a Cyber World - - Explanation:

According to the description that comes with this very interesting series of images, they depict a village located in Afghanistan. The images show a small town, complete with dwellings, stairways, paths and walk bridges, that has apparently been carved out of strange cone-shaped natural formations nestled on a hillside. The message suggests that it is not surprising that terrorist leader Osama Bin Laden has not been found given that such hidden "cave" dwellings exist in Afghanistan.

However, while the images themselves are genuine, the accompanying description in this message is inaccurate. The village depicted in the photographs is not located in Afghanistan at all. In fact, the village can be found in the northwest corner of neighboring Iran, about 60 kilometers from the city of Tabriz. Known as "Kandovan", the village is thought to be over 700 years old. Many of the dwellings in Kandovan have been carved out of natural cone-shaped formations made from compressed volcanic ash. Information about the village published on The Heritage Institute website notes:

What makes Kandovan village so unique is that many of its homes have been made in caves located in cone-shaped, naturally formed compressed volcanic ash formations that make the landscape look like a gigantic termite colony. This method of dwelling makes the residents modern-age cave dwellers or troglodytes. (Troglodyte means cave dweller: somebody living in a cave, especially somebody who belonged to a prehistoric cave-dwelling community. Troglodyte also means somebody living in seclusion.)

It is our understanding that the unusual cone formations were formed from volcanic ash and debris spewed during an eruption of Mount Sahand being hardened and shaped by the elements over thousands of years. The formation of volcanic ash cones is local to Kandovan. Elsewhere, the ash blanketed the land. The existence of a high volume of ash and pumice far from Sahand's crater indicates that Mount Sahand erupted with a gigantic explosion in the distant past.

Tourists from all around the world visit Kandovan. A modern and well-appointed hotel, built in the tradition of the village's centuries old homes, is available in the area to accommodate visitors. Despite their age, many of the homes in the village are very comfortable and feature all the facilities of more modern Iranian homes. The following YouTube video provides more insight into this unique village and its residents:

Reality and Explanation of the Mail About Cell Phone Gun Security Threat at The High Risk Locations

Beware! Its a Cyber World - - Summary:

Email warns that guns disguised as cell phones have been discovered and that the devices may pose a security threat at high risk locations such as airports.

The mail contents are true up to some extent; as cell phone guns are real and law enforcement authorities and airport security staff are certainly well aware of them. However, they are by no means "very new" as suggested in the warning message. Such devices have been around for a number of years.

Email contents are like follows:

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Subject: Fw: MUST SEE: Airport security

MUST SEE - Airport security
This is a must read and something very new

Most of us see airport security as a pain. Some of us even feel violated.
When you see the pictures below, you will understand why they want our cell phones through the x-ray machine. If you get asked to test your cell phone at the airport, this is the reason.

Cell phone guns have arrived. And they are real.

Beneath the digital phone face is a .22 caliber handgun capable of firing four rounds in rapid succession using the standard telephone keypad. European law enforcement officials are stunned by the discovery of these deadly decoys. They say phone guns are changing the rules of engagement in Europe.

Only when you have one in your hand do you realize that they are heavier than a regular cell phone.

Be patient if security asks to look at your cell phone or turn it on to show that it works . They have a good reason! Wake up to our NEW WORLD!! We shouldn't complain about airport security invading your privacy.

(Note: Some versions of the message also arrive with the following video as an attached file)



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Beware! Its a Cyber World - - Explanation:

According to this warning message, .22 caliber handguns that look like cell phones have been discovered by law enforcement officials in Europe. The message contains attached images of such a device along with a graphic depicting how a cell phone gun works. An apparently authentic video clip of a cell phone gun being fired is also included with some versions of the email. Two of the images contained in the message are in fact stills taken from this video. The message notes that such guns can fire up to four rounds by pressing numbers on the cell phone keypad.

Guns like the one described in the message are certainly real. However, they are not a new development as suggested in this warning message. In fact, reports of cell phone guns go back to at least the year 2000. The same images along with the video clip of a cell phone gun in action have been posted to numerous websites, blogs and social networks over several years

The video was shown as part of a WCBSTV news report in May 2006. According to the accompanying article on the WCBSTV website, New York City police were warned to keep an eye out for the cell phone guns via an internal memo. Cell phone guns have several times been the subject of security alerts in the United States and elsewhere. A 2004 article in Time magazine notes that screening equipment at airports is normally able to detect cell phone guns and other such devices. Cell phone guns are considerably heavier than normal cell phones.

A cell phone gun could certainly kill or seriously injure someone. However, a CNN report about the weapons notes that they are "extremely inaccurate" and therefore effective only at very close range.

Although cell phone guns are real, I could find no reports of the devices actually being used in major crimes such as attempted hijackings or terrorist activities. However, there have been several reports of cell phone guns being seized from criminals in Europe.

The concept of disguising guns as everyday items is actually nothing new. For many years, guns and other weapons have been disguised to look like pens, calculators, cameras, canes and a number of other commonplace objects.

Email Hoaxes - - Reality of the Mail Warning That Gmail Deleting Unused Accounts

Beware It's a Cyber World - - Summary:

Email, purporting to be an official notification from webmail service Gmail, claims that the user's Gmail account will be deleted if he or she does not forward the message to other contacts.

Actually, this warning is a nonsensical hoax and should not be taken seriously. Gmail is not deleting the accounts of those who fail to forward a message to other contacts. Versions of this hoax have now been circulating for several years. Other variants of the hoax have targeted other popular webmail services including Hotmail and Yahoo. All versions are equally false.

Let have a look to the contents of the said mail:

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Subject: FW: Officail Gmail Notification

Dear Gmail users:

Over the past few weeks, you may have noticed that Gmail's system has been getting slower. This is due to the increasing number of Gmail accounts. Since this occurrence, we have decided to delete accounts that are no longer in use. We will determine who's account is deleted depending on if you forward this message. If you would like to keep your account, then please send this to all of your contacts to let us know that your account is still in use. If this message is not sent to other accounts, your account will become invalid and your email may be taken by another loyal user. We are sorry if this may cause any inconvenience.

Sincerely,

Paul Buchheit (Creater of Gmail)

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Beware! It's a Cyber World - - Explanation:

According to this email, which purports to be an official notification from Google's webmail service, Gmail, the recipient's Gmail account will be deleted if he or she does not forward the email to his or her contacts. The message claims that the Gmail system is getting slower "due to the increasing number of Gmail accounts" and inactive accounts must therefore be deleted. The email informs recipients that they can prove that their account is still in use - and thereby save their account from deletion - by sending on the warning message to others on their email contact list.


However, the claims in the email are utter nonsense. Gmail certainly will not delete the accounts of those who fail to forward a particular email message to others. In fact, this "warning" message is just one in a long line of similar hoaxes that have targeted a number of other online services for more than a decade. The following links point to articles debunking other versions of the hoax:

• Reality of MSN Forward 18 Contacts Hoax Warning

• "Your E-MailBox Has Exceeded Storage Limit!" - - A Hoax Email Scam to Steal Personal Login Details

Any message that claims that your account with a specified online service will be deleted unless you send the messages on to other users is virtually certain to be a hoax. Pranksters have regularly used this ruse because it is a tried and tested method of ensuring that their silly hoax messages will continue to circulate for months or even years. Many recipients hit the forward button without due forethought when they are sent one of these messages because they are fooled into believing that they must do so in order to save their accounts. Thus, these utterly pointless hoax messages continue spreading aimlessly via email and social networks.

Of course, many service providers, including webmail services, often do reserve the right to terminate accounts that have been inactive for a lengthy period of time. Indeed, Gmail notes the following on its help pages:

A dormant address is a Gmail address that hasn't been used for six months.
You can still receive mail if your address is dormant, but you need to log in to keep your account active.

If you don't log in to Gmail within three months of it being labeled dormant -- or for nine consecutive months -- Google may delete the address.

However, you certainly do not need to forward a silly email in order to prove that your account is still active. For Gmail, and most other providers, all you need to do to keep your account active is simply login to the account from time to time.

If you receive one of these hoax messages, please do not forward it on to others. By doing so, you are simply playing into the hands of the foolish prankster who created the hoax in the first place.

Internet users should also be aware that "warning" messages that are superficially similar to these account deletion hoaxes are also used for much more sinister purposes by Internet based criminals. For example, a phishing scam emails designed to steal account login details from Gmail users also falsely claim that inactive Gmail accounts are being deleted. Rather than simply duping recipients into forwarding a silly email, these scam messages attempt to fool users into replying with their Gmail username and password. The login details supplied by the victim can then be used by scammers to hijack the user's account and use it to perpetrate further scams and spam attacks.

Beware of The Online Scams - - Few Guidelines to Help Prevent Possible Cybercrime Victimization

With the stagnant economy and limited job availability, people are looking for good deals, selling items to make ends meet, and looking for stay-at-home jobs.

While the majority of online classified advertising users, such as those on Craigslist, are trustworthy, a significant number of people are using this service to commit fraud.

Scammers use the preface of selling or buying cars, event tickets, personal items, or renting apartments. The Police Departments regularly field calls from people who have been victims, as well as from those who didn’t fall for dubious requests to cash checks or money orders or to send payment in advance.

Detectives want people to be aware of the following scams:

-- Someone sends you a check, cashier’s check or a money order for payment of an item they are buying from you. The payment is for more money than the agreed selling price and the purchaser contacts you and claims one of the following:

-- They accidentally sent too much money and ask you to cash the check or money order and wire them the extra funds.

-- They accidentally sent you their payroll check and ask you to cash the check and wire the extra funds to a different location where the mistake will be corrected.

--They accidentally sent too much money and ask you to wire the extra funds to a check cashing location in another state.

You are trying to buy an item. The seller:

-- Asks you to set up an online escrow account.

-- Asks you to send partial payment and the item will be sent and the remaining balance will be due upon receipt of the item.

You are offered a job with a non-local company:

-- A company representative says they will pay you to process payments from customers and to then forward the funds to the business.

How to avoid being a scam victim:

-- Always try to deal with local individuals when selling or buying items. Dealing with people face to face is generally a deterrent to being scammed.

-- Never provide personal financial information (eBay or PayPal info, checking account number, Social Security number, etc.)

-- Never cash personal checks, cashier’s checks, money orders, etc., unless the source is trustworthy and the funds are confirmed before you do so.

-- Be wary if the other party wants to use an escrow service such as BidPay, Squaretrade, or even PayPal.

-- Never send money through wire services unless you know for certain that the individual you are dealing with is trustworthy.

-- Always abide by the old standby: If it sounds too good to be true, it probably is.