Wednesday, January 8, 2014

Scams to watch out for


Scam Alert
http://www.hyphenet.com/blog/2014/01/08/scams-to-watch-out-for/

There are plenty of scams to look out for. Travel scams, phone scams, make money fast scams, disaster relief scams, and phishing scams to name a few.

Not all scams are directly associated to malware, many of them intend to persuade the victim to click on a malicious link or fall into the trap of handing out your hard earned cash.

Here are some scams that succeeded in 2013 and we will most likely see in 2014.

Domain Name Scams

The social engineering scam is two-fold.  Here is the letter:
(Mail to the brand holder, thanks)
Dear CEO,
Sorry to bother you inexplicably. We are a China’s domain name registration supplier, and there is one thing we would like to confirm with your company. On December 4, 2013,  we received an application form online from a company called “XinHua Trading Co.,Ltd”  who wants to apply for some domain names and brand name related to “eset”. In order to avoid confusion and  adverse impact on your company, we need to verify whether this company is a subsidiary of you or did you authorize them to register the related brand name and domain names? Currently, we have not formally accepted the application of that company, we need to get your company’s confirmation. Please give us a timely response within 7 work days. So that we can better deal with this case. Thank you.
Best regards,

The scammer is not exactly asking “is it OK if we accept this application?”  He will suggest that  if you  don’t accept the application, you will have to purchase the domain yourself.

Other domain name scams will send you a letter saying your domain is about to expire.  Even though it isn’t, most people buy domains for 3-5 years at a time and may forget to re-purchase the domain.

PC Tech Support Scams


Scammers have been soliciting bogus software for years.  Fake websites are setup, and alarming messages are sent to you to try to convince you that your computer is infected.  The software purchased to fix the problem is worthless or available some else for free.  Or the software purchased and downloaded to your computer could be malicious and infect your computer.

Most people aren’t too technical and feel vulnerable when it comes to fixing their computer.  So when you get a call from someone that appears to know-it-all and wishes to help you, people are willing to pay for the supposed problem to go away.

 Job Scams


Job scams advertise to you the “job of a lifetime” and for easily sued-ed people, it works.

The mule is often required to open an account to facilitate moving funds from a phished account with the same institution.  Scammers will go to extreme lengths to make the mail look like a serious job offer, backed up by a website.

chuoo@hotmail.com, however, is positively chatty. In a message with the subject “F.S.A” invites us enthusiastically to:
Work with us to start your stable future.
You’re close to join a unique place and see inspirational things.
If you are seeking for a challenging opening with a bright future, come work with us.
We would like to offer you a new career of FSA which is untaken for now. Your CV was provided and reviewed by a recruitment agency. An opening that may fit your experience is being offered.
Earnings:
Your salary scale during the probationary period will be 1500 Pounds per month plus 8% commission from each transaction completed. Your total income could easily be about 2500.00 pounds. After the probationary period, your base wage will be 1800.00 Pounds per month, plus 8% commission.
Employee Reimbursements (only after probationary period) Contain:
- Wage plus bonus
- Includes health and dental insurance
- Paid Leave
To apply for the F.S.A. position, please respond to hrdepartment.test@gmail.com.
Thanks,
Bobbi Power
HR Manager

These are well thought out seriously dangerous scams.  Please be mindful of who you are trusting with your information and bank account.

References:

2013: a View to a Scam – We Live Security
http://www.welivesecurity.com/2014/01/06/2013-a-view-to-a-scam/

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