Buy of the Week: 12-PACK of Cat-5 Enhanced "Injection Molded Booted" Patch Cords

This deal has expired as of November 4th, 2011. To see the current buy of the week, check the ad at the top of the page.

Need CAT5 patch cables?

For a limited time, you can order a 12-Pack of Category 5 Enhanced "Injection Molded Booted" Patch Cords from Hyphenet for only $18.99, plus shipping!

Additional lengths and colors are available, so let us know what size and color you need!

Call Hyphenet at (619) 325-0990 to order your 12-Pack of Category 5 Enhanced "Injection Molded Booted" Patch Cords today!

Specifications for Category 5 Enhanced "Injection Molded Booted" Patch Cords

Cable	Category 5 Enhanced, 350Mhz, UTP, with Molded Boots
Quantity	12
Available Colors	Blue, red, yellow, gray, orange, black, white, green, pink, & purple.
Lengths Available	3ft, 5ft, 7ft, 10ft, 14ft, 15ft, 25ft, 50ft, 75ft and 100ft

Don't miss out on this Buy of the Week! Call Hyphenet at (619) 325-0990 to order your 12-Pack of Category 5 Enhanced "Injection Molded Booted" Patch Cords!

Buy of the Week offer valid through November 4th, 2011.

* Shipping and taxes may apply.

This deal has expired as of November 4th, 2011. To see the current buy of the week, check the ad at the top of the page.

Halloween Spam Is All Tricks and No Treats

Are you going trick-or-treating this Halloween?

If not, you may receive an invite to participate in your inbox anyway, as spammers wouldn’t dare miss the opportunity to keep you guessing whether or not that email claiming to be a Halloween card really is a trick or treat.

Unfortunately if the email subject reads, “Someone Sent You a Halloween eCard!” then it’s likely a trick leading you down a dark path that will result in a spyware/adware infection.

The trick-filled Halloween themed spam reads:

Subject: Someone Sent You a Halloween eCard!
From:  Haľlôwȩȩn êCařd  (halloween.ecardvyipa@minibizhost.net)
Someone Sent you a Halloween eCard !

Șend onê of your own Halloween eCards !

Ştar iη your õwn eĈard tŏ send!

Makē a Video eCard
View Your Card

Please click heře, if you no longer wȋsh tö receive emails from us oŕ wřite to
My Fun Cards Onė Nòrth Lexington 9th Flooř Whitě Plaîns, NY 10601
(c) 2011 My Fun Cards. All Rǐghts Reserved.

Should you be brave enough to click the link, you will be taken to a page that promotes a software program called ‘MyFunCards’, which supposedly allows you to create and send e-cards to friends and family.

Sounds like quite the treat, right?

Wrong.

That treat is wrapped in tricks, as MyFunCards comes bundled with MyWebSearch, which will bog down your computer with unwanted pop-up advertisements, web search redirects and altered IE browser settings.

If that isn’t bad enough, releasing your PC from the clutches of the MyWebSearch spyware/adware can be quite the hassle and will likely require assistance from an antispyware program.

Be sure to steer clear of MyFunCards to avoid having your PC flooded with spyware/adware and stay on the lookout for other Halloween themed spam.

Have a safe, Happy Halloween!

Pumpkin Photo Credit: indigoprime

 Be sure to follow us on Twitter @hyphenet and "Like" us on Facebook to stay up-to-date on the latest computer security threats.

Researcher Exposes Vulnerability Allowing Users to Attach EXE Files to Facebook Messages

-- Update 11/1/11 --

It has been reported that Facebook has fixed this vulnerability.

-- End Update --

Nathan Power of SecurityPentest has discovered a way to bypass Facebook’s security check that prevents users from attaching executable files (exe) to Facebook messages.

Typically when you attempt to upload an exe file to a Facebook message, you will be greeted with an error saying, “Error Uploading: You cannot attach files of that type.”

However, after capturing the web browsers POST request being sent to the server, Nathan found that you could bypass the security mechanisms in place simply by adding a space at the end of the filename.

Original:

filename=”cmd.exe”

Updated:

filename=”cmd.exe “

Obviously this vulnerability is bad news since it will allow ill-willed Facebook users to send malicious files – such as malware, spyware, or even viruses – to unsuspecting Facebook users.

What makes matters worse is that you don’t have to be friends with a Facebook user in order to send them a message. That is, of course, unless that user has beefed up their Facebook account security to keep users not on their friends list from sending them messages.

On the plus side, an exe file attached to a Facebook message will not execute UNLESS the recipient decides to download the file. So, if someone sends you a message with an exe file attached, be sure that you don’t open it. ;)

This vulnerability was reported to Facebook at the end of September and they acknowledged its existence on Wednesday. Facebook’s Security Manager Ryan McGeehan issued the following statement in response:

This finding will only allow one user to send an obfuscated renamed file to another Facebook user. The proof of concept, as is, would not execute on a recipients machine without an additional layer of social engineering. Beyond that, we are not going to rely solely on string matching as a protective measure, since zip files and other things could also have unpredictable behaviors when sent as an attachment.

We are AV scanning everything that comes through as a secondary measure, so we have defense in depth for this sort of vector. This puts us at a similar level of protection as most webmail providers who deal with the similar risk, and this finding is a very small part of how we protect against this threat overall. At the end of the day, it is more practical for a bad guy to hide an .exe on a convincing landing page behind a URL shortener, which is something we’ve been dealing with for a while.

So there you have it, folks. Should someone decide to send you a malicious exe file via Facebook message, they can do so with relatively little effort.

It’s highly recommended that you update your Facebook security settings to prevent any unfriendlies from sending you dangerous files. You’ll find instructions on how to update these settings here.

Also feel free to check out Nathan Powers' post outlining his discovery of the Facebook message EXE vulnerability.

Be sure to follow us on Twitter at @hyphenet or “Like” us on Facebook to stay up-to-date on the latest computer security threats.

Photo Credit: Nathan Power

Limit Your Exposure to Facebook Spam & Scams by Beefing Up Your Account’s Privacy Settings

With the amount of survey scams, malware-laden links and hoaxes roaming around Facebook, users are scrambling to stay informed about the latest threats to minimize their chances of getting tangled in a scammer’s web of lies or going to war against a malicious program that’s found its way onto their PC.

While it’s important that folks stay up-to-date on the latest threats lurking in the shadows of Facebook, it may be time that they adjust their account privacy settings to prevent evil-doers from sending them bogus messages demanding they confirm their identity to avoid their account from being closed or harvest personal data by telling them they’ve won a fake Facebook lottery.

Update Your Private Settings to Change How You Connect

Changing your privacy settings is not hard, although Facebook is well known for making it confusing on folks.

Here’s how you can reach the privacy settings that will help you hide from ill-willed Facebookers:

1. Click the arrow in the top right corner of the page and select ‘Privacy Settings.’


2. Click the ‘Edit Settings’ link next to ‘How You Connect’


3. Adjust the settings for each option available to minimize the chances of spam or scams reaching your account:
   
   
   
   • Who can look up your profile by name or contact info? Change this to either Friends or Friends of Friends to keep cybercrooks from tracking you down on Facebook to include you into their latest spam or scam campaign.
   
   
   • Who can send you friend requests? I recommend changing this to ‘Friends of Friends’, especially if you’re receiving a lot of friend request spam. You can always send someone that’s outside your circle of friends a friendship request as necessary.
   
   
   •  Who can send you Facebook messages? Change this to ‘Friends of Friends’ to limit your chances of having your inbox filled with spam messages.
   
   
   • Who can post on your Wall? Unless you’re one to accept random friend requests from people who turn around and flood your Wall with junk, there’s no reason to worry about this setting – you can leave it be to allow Friends to post on your Facebook Wall.
   
   
   • Who can see Wall posts by others on your profile? This setting applies more to general privacy rather than keeping spammers away. If you don’t want random people seeing what your friends are posting on your Wall, then its best you set this one to ‘Friends’ or ‘Only Me’.
   
   
   
   


4. Once you’ve changed everything to reflect your desired settings, press ‘Done’.

There you have it! Now not only do you have a better understanding of what is allowed on your Facebook account, but depending on your set preferences you should have lessened your chances of experiencing a run-in with a Facebook scammer.

Of course, it’s still up to you whether or not that suspicious link is clicked or your personal data is shared through some survey in hopes of receiving some gift card or whatever other special prize is being promoted.

Always remain skeptical of free offers and proceed with caution when clicking links leading to videos on external websites as you may be entering scam or malware territory.

Be sure to follow us on Twitter at @hyphenet or “Like” us on Facebook to stay up-to-date on the latest computer security threats – whether they’re on or off Facebook.

Photo Credit: dkalo

Spammers Pretend to Be Your Friend in the Digital Age

Customers of Cox Communications should beware of phishing emails that spammers are sending out that claim Cox is cleaning out unused accounts and that you will need to provide your account information in order to ensure your account is not accidentally removed.

The phishing email targeting Cox Communication customers reads:

From: COX© [cox.accountupdate(at)live.com]
To: undisclosed recipients:
Subject: Account Update!!

Dear COX© Users,

Cox is working hard to change and improve the way we serve you across all aspects of our services. We have recently relaunched and improved many of our costumer experiences, including Cox.com. As we continue to improve Cox for you, some of the improvements are updating the ways that we interact with you and your information. As a result, we want to update you on our Terms of Service (TOS), which contains the agreements between you andCox.

In addition, We are deleting all unused Cox or Nonfunctional account to create more space for new accounts.To prevent your account from closing or deactivated you will have to update it below so that we will know that it's a present used account. To do this, You have to click on your reply button to reply back to this message and then you fill the information below.

Full Name:   ...............
User name:   ................
Password:    ...............
Date Of Birth:  ...............
Occupation:  ...............
State Of Residence:............

After receiving the information requested you will be able to continue using your Account.

Sincerely,
COX© Member Services.

As you can tell, the primary focus of this fake email is to steal your Cox Communications user information. Like most companies, Cox has stated time and time again that they will never ask that you verify account information via email.

What should you do if you receive this Cox Communications phishing email?

If you’re a Cox customer and you’ve received this message in your inbox, it’s advised that you take one (or both) of the following actions:

1. Report the fake Cox email by forwarding it to Cox Communications. If the email was sent from Cox ISP or IP, it should be forwarded as an attachment to abuse@cox.net. If it didn’t come from another Cox user, then forward it to spamreport@cox.net. (Make sure you include the full email headers!)


2. Delete the email from your inbox and the corresponding trash folder. Make sure you delete it completely to avoid anyone else from potentially reading it and divulging your account information by mistake.

Be sure to follow us on Twitter at @hyphenet or “Like” us on Facebook to stay up-to-date on the latest phishing email scams.

 

Hewlett-Packard Says It’s Keeping Its PC Division

Hewlett-Packard has announced that they will be keeping their PC division after determining that the costs of a spin-off would outweigh the benefits.

“It’s clear after our analysis that keeping PSG within HP is right for customers and partners, right for shareholders, and right for employees, “ HP’s new CEO Meg Whitman said in a statement, “HP is committed to PSG, and together we are stronger.”

The idea of bowing out of the personal computing business was originally conjured up back in mid-August by now ex-CEO Leo Apotheker, who wanted to focus on HP's  software and server businesses versus personal computers.

Apotheker was  removed from his post by the board of directors and replaced with Meg Whitman in late September, who quickly got to work in undoing the damage he'd done.

“As part of HP, PSG will continue to give customers and partners the advantages of product innovation and global scale across the industry’s broadest portfolio of PCs, workstations and more,” said Todd Bradley, executive vice president, Personal Systems Group, HP. “We intend to make the leading PC business in the world even better."

Feel free to check out the full press release.

Be sure to follow us on Twitter at @hyphenet or “Like” us on Facebook to stay up-to-date on the latest tech news.

RIM BlackBerry PlayBook OS Update Delayed Until February 2012

Research in Motion has found a new way to tick off its customers, this time by announcing that the update for the BlackBerry PlayBook OS won’t be released until February 2012.

PlayBook owners have been waiting on the OS 2.0 update for months, hoping that they’ll finally get native support for e-mail, calendar, address book and even BlackBerry Messenger features. Currently folks are forced to utilize BlackBerry Bridge in order to access their email, calendars, Blackberry Messenger or any other data with their PlayBook tablet.

On top of delaying the PlayBook OS update, RIM stated that when the update does roll out in February of next year, it won’t include the popular BlackBerry Messenger service.

That’s kind of funny, considering RIM started out the announcement by saying, “As much as we’d love to have it in your hands today, we’ve made the difficult decision to wait to launch BlackBerry PlayBook OS 2.0 until we are confident we have fully met the expectations of our developers, enterprise customers and end-users.”

Wouldn’t that mean that the 2.0 update would have to include BlackBerry Messenger in order to meet the expectations of developers, enterprise customers and end-users?

Yes. Yes, it does.

Frustrated BlackBerry Playbook users aren’t being shy about voicing their opinion on the matter and have taken to leave comments on The Official BlackBerry Blog entry posted on Tuesday regarding the announcement:

This is not acceptable.  You just lost a loyal customer.
~ Dustin Harding

This is the last nail in your coffin RIM. I WAS a firm believer in you but I'm sick of playing the waiting game. Either keep your promises or don't mention anything at all. Bye bye Bold 9900 / PlayBook, hello iPhone 4S / iPad.
~ Antirim

We'll, it's been a fun 6 months of "it's coming". Time to go somewhere where it's already arrived.You'll find my playbook on ebay.
~ Jay Tee

I have been a long time RIM Shareholder and Blackberry User. Over the past couple years I have been loyal and patient but with all the recent delays and mis-steps I am finally moving on. If RIM is losing me (the perfect Customer) business must be getting pretty bad. Good luck with you future efforts. I will be watching from my iphone.
~ Hedgesw

you should really look into what the public is saying about you on crackberry..... i cant believe you are doing this to your loyal customers
~ Imenu

So much for the PlayBook OS update potentially generating a fresh batch of interest just in time for the holiday season.

The Blackberry Playbook has pretty much been a flop since it was launched earlier this year and appears to be unable to shake the cloud of negative reviews. Only 200,000 PlayBooks were shipped last quarter, which is down from the 500,000 shipped in the previous quarter.

Recently major retailers like Best Buy and Staples took a hint from the HP TouchPad fire sale craze and attempted to spark similar interest by slashing PlayBook prices by $200. That didn’t work all that well, considering the PlayBook still ended up costing $299-499 depending on the model and also sparked rumors that the PlayBook was headed towards the tablet graveyard to rest in peace alongside the HP TouchPad.

Hopefully Research in Motion will wake up and get their act together soon; otherwise investors just may give the board the boot.

Photo Credit: bertconcepts

Be sure to follow us on Twitter at @hyphenet or “Like” us on Facebook to stay up-to-date on the latest tech news.

 

 

Rising Water Levels in Thailand Result in Rising Hard-Drive Prices & Shortages

Catastrophic floods in Thailand are causing a ripple effect in the hard drive world.

While heavy rains and flooding isn’t exactly new in Thailand, a third of the country has been inundated by water and over 360 people have been killed due to the worst flooding in over 50 years.

As a result, Thailand-based hard-drive manufacturing facilities for Western Digital and Toshiba have been shut down. According to reports, some of the facilities have been flooded with water running up to 5 feet deep.

The damage doesn’t stop there either.

Nidec, the company that supplies the small motor that spins the disk in hard disk drives, has also had to shut down two of its manufacturing plants due to the flooding. Nidec’s halt in production could have far greater consequences considering they supply the motors used in an estimated 70-80% of the world’s hard drives, including those produced by Western Digital, Toshiba, Seagate and Hitachi.

Although Western Digital and Toshiba have facilities based elsewhere – like the US and Malaysia – which they can utilize in order to continue producing hard drives, 60% of Western Digital’s hard drive production is located in Thailand, along with half of Toshiba’s production numbers.  Either way, there will be a drop in the number of hard drives that both companies pump out.

As a value-added-reseller, we’re already starting to feel the sting of a hard drive shortage in the distribution chain as some hard drive prices have already rose or are now out of stock.

Hopefully the waters begin to recede so Western Digital and Toshiba can assess the damage, replace or repair damaged equipment and get things back up and running.

Until then, prepare to fork over more money for hard drives in stock or wait until they’re actually back in stock to begin with.

Be sure to follow us on Twitter at @hyphenet or “Like” us on Facebook to stay up-to-date on the latest tech news.

Photo Credit: pobre.ch

Facebook Offer for a Free $100 Cheesecake Factory Giftcard Leaves Victims Hungry

There’s no need to drool over the offer to get a free $100 Cheesecake Factory gift card on Facebook… it’s nothing more than a scam.

Internet scammers have added The Cheesecake Factory to its collection of restaurants that they promote bogus meal vouchers in order to trick unsuspecting people into handing over personal information.  Other establishments whose names have recently been used in scams include Outback Steakhouse, Pizza Hut, Burger King, Starbucks - among others.

The Cheesecake Factory scam is spread via wall posts (or private messages should the participant switch the setting in the share window):

Eat for Free at Cheesecake Factory!
cheesecakesblog.com

As the holidays approach, Cheesecake Factory has decided to celebrate early by giving away FREE DINERS to it’s fans and customers. Claim yours now before they’re all gone!

Take note that multiple URLs are used in this scam, including cc9.s3-website-us-east-1.amazonaws.com, thecheesecakegift.com & cheesecakesblog.com.

Should you follow the link, you’ll be greeted with a page demanding that you first share the offer with your Facebook friends and thank the scammer for including you in their latest evil scheme.



Upon saying thanks and confessing your blonde moment to the world on the page, you will be redirected yet again to another page that asks you 4 questions to see if you qualify for the free $100 Cheesecake Factory gift card  –

After answering the four questions – which include your gender and age range – you will be asked for your email address in order to “claim” your giftcard.



If you actually believe that then you should prepare to be disappointed, as you’ll be presented with yet another hoop to jump through in order to get your Cheesecake Factory giftcard:

Sure, the page may TELL you that you need to hand over your name, address, date of birth and phone numbers so they’ll know where to send the $100 giftcard, but the truth lies within the fine print at the bottom of the page:

In order to receive your gift you must: (1) Meet the eligibility requirements (2) complete the rewards bonus survey (3) complete a total of 5 Reward Offers as stated in the Terms & Conditions (4) not cancel your participation in more than a total of 2 Reward Offers within 30 days of any Reward Offer Sign-Up Date as outlined in the Terms & Conditions (the Cancellation Limit) and (5) follow the redemption instructions.

By the time you complete 5 “reward” offers, you will have paid well over the amount that the Cheesecake Factory giftcard is worth.

Meanwhile, the scammer will be laughing all the way to the bank as they earn a commission off each sign up – that’s if they’re not also mining your private data to steal your identity.

Don’t believe me? Just try leaving the page:



If you see the Cheesecake Factory giftcard scam in your news feed, mark the post as spam and warn the friend that posted it that they’ve fallen for a scam.

If you are the one that posted it, then delete the message from your Wall immediately and replace it with a post that warns your friends not to fall for it. If you submitted your personal information, be on the lookout for spam sent to your home address and email inbox. Also monitor your cellphone bill for suspicious charges as scammers may sign you up for expensive monthly SMS subscriptions.

If you fell for this scam and you're now spamming your friends with the same scam, you may need to check for rogue browser plugins.

Be sure to follow us on Twitter at @hyphenet or “Like” us on Facebook to stay up-to-date on the latest Facebook scams.

Facebook Scam Claims You Can Play Mario Kart on Facebook

Chances are you’ve already witnessed the latest scam to hit Facebook, claiming that you can now play the extremely popular Mario Kart video game on Facebook.

According to the share counter on the scam page, over 235,000 Facebook users have already helped the scam thrive by sharing it with their friends via Wall posts and direct messages. That number continues to grow by the second as more people are exposed to it.

If you see this message in your Facebook news feed or message inbox, mark it as spam and avoid clicking on the link:

Play Mario Kart on Facebook!
[link]

Play Mario Kart on Facebook with your Friends! Join the multiplayer mayhem NOW! Click here to play

Once you click on the link, you will be taken to a page that [supposedly] offers to start playing Mario Kart and be a pal by sharing the link with your friends so they can join in on the fun:



Contrary to the sales pitch, the only thing you’ll be playing after you hit that ‘Play Now’ button is a guessing game on whether or not the scammer will use the information you hand over in their surveys to commit identity theft or if they’re just after the traffic and commission they get from you completing it.

If you’re itching to get your Mario Kart fix, then it’s best that you break out the Nintendo console and steer clear of the Mario Kart Facebook scam.

Be sure to follow us on Twitter at @hyphenet or “Like” us on Facebook to stay up-to-date on the latest Facebook scams.

Spammers Promote Fake Steve Jobs Charity Fund

In not-so-surprising news, scammers have cooked up yet another Steve Jobs related scam – this time hoping that you’ll make a donation to their bogus “Steve Jobs Charitable Foundation,” which promises to help young developers “bring their ideas to life.”

Ever since Jobs’ passing 3 weeks ago, scammers have been hard at work attempting to boost traffic for affiliates, steal personal information and spread malware through a series of scams ranging from claiming Apple is giving away free iPads to spam that claims Jobs was still alive.

According to Trend Micro, the focus of this new bogus Steve Jobs charity fund is to lure people into sending money to an account belonging to an online casino payment site. It’s highly doubtful the owner would use the money for charitable purposes.

The email that scammers are sending out reads:

Subject: Raise money for Steve Jobs Charity Fond!

Good afternoon

Steve Jobs Charitable Foundation ask people about help for young webcoders. Majority of young gifted people do not have opportunity to study and bring their ideas into the life. As most known innovators in IT we support the individuals who dare to be different and work hard to change our livign quality for better.
You are the one who can join us. Even a small amount will work for us and for good.
We will keep in touch sending the reports of ouractivities.

[link]

Thank you very much

If you see the email above drop in your inbox, go ahead and delete it.

If you’re interested in donating money to a charity – ironically something Steve Jobs was well known for NOT doing – then it’s recommended that you navigate to a charity site by typing the organization’s URL directly into your browser’s address bar. Don’t follow a link from an email.

Stay on your toes, folks and beware of future Steve Jobs scams.

Be sure to follow us on Twitter at @hyphenet or “Like” us on Facebook to stay up-to-date on the latest computer security threats.

Photo Credit: Jonathan Mak Long

OSX/Tsunami.A Trojan Recruiting Macs for DDoS Attacks

Take your Mac to higher ground!

Researchers over at ESET have discovered a new IRC-controlled backdoor Trojan, OSX/Tsunami.A, seeking out unprotected Macs in order to recruit them into a bot for Distributed Denial of Service (DDoS) attacks.

OSX/Tsunami.A was spawned from a Linux family of backdoors (Linux/Tsunami) that ESET’s been tracking for nearly a decade. The OS X version is based on a 64-bit Mach-O binary instead of Linux ELF binaries and uses different IRC-related information.

Similar to the Linux version, once OSX/Tsunami.A takes residency on your Mac, it taps into a list of IRC servers and channels to listen for commands.

Aside from allowing your Mac to participate in a DDoS attack, OSX/Tsunami.A lets evil-doers to download files – whether they’re updates for Tsunami or other varieties of malware – and execute shell commands, offering the ability to take complete control of your machine.

Thankfully anti-virus firms stay on top of their game and both ESET and Sophos have updated their anti-virus software to detect OSX/Tsunami.

Would your Mac be safe from an incoming Tsunami?

Don’t take that chance of having your Mac drown in a sea of malicious content from a hacker. Make sure you’re running up-to-date antivirus software on your Mac.

Be sure to follow us on Twitter at @hyphenet or “Like” us on Facebook to stay up-to-date on the latest computer security threats.

Photo Credit: epugachev
Edited by Marquisa

Latest Email Scam: I'll Trade You $10 Million for $350

Would you believe someone if they told you they’d give you $10 million if you gave them $350 first?

I know I wouldn’t.

Often times scammers will send out spam emails, telling recipients that they have millions of dollars sitting in limbo and they just need a couple hundred bucks for documents or processing fees in order to give it to you.

For example, here’s a spam email I got recently:

Dear,

I want to inform you that I am presently in Soekarno-Hatta Jakarta International Airport Malaysia. with your box consignment that worth Ten Million United States Dollars  ( us$10million) in cash ready to be delivered to you without any delay. I have finalize with the Customs and the Airport Authorities they said before I can exit the Airport and meet with you that I must obtain the International Clearance Permit Certificate from the United Nation Remittance Office Department in Accra Ghana, I have  spoke with the officer  on telephone  Mr. Cyril  Foster to Ghana and he told me that it will cost you only (us $350)  to get your International Clearance  Permit Certificate, as soon as you send your ICPC fee been  only (us $350)  to MR.CYRIL FOSTER in Ghana  he will prepare your ICPC and send to me here to enable me come to you and delivered  your box consignment that worth Ten Million United States Dollars without any delay ok, I have made delivery to President Barrack Obama when he was a senator and I have also made delivery to the Queen of England also with the President of Chile.

Here is the name and location that you are going to use in making the payment to the United Nations Remittance Office Department in Accra Ghana for your International Clearance Permit Certificate.

Send your  ICPC fee to Cyril Foster  by money gram with the following information’s

(1) NAME: CYRIL FOSTER
(2) ADDRESS: ACCRA GHANA
(3)TEXE QUEATION: HOW ARE YOU
(4) ANSWER: FINE
(5) AMOUNT OF MONEY YOU SENT..........
(6) SENDERS NAME.......................
(7) M.T.C N............................
(8) CITY OR PLACE MONEY SENT FROM.......

Note that after making the payment you will have to send the  payment information  to me so that i will send it to Mr. Cyril Foster or if you still need his email address no problem i will also forward it to you so that you can still contact him direct and send the payment information's ok

for your information as soon as you send your Clearance Permit Certificate fee been  only (us$350 ) to Cyril Foster in Ghana then  I receive the Certificate it will only take me less then 1hour30mins to exit the Airport and come over and meet  you with your consignment box worth (us$10million) in cash without any problem ok

Best Regards
Mr. David James
Diplomatic

As you can see, the scammer is hoping that you’ll agree to send them $350 for an “International Clearance Permit Certificate” so he can deliver 10 million dollars in cash to your front door.

Now, if the sender really had 10 million dollars in cash, couldn’t he just take a couple hundred out and use that for this “clearance permit” he speaks of?

Yes, he could.

Not only that, but why is this person randomly offering 10 million dollars anyway? Oh, that's right, because he's not really giving it away.

If you receive this email – or any other email with a similar message – be sure to delete it.

It’s a scam.

Photo Credit: TaxBrackets.org

Be sure to follow us on Twitter at @hyphenet or “Like” us on Facebook to stay up-to-date on the latest internet scams.

Oh Look, There’s Another Facebook Scam Offering a Free iPad 2

A lot of people must fall for scams offering free iPad 2s, because the scams just won’t die.

Facebook users should be wary of the apps they install on their Facebook profile, as they may get you in trouble with your friends should the app decide to go through your friends list and start posting spam on your friend’s wall.

A friend of mine made the mistake of installing a rogue app, which then lead to the following spam being posted on my Facebook wall:



Upon going to look at his profile, I found that the app had sent spam to others and there appeared to be a total of 4 different versions spam being spread.

There’s the one I got:

 [your name] complimentary facebook IP2 give all away thanks to this facebook application –theres 896 remaining, RIP steve jobs great device [link] :)

Version 2:

[your name] use this app and get an ipaad2 basically free thanks to this facebook application ok hurry because theres about 977 left it costs nothing so go quick before their out [link] :X

Version 3:

[your name] did you claim the facebook iPaad 2 ups delivered in today –theres 129 available [link] rofl

Finally, version 4:

[your name] long time no talk@ posting from my new ApleiPaad courtesy of facebook –theres 8 in inventory as a giveaway [link] Enjoy!

[FYI: The typos and misspellings are not my doing, that's how the spam messages were written.]

All of the links advertised in the spam messages lead to Tumblr blogs with a single post on it, sporting the cookie cutter layout used in majority of Facebook scams that offer free stuff.

The offer was served through a framed page from apples-ipads2.com, which is registered to someone in Russia that I recently found to be running a work-at-home scam.

Like all other scams, if you do as you’re told in step 1 (share the page) and 2 (leave a comment), you will be redirected to a page that asks for more information:



Although it starts off slow in just asking for your email, once you enter it you will be taken to yet another page that asks for way more personal details, including your address, date of birth and phone number.



If you’re expecting to receive your free Apple iPad 2 after filling out your information, you can forget it.

Scammers are hoping you’re too star-struck by the thought of a free Apple iPad 2 to notice that the fine print on their pages state that you have to fill out surveys and complete 10 (yes, TEN) offers without canceling more than 2 of them within the first month of signing up.

Often times the “reward offers” entail signing up for a paid monthly service or applying for a credit card you don’t need. Not to mention it gives scammers nearly all of the information they need in order to commit identity theft and send you a mountain of spam to your email, home or even your cellphone!

By the time you’re done with everything, you’re likely to have paid for the full retail price of an iPad and then some.

Don’t fall for this scam, folks. If you see it, mark it as spam and delete it.

Note: If you notice that the scammer is using Tumblr blogs, you can email Tumblr (support@tumblr.com) to have them disabled. I did this for the blogs I found related to scam outlined in this post.

Be sure to follow us on Twitter at @hyphenet or “Like” us on Facebook to stay up-to-date on the latest Facebook and internet scams.

Buy of the Week: Dell 2350DN Laser Printer for $220

This deal has expired as of October 28th, 2011. To see the current buy of the week, check the ad at the top of the page.

Impress your clients with professional-quality double-sided printouts from the Dell 2350dn Mono Laser Printer. Enjoy sharp-looking documents, easy networking and fast printing with this dependable printer that works hard for your office or workgroup.

For a limited time, you can order a new Dell 2350DN Laser Printer from Hyphenet for only $220, plus shipping!

Call Hyphenet at (619) 325-0990 to order your Dell 2350DN Laser Printer today!

Specifications for the Dell 2350DN Laser Printer

Product	Dell 2350DN Laser Printer
Recommended Use	Plain Paper Print
Print Color	Monochrome
Max Mono Print Speed	40 ppm
Max Color Print Speed	Not Applicable
Duplex Printing	Automatic
Max Resolution	1200 x 1200 dpi
Max Monthly Duty Cycle	60,000 pages
Standard Interfaces	Hi-Speed USB 2.0 port, Parallel IEEE-1284, 10/100 baseTX RJ45 Ethernet port (Dell 2530dn).
Media Types Supported	Plain, Recycled, Light, Heavy, Bond, Rough (no Duplex support), Colored, Greeting Card Stock (No Duplex support), Envelopes (Supported from MPF only, no duplex support), Labels (Paper type), Transparencies (Laser), Letterhead, Preprinted
Warranty	1 Year - Next Business Day Advanced Exchange Service

Don't miss out on this Buy of the Week! Call Hyphenet at (619) 325-0990 to order your Dell 2350DN Laser Printer!

Buy of the Week offer valid through October 28th, 2011.

* Shipping and taxes may apply.

This deal has expired as of October 28th, 2011. To see the current buy of the week, check the ad at the top of the page.

Scammers Reveal Targeted Countries & Offer Your Money Back Just to Scam You Again

It’s doubtful that the internet crooks behind this phishing email meant to reveal what countries they’ve targeted in the past, but it looks like they’ve done just that.

Instead of spamming us with the regular nonsense about how we’ve won millions in dollars in some lottery, a bank payment has been delayed or that they want to invest some large amount in our business, they’ve come up with the brilliant idea to tell us that they received a report that we’ve been scammed and that they want to return the stolen money back to us!

In the email, it states that authorities in both the UK and US have been working together to investigate scams targeting British, American, and Asian citizens.

So, to me, that says “Hey, we’ve targeted you guys before and we’d like to rob you again.” Right?

Ironically, although it’s implied that the email is coming from the FBI of the UK, the recipient of this phishing email is instructed to contact the Federal Bureau Investigation Corporate Head Office in Nigeria to retrieve stolen monies.

Here’s the email:

From: Princess K. Murphy <fbideskenquiries@eol.cn>
Date: Tuesday, October 18, 2011 3:02 PM
To: [removed]
Subject: URGENT: scammed victims Funds

FEDERAL BUREAU OF INVESTIGATION
Head Office & Accounts

URGENT: scammed victims Funds

The Federal Bureau Investigation in UK in conjunction with the American  Government received a report of scam against you and other British/US and Asian citizens etc. You are listed and approved for payment as one of the scammed victims here in the UK. On this faithful recommendations, you are to contact the Federal Bureau Investigation Corporate Head Office In Nigeria for verification. Your funds will be transferred to you via western union. Thanks for your understanding and cooperation.

Princess K. Murphy
Public Relation Officer.
Federal Bureau Investigation.

Sooo, wait, you want me to contact an organization based in Nigeria (a country that the infamous “Nigerian Scams” are named after) to receive money via Western Union (which is often times the method used to transfer money in scams anyway) in order to get my money back?

Fat chance!

Looking at this scam from a criminal point of view, it’s actually a pretty good idea. Should the phishing email actually reach someone who was scammed before, they may actually take the bait and believe that they can get their money back - and ultimately wind up being scammed again!

By the way, did you happen to notice that the ‘from’ address is “fbideskenquiries@eol[dot]cn”?  That .cn extension is actually for China, not the UK. Also, the email wasn't even addressed to me.

If you happen to receive this email, be advised that it is nothing more than a scam and you should mark it as spam if it wasn’t caught by your email filter and delete it.

Don’t engage the scammer by replying to it, just get rid of it.

You have better things to do with your time.

Photo Credit: doctorwonder

Be sure to follow us on Twitter at @hyphenet or “Like” us on Facebook to stay up-to-date on the latest security threats.

 

OSX/Flashback.C Trojan Stops Automatic Updates for Built-in Anti-Malware Protection

Don’t think just because you have a Mac that you’re safe from malware, viruses or whatever other rogue applications are roaming around searching for trouble.

The latest variant of the Flashback Trojan discovered just last month, dubbed OSX/Flashback.C, has been found to have the ability of keeping OS X’s built-in anti-malware software, XProtect from receiving automatic updates.

According to the report by FSecure, OSX/Flashback.C decrypts paths within XProtectUpdater in order to decrypt the XProtectUpdater binary and unload the XProtectUpdater daemon. Once that’s said and done, OSX/Flashback.C moves to overwriting certain files that XProtect relies on for updates. This prevents XProtect from automatically receiving future definition updates from Apple and puts your system at the mercy of future malware programs.

Although XProtect isn’t a full-blown anti-malware application, it does provide limited protection against a small list of Trojans. Still, it's always recommended that Mac users run a complete anti-virus solution on their computer to make sure they have the best protection possible.

Disabling anti-malware applications is really nothing new, as it’s a common trick performed by malware that targets Windows PCs. By disabling whatever anti-malware protection that a computer has, the malicious program will be able to do its dirty work without interruption prior to being discovered by the end-user.

The OSX/Flashback Trojan has been found to make its way onto the Macs of unsuspecting users by posing as an update for Adobe Flash. So if you must update Adobe Flash, please go directly to adobe.com and download it there!

Clearly malware authors are taking more interest in targeting Mac users, so if you’re not running proper anti-virus protection on your fruit-flavored computer, its time you looked into getting some.

I personally run ESET NOD32 for Mac on my Macbook Pro, but Sophos Security offers a free anti-virus solution for Macs as well.

Stay safe!

Photo Credit: my-blackberry.net

Be sure to follow us on Twitter at @hyphenet or “Like” us on Facebook to stay up-to-date on the latest security threats.

Can Your Smartphone Be Used As a Keylogger?

Raise your [virtual] hand if you put your cellphone on the desk next to your computer while you’re on it.

If you do, you may be a little creeped out to learn that a Georgia Tech research team recently found a way to use the accelerometer in your smartphone to judge your keystrokes based on the vibrations caused by typing.

Worse yet, is that keystrokes typed can be deciphered with an 80 % accuracy.

So tell me, have you moved your smartphone away from your keyboard yet?

There’s no need to panic just yet. It would take quite a bit of work to actually determine what you’re typing – and the eavesdropper would fare better if they had an idea of the contents beforehand.

Still, the possibility is there for your iPhone – or other smartphone to work against you should you download a seemingly innocent app only to have it start to secretly listen in on your typed conversations with the help of your phone’s accelerometer.

Normally the accelerometer serves its purpose by sensing when the phone is moved or tilted, which is used by applications in order to flip the image – or page – currently being viewed to be presented in the right manner. Since there was no reason to believe the accelerometer could be used in such a way, no safeguards were put in place to prevent it.

The research done by the Georgia Tech team involved using an iPhone 4, but any smartphone made within the last 2 years would be sophisticated enough to be used in this type of attack.

Although there’s no real threat to your phone acting as a keylogger for the time being, the possibility is there – and now for all to know.

If you’re really worried about your smartphone listening in on you, it’s suggested that you keep your phone over 2 feet away from the keyboard – or off of the desktop altogether. Another way to kill off your smartphone’s listening capability would be to invest in a stone-top desk, eliminating keyboard vibrations altogether.

For more info, check out the press release from Georgia Tech here.

Photo Credit: John Larsson

Be sure to follow us on Twitter at @hyphenet or “Like” us on Facebook to stay up-to-date on the latest tech news.

Watch Out! That Offer to Get Free Pizza Hut for a Month is a SCAM!

Just like the Facebook scams that featured free Outback Steakhouse dinners, $100 Starbucks gift cards and free Burger King Vouchers, the “special” offer to get free Pizza Hut for a month is a big sham.

If you happen to see this message –or one similar to it- popup in your Facebook news feed, be sure to avoid clicking on it:

Eat for Free at Pizza Hut!
Pizzahutspecials.me

Take advantage of this special Pizza Hut offer! Receive a FREE pizza coupon today! Act quickly before the supply runs out. With only a few coupons left, they’ll go fast!

 

Clicking the link in the spam message will take you to a page that looks identical to the one used in all of the other free food voucher scams, instructing you to share the offer with all of your Facebook friends and leaving a shout-out to Pizza Hut for extending such a “gracious” offer.



Anyone that’s foolish enough to follow the words of the scammer will soon be disappointed to learn that they not only won’t get free pizza, but they’ve exposed their entire Facebook friends list to this scam.

Upon completing steps one and two of the offer, you’ll be taken to a third-party website that's asking you to fill-out surveys. Completing those surveys won't get you any closer to free pizza, but it will help you receive more spam and become the ideal candidate for identity theft.

Some of the domains used in the Pizza Hut Facebook scam are:

• All.pizzalovers.me


• Pizzahutspecials.me


• freepizzaoffer.net

Although, I’m sure there are countless others being used.

If you see this bogus Pizza Hut offer, be sure to report it as spam and warn your Facebook friends not to click on it.

Be sure to follow us on Twitter at @hyphenet or “Like” us on Facebook to stay up-to-date on the latest Facebook threats.

Don't Click Links in 'Bad Blog' Twitter Messages

While many of us use Twitter to catch the latest headlines or share our thoughts in 140 characters or less, we have to remember that cybercrooks use Twitter to spread spam and malware.

One of the spam campaigns floating around the fast-paced social network is the ‘bad blog’ one, which tricks innocent Tweeters into clicking a malicious link by saying there's a bad blog going around about them:

“So I guess theres a bad blog going around about you, seen it? [insert link]”

The message is spread via direct messages or a public tweet, typically from hijacked Twitter accounts.

Of course, there is no bad blog post, and the link will likely just lead to a malware-laden website in hopes of exploiting the vulnerabilities of the victim’s PC.

In the few cases we’ve witnessed first-hand, it seems as though folks are able to regain control of their Twitter account once the message has been sent. The rightful owner is then stuck with the task of warning their followers not to click the link and apologizing to those who have.

If you happen to receive – or see – a Twitter post mentioning a “bad blog going around” about someone, be sure that you don’t click on it.

Happy Tweeting!

Be sure to follow us on Twitter at @hyphenet or “Like” us on Facebook to stay up-to-date on the latest computer security threats.

No, Starbucks Isn't Giving Away Free Vouchers on Facebook

Is Starbucks celebrating their 40^th anniversary by giving away free vouchers valued from $50-100?

While it’s true that Starbucks hit the big four-oh back in March, sadly they are not spreading caffeinated cheer by giving away free vouchers on Facebook. (They even tweeted about it.)

Scammers are tapping into the love of delicious Caramel Frappuccinos and White Chocolate Mochas in order to get folks to hand over their personal information and share the scam with their friends.

While a variety of URLs are being used in spam messages promoting this fraudulent Starbucks offer, the ultimate message stays the same – free gift cards to celebrate the 40^th anniversary:

FREE Starbucks $50 Gift Card
drinkthis.me

To celebrate our 40th Anniversary, we are giving away thousands of $50 Gift Vouchers FREE - http://drinkthis.me/

Another variant offers a whopping $100 Starbucks gift voucher - and sports a different URL:

Get FREE Starbucks Vouchers - With a value of $100
gift-cards-4-drinks.com

To celebrate 40 years of Starbucks, we are giving away
thousands of $100 Gift Vouchers FREE - gift-cards-4-drinks.com 

Oh, just imagine all of the mouth-savoring lattes and baked treats you could get with that! That is, if it were real.

If you were to click on one of these offers, you’d be taken to a page where you’re asked to share the offer with all of your friends (to help keep the spam alive, of course) and declare your love for Starbucks in a comment.



However, the rabbit hole doesn’t end there, but instead leads you down a dark path filled with surveys intended to steal as much personal information as they possibly can and have you complete “silver”, “gold” & “platinum” offers that typically involve applying for credit cards and signing up for paid services.

By the time you're done with everything, you've probably spent more than the voucher is worth and set yourself up for a little thing called identity theft. (Feel free to panic now.)

So what do you do if you’ve already fallen for this scam?

1. Delete the “shared” message from your news feed and public wall.


2. Post a warning to your friends, telling them not to fall for the scam.


3. Be wary of offers you receive in the future via e-mail and snail mail, the scammer has your personal information, so they can send a far more detailed attack.


4. If you’ve given out your credit card or bank account numbers, closely monitor your billing statements for any suspicious charges or contact your bank/creditor and see if you can have your account numbers changed. You may also want to consider a credit freeze to keep the crooks from opening accounts in your name.

Always exercise caution when participating in special offers, especially on Facebook.

Crooks LOVE spreading scams on Facebook because they have the tendency to spread like wildfire.

Don’t miss out on the latest tech news and computer security alerts! Follow us on Twitter at @hyphenet,  “Like” us on Facebook or add us to your circle on Google+

No Doubt Facebook Page Hacked, Free Apple iPad 2 Scam Posted

I might be a fan of No Doubt, but I’m not so into Facebook scams.

If you happen to like No Doubt’s Facebook page, you may have witnessed the scam that briefly popped up in your news feed last night offering a free Apple iPad 2 to fans depending on how quickly they could jump on the offer:

“We are giving away Apple iPad 2’s to the first 1,000 fans who like this and sign up here: http://ow.ly/[removed]

OBEY! Don’t Doubt No Doubt!
hiderefer.com”

While some people quickly recognized that phishy scam smell, others were not so keen on it and promptly did as they were told by clicking that darn ‘Like’ button and advertised link, only to be directed to this page:



Unfortunately, those who entered their name, email and cell number quickly discovered that they had been signed up for an expensive SMS subscription service at $9/month.

God knows what kinds of spammy goodness the scammer will send to their email inboxes.

Had any of the victims of this scam bothered to check the terms and conditions before forking over personal details, they would’ve seen that it CLEARLY stated:

“Eligible members can receive the incentive gift package by completing two reward offers from each of the Silver and Gold reward offer page options and nine reward offers from the Platinum reward offer page options and refer 3 friends to do the same. Various types of reward offers are available. Completion of reward offers most often requires a purchase or filing a credit application and being accepted for a financial product such as a credit card or a consumer loan.”

Seriously, you might as well just go out and buy an Apple iPad 2 for full retail price at that point.

Thankfully the post was removed shortly after being posted and it was once again safe to click links on the American-rock band's Facebook page. However, the damage had already been done to some.

Hopefully the admin for the No Doubt Facebook page was smart enough to change the password to something a bit more secure after that to prevent any further intrusions.

Remember folks, there are a LOT of scams out there and most of them feature a free iPad 2. If something sounds too good to be true, then it probably is.

Wouldn’t you say that getting an iPad 2 simply for “liking” a post and handing over a couple pieces of information sounds too good to be true?

Yeah, I thought so too.

Don’t be a sucker.

Be sure to follow us on Twitter at @hyphenet or “Like” us on Facebook to stay up-to-date on the latest Facebook threats.

Crook Behind Tim Hortons Giftcard Facebook Scam Launching Burger King Scam

It seems that the cybercrook behind the recent scam that offered a free $25 Tim Hortons gift card is preparing to launch a similar scam offering Burger King meal vouchers.

One of the domain names used in the Tim Hortons gift card scam, timhortonsfor.me, now redirects to burgerkingcanada.me and displays a page exactly like the ones used in the Tim Hortons gift cards and Outback Steakhouse dinner scams:



As you can tell, the scammer obviously has a process in place to quickly register new domains, swap out a logo here and there and release it upon gullible Facebook users.

Like the scams previous to this upcoming Burger King one, the scammer populates tomorrow’s date as the deadline to help convince people to hurry up and share the scam with their friends and “say thanks” for the grand opportunity.

Of course, sharing the scam will help it thrive – all at the expense of your friend’s security.

Once the steps advertised on this page are completed, you will be taken to another page that asks for personal information – which will be sold to the highest bidder or used to steal your identity.

Facebook users can expect this scam to launch sometime within the next few days. The domain name, burgerkingcanada.com was only registered this morning (Oct 17^th).



Ironically, the scammer uses a service called “WhoisGuard Protection” in order to shield their identity.

Give your friends an early head’s up! Don’t fall for this scam!

Be sure to follow us on Twitter at @hyphenet or “Like” us on Facebook to stay up-to-date on the latest Facebook threats.

Photo Credit: dstrelau

 

Research in Motion Says Sorry to BlackBerry Users by Offering Free Apps

RIM has announced that they are offering an assortment of premium apps and a free month of technical support as a way of “saying sorry” to BlackBerry users for the outage that left them without messaging, web, and email service for 3 days.

The premium apps up for free grabs are said to be worth more than a total of $100 USD in value and include the following titles:
• SIMS 3
• Bejeweled
• N.O.V.A.
• Texas Hold’em Poker 2
• Bubble Bash 2
• Photo Editor Ultimate
• DriveSafe.ly Pro
• iSpeech Translator Pro
• Drive Safe.ly Enterprise
• Nobex Radio™ Premium
• Shazam Encore
• Vlingo Plus: Virtual Assistant

BlackBerry users will be able to download the apps from BlackBerry App World completely free of charge during a four week period that begins on Wednesday, October 19th.

As for the free Technical Support, customers with existing technical support contracts will get a free 1 month extension while those without a technical support contract will get a free one month trial of RIM’s Enhanced BlackBerry Technical Support Services.

“We are grateful to our loyal BlackBerry customers for their patience,” Research in Motion’s Co-CEO Mike Lazaridis said in a statement, “We have apologized to our customers and we will work tirelessly to restore their confidence. We are taking immediate and aggressive steps to help prevent something like this from happening again.”

You can see the full press release from Research in Motion here.

What do you think about RIM’s peace offering?

Be sure to follow us on Twitter at @hyphenet or “Like” us on Facebook to stay up-to-date on the latest tech news.

Buy of the Week: ASUS All-in-One PC ET2011AUKB

This deal has expired as of October 21st, 2011. To see the current buy of the week, check the ad at the top of the page.

The 20” ASUS All-in-One PC ET2011AUKB is less than 1-inch thick at its thinnest point and efficiently performs essential tasks like word processing, data processing, and high-definition media.

Powered by VISON technology from AMD, this all-in-one PC is built with an AMD Dual-Core Processor E-350 and an AMD Radeon™ HD 6310 graphics chip to deliver seamless multitasking and HD visuals. From its 100% recyclable packaging to its LED-backlit display, the ASUS All-in-One PC ET2011AUKB operates while saving energy and limiting impact to the environment.

For a limited time, you can order a new ASUS All-in-one PC ET2011 from Hyphenet for only $539*!

Call Hyphenet at (619) 325-0990 to order your ASUS All-in-one PC ET2011 today!

Specifications for the ASUS All-in-one PC ET2011

Display	20.0"(50.8cm) Wide Screen (16:9) HD+ (1600x900) LED backlight Screen
Processor	AMD Fusion E-350 CPU Dual-Core 1.6GHZ
Storage	1 TB 7200rpm hard drive
RAM	4GB DDR3 1066MHz (expandable to 4GB)
Graphics	AMD Radeon HD 6310 graphics
Optical Drive	Super-Multi DVD
Operating System	Windows 7 Home Premium 64-bit
Wireless	802.11 b/g/n @2.4 GHz
LAN	Gigabit LAN 10/100/1000
Audio	SonicFoucs 2 x 2 W internal speakers
Side I/O Ports	6 x USB 2.0 1 x 3 -in-1 Card Reader ( SD/ SDHC/ MMC)
Keyboard & mouse	Wired keyboard and wired mouse
Warranty	1 year standard warranty

Don't miss out on this Buy of the Week! Call Hyphenet at (619) 325-0990 to order your ASUS All-in-One PC ET2011AUKB!

Buy of the Week offer valid through October 21st, 2011.

* Shipping, CRV and taxes may apply.

This deal has expired as of October 21st, 2011. To see the current buy of the week, check the ad at the top of the page.

Don't Fall for the Delayed Bank Payment Phishing Email Scam

Oh, what’s this?

It’s another scam email to watch out for!

Although the email is signed by a Rev. Wilson P Klerk, recipients are “advice to contact” a Mr. Dickson Harry, who is allegedly on stand-by & waiting to provide a pin and transfer code in order to rescue your funds from “corrupt officials of the Bank.”

Um, yeah right…

The only corrupt parties involved are the senders. Seriously, I can smell the stench of lies and identity theft from here.

Here’s the full phishing email:

From: REV. WILSON P KLERK [un.wbununu@yahoo.com.ph]
To: undisclosed recipients:
Subject: IRREVOCABLE RELEASE OF YOUR PAYMENT

UNITED NATIONS NEW YORK
WORLD BANK ASSISTED PROGRAMME
DIRECTORATE OF INTERNATIONAL
PAYMENT AND TRANSFERS.
10017WIRE TRANSFER/AUDIT UNIT
Our Ref: WB/NF/UN/XX02x79

ATTN: IRREVOCABLE RELEASE OF YOUR PAYMENT

We have actually been authorized by the World Bank and international monetary fund (IMF), to investigate the unnecessary delay of your payment Recommendation and approval of your claims for payment is certified as genuine.

During the course of our investigation, we discovered with dismay that your payment has been unnecessarily Delayed by corrupt officials of the Bank, who are Trying to divert your Fund into their private accounts, to forestall this, security for your funds Was organized in the form of your personal Identification number (PIN) and your transfer access code (T.A.C), this will enable only you have direct Control over this fund.

We have also agreed with the World Bank and international monetary fund (IMF) that, we will handle this payment ourselves to avoid the hopeless situation created by these corrupt Officials.

We have obtained an irrevocable payment guarantee on your Payment, from the World Bank and international monetary Funds (IMF).We are happy to inform you that based on our recommendation/instructions; your Entire contract fund/inheritance claim has been credited in your favor through our paying bank.

You are therefore advice to contact: MR DICKSON HARRY,of HSBC BANK LONDON the (un)payiny bank Liaison Office in UK London, EMAIL: costorma@hotmail.com, Tel:+447045742309 to collect your original payment slip with your pin and transfer access code. As soon as you submit these codes and your payment slip to your bank, they will credit your account without delay.

NOTE: YOU ARE ADVICED TO RE COMFIRM YOUR INFOMATIONS TO AVOID TRANSFER OF THIS FUND INTO A WRONG ACCOUNT.

CONGRATULATIONS.

REV. WILSON P KLERK
UNITED NATIONS, NEW YORK

As you can tell, there are plenty of signs that this email is fake and all part of a scam.

What Gives a Scam Email Away?

• Poor grammar and spelling. English is obviously not the first language for whoever wrote this phishing email. Did you really think someone that’s supposed to be affiliated with the United Nations would write – let alone send – an email like that?


• It’s always coming from a foreign country. The signature says New York, but the sender’s email address has ‘ph’ in it, which stands for the Philippines. Not to mention person you’re supposed to contact is in London? Inconsistent much?


• The email addresses used never matches the organization they claim to represent. I doubt an email from someone representing the United Nations or a BANK would use FREE Yahoo and Hotmail email addresses to discuss business matters.


• You aren't the only one who got the message. Notice that the 'To' field shows undisclosed recipients? As in there was more than one recipient?

Sure, this time the scammer decided to leave the amount of money to be paid up to your imagination and they haven’t given a list of personal details to provide, but I’m sure it would come up in conversation if you bothered to take the bait.

Under no circumstances should you give scammers the satisfaction of a reply.

Instead, you should simply click the ‘Junk’ or ‘Spam’ button (if your filters didn’t mark it as spam already), followed by the ‘Delete’ button.

Hopefully the scammers will give up and get a real job.

Image Copyright (c) 123RF Stock Photos

Be sure to follow us on Twitter at @hyphenet or “Like” us on Facebook to stay up-to-date on the latest computer security threats.

Hackers Take Over Sesame Street YouTube Channel & Fill It With Porn

Look away, kids!!

Sunday we were all reminded of what twisted human beings roam the internet as hackers wiped all of the videos of the Sesame Street YouTube channel, only to upload a variety of hardcore porn.

The pervert allegedly behind the hackings couldn’t help but to take credit, updating the Sesame Street YouTube profile to read:

WHO DOESN'T LOVE PORN KIDS? RIGHT! EVERYONE LOVES IT! IM MREDXWX AND MY PARTNER MRSUICIDER91 ARE HERE TO BRING YOU MANY NICE CONTENT! PLEASE DON'T LET SESAME STREET TO GET THIS ACCOUNT BACK KIDS :( PLEASE...LET ME AND MRSUICIDER91 HAVE IT AND WE GONNA MAKE ALL THE AMERICA HAPPY!

However, it seems that fellow YouTube user “MREDXWX” is now denying any ties to this ghastly deed and has uploaded a YouTube video on his own channel to proclaim his innocence:



Thankfully the triple-X rated content wasn't available for too long. YouTube shut down the Sesame Street YouTube channel within 20 minutes of the adult-themed videos being uploaded.

The Sesame Street YouTube channel has since been sanitized and restored to its original wholesome condition. The hacker’s words have been replaced with a more public-friendly apology:

We apologize for any inconvenience our audience may have experienced yesterday on our Sesame Street YouTube channel. Our channel was temporarily compromised, but we have since restored our original line-up of the best classic Sesame Street video clips featuring Cookie Monster, Big Bird, Grover, Oscar the Grouch, and the rest of the fuzzy, feathered, and googly-eyed friends you remember from childhood.

So, parents, what did we learn from all of this? This should serve as a reminder that you MUST:

1. Always use a strong password – it should contain letters, numbers and special characters. Don't use words that are easily guessed.


2. Always supervise your child’s computer usage – while the Sesame Street YouTube channel typically provides kid-friendly content, there’s always that chance that some sicko could present your kid with inappropriate content.

Stay safe!

Be sure to follow us on Twitter at @hyphenet or “Like” us on Facebook to stay up-to-date on the latest computer security threats.