Type your question in the Fake Charity E-mails In Latest Spam Campaigns
Friday 24 November 2006
The latest spam campaigns include a fake site for helping underprivileged children and a hoax charity lottery.
Security experts Panda Software yesterday identified a new web site designed to attract 'mules' - people unwittingly used to launder stolen money, who will then be held responsible if the scam is uncovered.
The site pretends to belong to a real organisation aimed at helping underprivileged children, but this is a ruse to win the confidence of potential mules.
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Spam messages have been sent out promising lots of money for working only a few hours a day. A link in the message takes the reader to the fake website.
Meanwhile, the UK Government's Charity Commission is warning against a new e-mail that claims to be in conjuction with the British Red Cross and Action Against Hunger UK.
The phishing scam tells the recipient they have won half a million pounds in a lottery. They are then asked to send their personal details as well as paying an amount upfront for 'processing' before they can receive their prize.
Another spam campaign has been discovered by security experts Sophos. This involves e-mails promising explicit images and videos, but really links to a Trojan virus that could compromise your PC.
Despite the obvious nature of some of these scams, people still fall for them and security experts are once again warning users never to respond to e-mails such as these.
Sophos
Panda Software
Charity Commission
Related Tip: Preventing Spam
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