|
|
|
|
|
|
Top Email Scams of 2007
Each year has its own, unique trends in email scams floating around the internet. These are the top email scams facing consumers in 2007
2007 brings a new slew of email scams. These are, for the most part, variations on older email scams. To help you identify the newest email scams
we list each year's top email scams and provide a brief explanation of how they work and what you can do if you've been a victim. The top email
scams of 2007 are PDF attachments containing spam, fake emails from the FBI, Spam from military accounts, e-Card greeting scams and threatening
extortion scams. You'll recognize many of these immediately for what they are but other may be new to you. We urge you to read about all of them
so that you'll recognize these scams for what they are.
These are the top email scams of 2007:
PDF Email Spam
This year we've seen an enormous increase in spam emails with PDF attachments. The emails and the names of the attached PDF files are generic
with names like bill.pdf, invoice.pdf, announcement.pdf or report.pdf to name but a few. For a while these filled email boxes daily. Opening
the attachments reveals these PDF's for what they are - spam. These PDF's are about 3 or 4 pages long and the first page has the exciting
stock alert they want you to act on. The rest of the PDF will look like gobbledegook or what appears to be garbage that that doesn't make sense.
These random words and sentences are intended to fool anti-spam measures. If each message appears unique to your spam filter, it has a better
chance of reaching your mailbox. Most are nothing more than worthless stock recommendations. Here are the telltale signs that you're the recipient
of one of these emails:
- You don't know who sent it
- You do know who sent it but the subject line makes no sense
- The body of the message makes no sense
- There's a PDF attached that you know nothing about
- You open the PDF and find a spammy sales pitch
Our advice is that you just delete these emails withput even looking at the PDF. It probably won't hurt anything. Just don't make a purchase
based on the PDF or email's content.
Fake emails from the FBI are on the rise
We have increasingly received reports of fraudulent schemes misrepresenting the FBI and Director Robert S. Mueller III. The e-mails may
include pictures of the FBI Director, the seal, letter head, and banners. The letters may also claim to come from domestic or foreign FBI
offices.
Most of the schemes that use the Director?s name or refer to the FBI are lottery endorsements and inheritance notifications. They also
include threat and extortion e-mails, website monitoring containing malicious computer program attachments (malware), and online auction scams.
Beware of any unsolicited e-mail referencing the FBI, Director Mueller or any other FBI official endorsing any type of Internet activity.
Fraudsters pretending to be from the FBI?which is an old trick?hope to cash in by intimidating their victims.
Spam Emails from the Military
We continue to receive reports of spam e-mail which claim to be from an official of the U.S. military sent on behalf of American soldiers
stationed overseas. The scam e-mails vary in content; however, the general theme of each is to request personal information and/or funds from
the individual receiving the e-mail.
Beware of any e-mail received from an unknown sender which either requests personal information or asks for money for any reason. We recommend
against opening e-mail from unknown senders because they often carry viruses or other malicious software.
e-Card Greeting Scams
We continue to receive reports of Internet fraud related to electronic greeting cards containing malware (malicious software). The cards, which
are also referred to as e-cards or postcards, are being sent via spam.
Like many other Internet fraud schemes, the perpetrators claim the card is from a family member or friend. Although there have been variations
in the spam message and attached malware, generally the spam directs the recipient to click the link provided in the e-mail to view their
e-card. Upon clicking the link, the recipient is unknowingly taken to a malicious web page.
Beware of unsolicited emails. It is recommended not to open emails from unknown senders because they often contain viruses or other malicious
software.
Threat and Extortion Emails are back with a twist
There is a new twist to an older email scam in which emails claim the sender has been paid to kill the recipient and will cancel the contract on
the recipient's life if that person pays a large sum of money. Now e-mails are surfacing that claim to be from the FBI in London. These emails
note the following information:
- An individual was recently arrested for the murders of several United States and United Kingdom citizens in relation to this matter.
- The recipient's information was found on the subject identifying the recipient as the next victim.
- The recipient is requested to contact the FBI in London to assist with the investigation.
It is not uncommon for an Internet fraud scheme to have the same overall intent but be transmitted containing variations in the email content,
e.g., different names, email addresses, and/or agencies reportedly involved.
Please note, providing any personal information in response to an unsolicited email can compromise your identity and open you to identity theft.
Due to the threat of violence inherent in these extortion emails, if you receive an email that contains personally identifiable information
that might differentiate your email from the general email spam campaign, we encourage you to contact the police.
The FTC works for the consumer to prevent fraudulent, deceptive and unfair business practices in the marketplace and to provide information
to help consumers spot, stop, and avoid them. To file a complaint or to get free information on consumer issues, visit www.ftc.gov or call
toll-free, 1-877-FTC-HELP (1-877-382-4357); TTY: 1-866-653-4261. The FTC enters Internet, telemarketing, identity theft, and other fraud-related
complaints into Consumer Sentinel, a secure, online database available to hundreds of civil and criminal law enforcement agencies in the U.S.
and abroad. You can also notify the IC3 by filing a complaint at www.ic3.gov.
Email Scam Related Links:
FTC's Dirty Dozen Email Scams
Nigerian Email Scams
Nigerian Check Scams
FBI Surveillance Email
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
This site is protected under both U.S. Federal copyright law and international treaties. No part of this site,
including text, layout or images, may be reproduced or copied in any form or by any method.
|
