Hackers Target Santa Clarita Residents with Phishing Scam

According to online security specialists, hackers are targeting netizens of Santa Clarita with a new e-mail scam.

Reports state that e-mail users are getting messages in which the e-mail sender disguised as the recipient's friend says that he is stranded in London and therefore urgently needs $2,000.

The phishing e-mail also informs the recipient that the supposed friend will return the money as soon as he gets back home. It further instructs him to send the money through Western Union or Money Gram.

The e-mail thereafter provides the name of the sender as well as a London address where he is putting up.

The scam e-mail understandably became noticeable when a reputed businessman of Santa Clarita got a telephone call on June 29, 2009 morning from one of his friend who asked about his well being.

The alert entrepreneur instantly spotted the phishing e-mail as well as alerted his friends. Not only this, he even notified the security specialists.

The security specialists after studying the phishing e-mail pointed out that the e-mail appeared very convincing. According to them, the message actually didn't appear as if it was sent by any gang of Nigerian scammers because the e-mail had the recipient's name. That means that the e-mail isn't an unsolicited message.

Consequent of this fact, several innocent people getting the e-mail could easily become victims of the scammers, the experts apprehended.

Nevertheless, they say that if anyone gets a message of this kind, they should handle it cautiously, especially if it directs to send money, although the e-mail seems to be sent by someone known.

Meanwhile, people using Web mail must ensure that there is utmost security of their account credentials and remain alert of probable phishing scams that could filch their account information. A lot of e-mail users might be having a number of Web mail accounts, with some often remaining idle. Therefore, it is advisable that the account owners should review all of their Web mail accounts on a regular basis to make sure that no one compromises them.

Related article: Hackers Redirect Windows Live Search to Malicious Sites

» SPAMfighter News - 7/9/2009