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Egyptian Turmoil Exploited for Distributing Scam E-mails

According to security researchers, cyber-criminals, who like exploiting current sensational news happenings for deceiving unwitting people, are acting exactly the same during the recent remonstrations that are going on in Egypt. Kpic.com reported this on February 10, 2011.

Highlight the researchers that scam e-mails are circulating, of which one, expressing apologies from the sender for not informing the recipient that he's in Egypt to attend a program, suggests that the sender while in Cairo underwent something very bad. Apparently, some gunmen robbed him while he was returning to his lodge and these gunmen, who were among the remonstrators, snatched his purse and other precious things, the e-mail continues.

Consequently, the sender feels distressed because the hotel where he's staying has retained his passport as well as other belongings till he clears his bills. And since this is embarrassing for him, could the recipient please assist him with some 821 pounds (USD1322) as loan, which he'll return, so he could clear his hotel expenses as also return home, the sender writes.

State the security researchers, these bogus SOS electronic mails are arriving from fraudsters pretending to be a relative or friend. Cyber-thieves usually send them after collecting contact details via compromising somebody's account on a social network or his e-mail, alternatively via accumulating those people's names which are on the network of bulk e-mails. It may even happen that the fake e-mail arrives from an id, which appears very similar to that of a friend.

And because the bogus SOS e-mail campaign is so malicious, security specialists are suggesting certain precautions that people should take for avoiding the scams.

One, they must forever treat e-mails with suspicion which cite an emergency situation and so the requirement for wiring cash, irrespective of the persons sending the messages. Many-a-times if not always, when anybody asks for a money-transfer, it represents a fraud.

Two, if any such e-mail raises a doubt in the mind of the recipient then he must call his friend and verify the situation. Also, if it turns out a scam then he should tell all his acquaintances regarding the message, the specialists advised.

Related article: Egypt Positioned No.1 for Computer Viruses within EMEA

» SPAMfighter News - 2/19/2011

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