Columnist Victimized With Malicious E-Mail Campaign

Noted columnist Thom Smith of the daily newspaper "The Eagle" published in Bryan (Texas), lately was victimized with an e-mail scam. Berkshireeagle.com reported this on April 20, 2011. Smith, incidentally, is a regular contributor to the Naturewatch column in the Sunday edition of The Eagle.

The said scam reportedly involved a spam mail sent to all the contacts in Smith's address book from his account, which stated that he was touring the UK when someone stole his credit card and passport and that he required financial assistance for returning home. Notably, the scammers employed this strategy for extorting money out of the friends of the victim.

Many became alarmed when the scam electronic mail exploded. Consequently, ten readers of the newspaper reported it about the e-mail.

Stated Smith that at the time he logged into his PC, he found the list of e-mail ids he maintained, which his column's readers could refer to, had actually vanished.

One person who got the scam e-mail namely Amy Renak stated that the e-mail looked bogus as it had "Naturewatch" incorrectly spelled. Berkshireeagle.com reported this.

State specialists on computer-safety, the scam appeared to be the "419 scam" or faked Smith as though he was the "stranded traveler," a ruse wherein Internet scammers or hackers masquerade as someone known to the victim after which they attempt at persuading him that a relative, friend, or colleague of his had sent the message saying he was in a difficult position normally abroad.

Significantly, despite scams of the above kind being long-lasting as also the great publicity they've acquired a lot of people still get defrauded off large amounts of money, bemoan security specialists.

Hence the specialists ask e-mail recipients to peruse the e-mail carefully, while verify if the e-mail sender claiming as the stranded traveler is really abroad struck in the way described. One good method is to telephone him and ask him directly.

Meanwhile, Police also suggests the public that suppose they get a dubious-looking electronic mail as in the latest incident, then they should inform about it on the official website of the National Internet Crime Complaint Center.

» SPAMfighter News - 4/28/2011