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Spam Exploiting Gadhafi’s Demise goes on: Symantec

Symantec researchers stumbled on fresh versions of the already circulating spam mails regarding Muammar Gadhafi the Libyan leader's death, which are actually nothing, but 419 scams, as per the news published in Softpedia dated November 1, 2011.

The new spam mails enticed users with subject lines like "WHAT DOES THE FUTURE HOLDS FOR US AFTER THE DEATH OF GADAFI." Apparently, the warning may appear convincing given that it's sent from a United States citizen rather than any lady who asserts that she's Gadhafi's wife.

The e-mail states that the writer is Captain Brandon Hale, a NATO intelligence officer in Libya who is part of a Joint Monitoring as well as Peace-keeping mission deployed inside Libya along with being in charge of protecting civilians within Libya and Tripoli in general. Subsequently, the e-mail offers a proposal within the message's initial part.

However, users who respond to this proposal, end up getting asked for cash to process the transaction alternatively, an account with a bank into which the spammers can deposit the cash secretly.

Security researchers state that spammers are in the current time popularly using Gadhafi's death as their tactic. Sadly, these fake e-mails, in addition to targeting English speakers, aims at Brazilian citizens too as several of them are written in Portuguese language.

There is one more spam mail that exploits Gadhafi's death using the caption "New video, not released due to disturbing images, shows Gadhafi executed on his knees while asking for mercy from guards."

Targeting mostly Brazilian inhabitants, this spam mail provides a web-link that when clicked installs an .exe file, which's actually malicious. Symantec says this malware is Trojan.Ransomlock!gen4.

Furthermore, the security researchers stated that more freshly-launched e-mail scams dealt with still more contentious claims, a few asserting that Gadhafi isn't dead. This is evident from one malware item, which tries to steal end-users' digital assets.

Thus, it's advisable that Internet-users keep exercising caution, while hunting for news, videos or pictures about any latest interesting news event, while be careful in not clicking dubious attachments or web-links got through uninvited e-mails. Moreover, they must maintain their security software up-to-date.

Related article: Spam Scam Bags a Scottish Connection

» SPAMfighter News - 11/8/2011

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