Explore the latest news and trends  

Sign up for our weekly security newsletter


Be the first to receive important updates on security





Send

Scam E-mails Currently Being Translated into Irish-language

Co Wexford (within County of Ireland) based IT security and anti-virus firm ESET has warned that online con artists are now targeting Irish web-surfers with scam e-mails that have been translated into their local language.

The security company states that one fresh surge of such electronic mails is doing the rounds as the messages confirm their readers in Irish about a 450,000 euro windfall they're entitled to, having won a Spanish lottery.

Giving more information about the above referred scam, IT Security & Cyber-crime Analyst Urban Schrott at ESET, Ireland stated that the cyber-crooks had gone as far as translating the e-mail text in 'Gaeilge,' the language which people in Ireland spoke. That was sure to make the message appear authentic to the Irish recipients, while responding to it could imply divulging one's own information to the criminals, he warned. Insideireland.ie published this on January 4, 2012.

Schrott added that in case of all '.ie' marked e-mail ids getting targeted it could mean that a massive 10m spam mails were pushed out; nevertheless, 90% of such bulk phishing e-mails were usually blocked at the online entry gateway itself.

Worryingly, according to a NCA (National Consumer Agency) conducted research, more than 28% of the people getting the Irish-language e-mails responded in the hope they could take part in the sweepstake fraud, while 1 in ten recipients had given away information alternatively money to the scammers, ESET outlined.

Moreover, according to Schrott, alongside the above lottery e-mail scam, another scam that was circulating online i.e., the "London scam" had victimized many people with an e-mail supposedly from someone close requesting for money since the person, claiming to be a friend, was stuck penniless in London.

Besides, additional frequent scams that NCA became aware of were phishing e-mails soliciting confidential private information like any bank fraud electronic mail, or an unwanted entity writing to falsely inform that infection had set onto the user's computer, Schrott added.

Thus, for lessening the possibilities of becoming a victim of any of the above fraudulent e-mails, Schrott advised Internet-users for treating them as spam, while wholly abstaining from answering them.

Related article: Sixem Worm Striking World Cup

ยป SPAMfighter News - 1/13/2012

3 simple steps to update drivers on your Windows PCSlow PC? Optimize your Slow PC with SLOW-PCfighter!Email Cluttered with Spam? Free Spam Filter!

Dear Reader

We are happy to see you are reading our IT Security News.

We do believe, that the foundation for a good work environment starts with fast, secure and high performing computers. If you agree, then you should take a look at our Business Solutions to Spam Filter & Antivirus for even the latest version of Exchange Servers - your colleagues will appreciate it!

Go back to previous page
Next