Fake Notice Purports E-Crime Unit

The Metropolitan Police in the UK has issued a warning against the Windows user towards safeguarding themselves from a fake message purporting to be from the computer crime-fighting cops, as per news published in nakedsecurity on February 13, 2012.

The mail attacks a user's computer by locking it and purports to be an unofficial notice from a legal agency, while claiming the victim's PC to have visited illegitimate websites.

Ransomware has already been played in the past and cyber crooks have very tactfully been successful in deceiving users into providing huge amount, on return of proper functioning of their PC.

The threat concealed in the spam works miraculously and in the fright of being in trouble and receiving a public notice, people hastily agrees into paying the ransom.

The warning further specifies that a user's machine is held back due to illegal visit to several infected web sites, though in reality no names are revealed.

Once a PC is under the control, a warning purporting the Metropolitan Police Central e-crime Unit (PCeU) indicts a user for accessing pornographic websites and asks them to pay a fine for unlocking their computer. However, the police issues an advise recommending that this kind of dupe attempts are completely fake and demands public to maintain their privacy and hold back from providing any personal details or funds as genuine law agencies never contact people in this manner, as per news published in CIO on February 13, 2012.

The police further advised people to immediately contact their credit card company on being duped in this scam. On events of compromise of a PC, there are possibilities that a computer screen shows messages of making visits to duped sites or even installing malicious software over a computer.

Nevertheless, the police recommend the infected users to hand over the matter to their card issuer immediately and take legal help from the nearest police station.

Related article: Fake Spam Mail Announces Australian PM’s Heart Attack

» SPAMfighter News - 2/18/2012