ACCC Warns about Fake Undelivered Parcel Messages

In Australia, ACCC (Australian Competition and Consumer Commission), which works to safeguard the citizens against scams, recently issued an alert that fake e-mails are triggering a ransom malware this Christmas, as they inform recipients they require collecting packages from their nearest post-office, published crn.com.au dated December 1, 2014.

According to Delia Rickard Deputy Chairperson of ACCC, incase Internauts think there would be a gift delivered on their behalf to a friend/relative, it's vital for remaining wary of these fraudulent e-mails landing inside their mailbox. Crn.com.au published this.

The said e-mails impersonate reputable delivery firms -FedEx or Australia Post- with a few even modified to have the address and name of the recipient. Essentially they state it wasn't possible to deliver a so-called parcel while an attachment provides the instructions to collect it.

But the attachment alternatively a given web-link really installs the ransom malware on the victim's PC. ACCC warns the scam in another sample promises a re-delivery if the user pays $10-$30 through credit card or wire-transfer. Such a payment subsequently benefits the scammer and if he gathers financial information out of the transaction then that too gets used for more abuse.

Besides, the victim mayn't eventually have his data-files retrieved alternatively find the ransomware not activating again later.

Rickard states the above frauds are frequent during Christmas and subsequent periods. In 2014, $100,000-or-more has already been stolen because of package delivery frauds during which the ACCC received 400-or-more complaints, according to the official. Itwire.com published this, December 1, 2014.

Rickard further warns that incase any user doubts regarding an undelivered parcel message, he/she should talk to the firm straight away for confirming if the message is real without following the web-links else opening the attachments. Besides, any contact detail provided should be independently sourced via phone-book or online-search and not via answering on phone-numbers given.

It should be realized that any buyer has probably already made payments for his parcel's delivery therefore no further charges should be forthcoming. Meanwhile, any user, who thinks he has given his credit card/banking information in response to a scam, should talk to his card company/bank instantly, Rickard concludes.

» SPAMfighter News - 12/4/2014