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Hitman Spam Mails Con Recipients into Paying Ransom

Investigators from Symantec the security company caution that the 419 scams, which involve money-extortion e-mails sent to netizens, are once again doing the rounds.

Understandably, the company spotted one sample message lately wherein a supposed hitman claiming his name as Don Gunshot contacts the recipients.

Says Samir Patel Researcher at Symantec, the scammer isn't familiar with the e-mail recipient, however, he poses as the beneficiary of a money payment for murdering the person. He blackmails the user by threatening him about terrible consequences in case he even murmurs the secrets elaborated within the e-mail. Essentially, the fraudster orders the user to avoid the police while he mustn't also dare tell his friends regarding the looming danger else he'll be at the risk of his own life, highlights the e-mail, according to Patel. Infosecurity-magazine.com reported this on July 6, 2011.

Nevertheless, the e-mail also shows a touch of generosity. The hitman (e-mail sender) makes an offer, saying that never before has he betrayed his job, yet this time, feeling pity for the user, he has decided to help him provided the person is ready to help himself. And this is where the problem's core is.

The scammer writes that the recipient requires paying a ransom of $5,000 within 2 installments following a deadline for escaping the killing. Furthermore, he stresses the problem's severity by attaching pictures to the electronic mail. Evidently, the pictures are about men equipped with sniper rifles, while hunting for the victim i.e., the recipient himself.

Thereafter the e-mail warns of another thing i.e. if the recipient gets in touch with the authorities else doesn't fulfill the request then his family members too will be similarly at risk of their lives

But, Symantec advises people going online to never answer e-mails of this kind as well as to send the messages to the cops before deleting them permanently. Eventually, the above mentioned spam mails aim at making people getting the e-mails to part with their money in extortion schemes, the company observes. It's simply one more creative trick for defrauding innocent people off their hard-earned cash, Symantec states at the end.

Related article: Hitman Scam E-mail makes place in U-M Inboxes

ยป SPAMfighter News - 7/15/2011

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