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Starbucks Gift Card Spam Targets Twitter and E-mail Users

With an intention to target users of Facebook, Twitter, and e-mail users, a starbucks-themed scan has been revealed, as reported by HELP NET SECURITY on November 21, 2011.

Initially the scam was restricted to Facebook only but now that the scheme has been playing perfect role, the cyber criminals have decided for expansion of their operations. Thus, they have started sending emails randomly to individuals with the hope that they will be enticed with all false promises.

The fake messages with the intention of luring the recipients falsely promise of return gifts for a few clicks and provision of some personal information from Starbucks. The e-mail messages however intentionally request the users to share the link through Twitter or through Facebook.

On clicking the link, the user is automatically taken to visit the previous pages and rather then urging them to share the ad on Facebook, they are requested to share the opportunity with their Twitter friends.

The user now is faced to try one of the three mobile apps. Choosing of any of the app takes him to a survey scam site which has been used intensively in past attacks by the Trend Micro researchers. This site invites the user to enter their mobile number, which automatically makes the users subscribed to some unwanted process. Some of the services included contain certain clubs that send content to subscribers on a daily basis. As a result of this unwanted service, a user is charged additionally for using the service.

In addition the next step in this complex process is the winning stage, which replicates a YouTube page that promises even more gifts in the form of mobile apps along with a free $100 Starbucks gift card that is never delivered to the deceived user.

However, security experts claimed that the message is not a legitimate offer and is not from Starbucks. It is infact a scam that is designed with the intention of cheating the users. In this trick, people are first enticed to submit personal information or making them signing up for unwanted expensive services. The participants of this scam are never provided with their promised gift card.

With the continued effort of luring users as well as Facebook, scams entangling social nerworking sites will prolong.

ยป SPAMfighter News - 11/25/2011

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