Scam E-mail Victimizes ‘Toronto Sun’ Co-founder

Peter Worthington, a co-founder of the English daily Toronto Sun published in Ontario and Toronto of Canada was lately struck with a scam e-mail, published Torontosun.com dated December 17, 2011.

Actually, a friend of Worthington lately called him to say that she got one electronic mail from him that stated that he, while touring Madrid, Spain lost his bag containing cash, credit cards and passport to thieves. Thus, he required her to help with some money, preferably wired through Western Union, for solving the current problem. Moreover, she could write to him over e-mail alternatively call at the desk phone-number 3496-246-3149 of Blue Island Hotel, the e-mail ended in anticipation of a response, the friend narrated.

Soon, phone calls started coming to Worthington from contacts whose e-mail ids were listed on his address book and had been recipients of the e-mail. But, another friend named Vince Courtenay recognized the e-mail as false since it began with "Hi!" that was unlikely for Worthington to use.

Worryingly, according to security researchers, Worthington had become a subject of the "stranded overseas scam" one that's frequently found on the Internet.

They elaborate that in this e-mail scam, recipients of the message are urged for wiring cash towards assisting their ill-fated pal, like Worthington within the current instance, return home following getting stuck in a different country. And as, the e-mail arrives from the compromised e-mail id of the victim and is chanced with containing his name as well as e-mail signature, it's expected that at least some people will become convinced of it and thereby, wire the money asked for.

But, the friend isn't actually stranded overseas, therefore, whatever cash is wired will land up with the scammers. Also, while the initial fraudulent activities occur, the actual compromised e-mail id owner mayn't even know of the hijack, according to the security researchers.

Thus, it's advisable that anyone getting this kind of e-mail should simply erase it. Additionally, incase anybody thinks that his e-mail has been hijacked following failed login attempts then he must report to the related host of the web-mail regarding the matter, the researchers add.

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» SPAMfighter News - 12/30/2011