Sophos Identifies Fake E-mails Supposedly from Popular Websites

During recent while, researchers from Sophos the security company say, there's been an enormous rise in total fake electronic mails supposedly originating from YouTube, Google, Amazon and LinkedIn. The spurious notices apparently take victims onto malware-embedded Internet sites in addition to malicious pharmacy sites.

To explain, the researchers reveal an example each, delineating the different e-mails. Those seemingly arriving from YouTube tell readers about a video regarding them as being the most popular on YouTube.

Moreover, those seeming as notifications from LinkedIn state that there are an aggregate of four e-mails for the recipient that need to be replied.

Lastly, those posing as messages from Google bear the title "Google Support has sent you a message: You are on the Top."

The above e-mails, however, aren't really refined. Still, given that the spammers crafted them so well in terms of graphics as also that they just direct probable victims to follow a harmless appearing web-link, the likelihood for numerous Internauts believing the scams and becoming victimized are plenty.

Disturbingly, it's because of the above kinds of malware-laced bulk electronic mails, which are responsible for an increase in malware online, according to the researchers. Their remark gets the backing of 'Eleven,' the major Germany-based e-mail security vendor whose data from its "October 2012 E-Mail Security Report" show a continuous rise in malware-laced e-mails during August-September 2012. E-mails taken in aggregate and having familiar malicious programs rose 119% during just September 2012. Comparing that with September 2011 and with a previous 3-month period, the report shows a 252.8% and an 88.3% rise, respectively, outline Sophos' researchers.

Nonetheless, one can safeguard himself from falling victim to such scams by forever remaining cautious while opening web-links within unsolicited e-mails, no matter how real they look. It's thus advisable that recipients brush their mouse on the embedded web-links that will show where exactly those are leading to. Additionally, one must maintain their anti-spam and anti-virus software up-to-date. For, any Internet-user who becomes careless can easily get ensnared with the spammer's ruse, while unknowingly hand over his data as well as finances to the criminals, the researchers add.

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» SPAMfighter News - 10/27/2012