Ransomware Scam Hits Canadian Internauts First Time

According to the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP), a new ransomware scam is circulating online in Canada as it prevents computer owners from using their PCs supposedly citing law enforcement regulation, thus published infosecurity-magazine.com dated October 26, 2012.

It's evident that the malicious software, which's delivered via sinister web-links accompanied with phishing operations, prevents computer activity as well as shows on-screen a pop-up displaying the RCMP logos alternatively the logos of law-enforcement bodies cautioning users that an association has been found between their PCs and illegitimate music or child pornography loading, followed with demands for financial penalty.

The scam sends out an e-mail, which tells the reader that he must pay $100 through the payment facility -Ukash for restoring their computers' operation.

Notably according to the Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre (CAFC), the above e-mails are definitely fraud crafted for causing shock and worry to victims in order that they reply fast by handing over money to the scammers.

The scam, which's unprecedented in Canada, has spread to USA and lately to United Kingdom also. For Canada, the scam being new, authorities are specially adopting measures for making people aware.

Remarking about the currently-spreading fraud, Kathy McDonald Acting Sgt. from the Crime Prevention Unit of Calgary Police Service stated that police wouldn't ever say anything like the above to the public. They wouldn't ever direct to pay fines, if any, in the said manner. For, police organizations' manner of operation wasn't as shown, she continued. Calgaryherald.com published this on October 26, 2012.

Additionally, Ms. McDonald said that people may get victimized with the ransomware fraud via following web-links alternatively viewing phishing e-mails.

Unit Manager Daniel Williams for CAFC stated that starting March 2012, ten reports arrived at the Centre from Calgary (Alberta, Canada) with someone in one instance even paying the hundred dollars so-called penalty through Ukash. In the latest scam (October 19, 2012), there was mention of the "Cyber-Crime Investigation Department of Calgary," the official added.

Recently, police of Lethbridge (Alberta, Canada) received approximately six calls, according to Const. Kevin Althouse representing the Economic Crimes Section of Lethbridge Regional Police Service. Calgaryhelrald.com published this.

Related article: Ransomware Trojan Asks for $300 for Giving User Data Back

» SPAMfighter News - 11/3/2012