Cyber-Criminals Cashing on Robin Williams’ Demise, Caution Specialists

Security researchers have issued an alert of different Internet scams capitalizing on Robin Williams' recent and tragic demise, the famous comedy actor of Hollywood, published softpedia.com dated August 18, 2014.

According to the researchers, a movie clip is being circulated on social-networking websites asserting it presents William's parting words before he committed suicide on 11th August, 2014. However, the movie is a fake, since clicking on it results in malware for the PC playing it.

These malware samples mostly comprise keystroke loggers, which filch personal information such as usernames and passwords, or credit card details from the victim's PC, a trick known as 'click baiting.'

Security Response Manager Satnam Narang of Symantec says that the scam has many versions while a few web-links can lead the end-user onto fraudulent sites as well as invade his Facebook account. Vpncreative.net published this dated August 17, 2014.

Narang explains that actually no movie as claimed exists. If end-users follow the web-link associated with the so-called movie clip, they'll be led onto one bogus BBC News site. Typical of social scams in which victims need to do certain tasks prior to seeing the content, the current one too instructs end-users towards distributing the movie among all his friends on Facebook prior to viewing it.

The latest bout with such movies after Mr. Williams' demise isn't something unknown. Likewise movies were seen following other celebrity Hollywood stars' deaths like Whitney Houston, Paul Walker and Amy Winehouse.

Narang adds that the Williams related malicious campaigns may've begun within only 48-hrs following the news of the demise. Gmanetwork.com reported this dated August 15, 2014.

The expert urges everyone to maintain vigilance and skepticism whilst reading touchy tales distributed on social-networking websites.

He further advises not to install applications alternatively answer poll questionnaires so gated content can be viewed for, that is merely a trick for handing over cash to online scammers while one's PC gets endangered with malware. It's prudent to access trustworthy news sites to learn about a news incident. Rather than follow random web-links, it is best to directly visit the news site of trustworthiness.

» SPAMfighter News - 8/25/2014