ONLINE scammers are rearing to make a buck from people hit by the economic credit crunch.
In a report released last Friday, information security firm Symantec said that online scammers are preying on job-seekers' worst fears - the dreaded rejection letter - to infect their computer system with a virus.
Symantec's manager for systems engineering Avinash Lotke said spammers traditionally try to convince users to read their junk mail by camouflaging it as a special offer of some sort, or a message from a contact.
While this tactic works well and continues to be effective, letters related to potential employment are a prime target in the current economic climate, he said.
Those who decide to peruse the e-mail may be urged to click on an attached file to find out why they were turned down and how to improve their chances at their next interview.
Opening this file plants a virus within the computer's system. Once loaded, some viruses will send out further messages to people in e-mail applications, while others try to extract information like stored credit card details.
Besides the rejection letter, scammers are also preying on financially strapped users via other 'business' scams.
One tries to con users into signing up as a freelance blog contributor, said Mr Lotke.
Users reading the message are told that a blog is paying a generous US$45 (about $60) an hour to freelance writers to write some simple articles.
Those interested are directed to a slick website where they are asked to register an account and include their personal details, including their bank and credit card information so payment can be made. These details are then peddled off to other spammers or scammers.
Another variant of this scam wants the wannabe-writer to pay an administrative fee - money which the user will not be seeing again, said Mr Lotke.
- The Straits Times
Showing posts with label virus. Show all posts
Showing posts with label virus. Show all posts
Mar 24, 2009
Mar 21, 2009
Sorry, you didn't get the job
"Unfortunately we have to inform you that your qualifications and experience does not fit the position you applied for. We have attached a copy of your application you sent for us."
The above email message (an actual reported one) reads like a 'genuine' reply from a recruitment agency, complete with internet links to a legitimate company or job hunt firm.
Hey, it even includes a copy of that application you sent in - perhaps one of the many you emailed out in your search for that elusive position.
But open up that attached document and you are in for a destructive virus attack.
Taking advantage of the worsening economic situation, spammers worldwide are using job-search related emails to prey on unsuspecting internet users, said security software company Symantec on Friday in a news release.
Under the guise of subject headers like "HURRY! I found you a new job" and "Job you might be interested in!" - these emails are sent out in the hope the recipient will provide personal information such as names, phone numbers, and addresses.
In its "State of Spam Report" for March 2009, Symantec also noticed spam messages which targeted "one of the downsides to looking for a job - the rejection letter."
Such emails take the form of a reply from a recruitment agency, complete with genuine internet links to firms, and even with the job application form that you allegedly sent in yourself.
The attached electronic document, however if opened, will subject the recipient's system to an attack from the Hacktool.Spammer virus.
Hacktool.Spammer is a malicious program that hackers use to attack mail boxes by flooding them with email. It can be programmed to send many email messages to specific addresses.
"It will be difficult to ignore emails from job agencies, but we should definitely be cautious of file types, particularly executables (.exe)," advised Symantec.
"Any email with this type of application extension should be considered suspicious, particularly if it's coming from an unknown sender."
"Email users should be aware of these type of ruses during this difficult economic period, and avoid letting spammers collect personal information that may be used in the future to prey on unsuspecting individuals and infect computers with malicious content."
- AsiaOne
The above email message (an actual reported one) reads like a 'genuine' reply from a recruitment agency, complete with internet links to a legitimate company or job hunt firm.
Hey, it even includes a copy of that application you sent in - perhaps one of the many you emailed out in your search for that elusive position.
But open up that attached document and you are in for a destructive virus attack.
Taking advantage of the worsening economic situation, spammers worldwide are using job-search related emails to prey on unsuspecting internet users, said security software company Symantec on Friday in a news release.
Under the guise of subject headers like "HURRY! I found you a new job" and "Job you might be interested in!" - these emails are sent out in the hope the recipient will provide personal information such as names, phone numbers, and addresses.
In its "State of Spam Report" for March 2009, Symantec also noticed spam messages which targeted "one of the downsides to looking for a job - the rejection letter."
Such emails take the form of a reply from a recruitment agency, complete with genuine internet links to firms, and even with the job application form that you allegedly sent in yourself.
The attached electronic document, however if opened, will subject the recipient's system to an attack from the Hacktool.Spammer virus.
Hacktool.Spammer is a malicious program that hackers use to attack mail boxes by flooding them with email. It can be programmed to send many email messages to specific addresses.
"It will be difficult to ignore emails from job agencies, but we should definitely be cautious of file types, particularly executables (.exe)," advised Symantec.
"Any email with this type of application extension should be considered suspicious, particularly if it's coming from an unknown sender."
"Email users should be aware of these type of ruses during this difficult economic period, and avoid letting spammers collect personal information that may be used in the future to prey on unsuspecting individuals and infect computers with malicious content."
- AsiaOne
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