Latest Email Spam Scam

Don't Let Spammers Find You Through A Blog

2009-06-30T10:03:00.001+08:00

Spammers thrive on being able to harvest emails from unwitting participants in Web 2.0's dialogue. One of the biggest and best sources for this is blogs where both bloggers and those commenting on their entries make the mistake of posting email addresses without taking precautions, and it's important that bloggers know how to keep spammers from harvesting emails from their sites - both for their protection, and that of the readers who are leaving comments on your pages.

One simple way of preventing spammers from getting your website is by posting your email graphically, rather than by using text. You can also try to use a spam filter, or scripts that prevent spammer's email-harvesting bots from noticing your page, although these have varying degrees of success depending on the sophistication of the spammer in question.

If your blog is located on a site like wordpress, livejournal, or blogger, you have the option of protecting your updates so they can be seen only by those you allow, or by those who are also members of the site. This can have the unintended result of limiting your readership, although new sites such as Dreamwidth are supposedly offering aggregations of other sites in an attempt to allow cross-posting to scale new heights.

When commenting on blogs and forums, one technique a number of web surfers have used to try and protect their email addresses from being harvested by spammers is by inserting random punctuation into their email addresses, breaking the address up with spaces, or spelling out certain punctuation marks which are included in their email; for example, instead of writing spamhater@spamhater.com, someone might write their email address as "ess pee eh em aytch eh why tee eee are at" ...and so on, or spamhater/at/spamhater/dot/com. This method can work, if your readers and the others commenting on your blog or forum have the patience to decipher those characters then retype them, but it can be a killer for communications if they a) miss the point or pronunciation you've used or b) can't be bothered to retype the address. Plus, using uniform punctuation as in the "/" example above isn't all that tough for spammers to program their bots around, and so its effectiveness is limited.

No method for protecting your blog from spammers is going to be a hundred percent foolproof, but by even attempting to make it harder for spammers to read addresses off your site, you help make it harder for crime syndicates who run spam rings to find more unwitting victims for their next ploy. That, more than anything else, makes the attempt to safeguard your blog from email harvesting spammers worth the extra effort.

Economic Stimulus Scam

2008-12-03T10:27:00.001+08:00

Some scams are so convincing, it can be difficult to tell when an email is legitimate. After all, it walks like a duck and looks like a duck.

That's why it's so important that people remain vigilant regarding email scams.

The latest seems to be around the Economic Stimulus Package checks.

Most of us have received our checks so this may seem like one of the more innocuous scams, but for some folks who may not have even qualified in the first place (they would have received their checks already), it can prove as dangerous as any other we've told you about.

Potential victims get an email instructing them to open a link (supposedly to an IRS site) where they are asked for typical information those phishers love to get including social security and checking account numbers.

The email states that the recipient must provide all information to get their check. In addition to the potential dangers of providing unknown, faceless Internet criminals with sensitive information, you may also be downloading malicious software spyware to your computer.

This is obviously not the work of the IRS. Like banks and other respectable institutions, government agencies don't make a habit of requesting information they work to help you keep private. They also remind taxpayers that to qualify get an economic stimulus check, all one had to do was file a 2007 tax return and meet the eligibility requirements.

People who receive scam emails can help the IRS by forwarding the original email message to them at phishing@irs.gov.

The e-mail must be forwarded using special instructions at http://www.irs.gov/ or it loses the encoding needed to track it to its source.

To be eligible for the tax stimulus, taxpayers had to meet the following requirements:

Families who gained a qualifying child or an additional qualified child by birth, adoption, etc, during 2008.

An individual who was otherwise eligible based on his/her 2007 tax return but who could be claimed as a dependent on someone else's 2007 tax return and therefore received no ESP and who is eligible based on his/her 2008 tax return and cannot be claimed as a dependent on someone else's 2008 tax return.

Someone who received less than the maximum stimulus payment ($600 individual/$1,200 married filing joint) during 2008 because their 2007 income was too high or too low, and their 2008 income has changed.

Someone who did not file a 2007 tax return by Oct. 15.

By-line : This post was contributed by Kelly Kilpatrick, who writes on the subject of cell phone deals. She invites your feedback at kellykilpatrick24 at gmail dot com

Trend Micro Anti VirusTurns 20

2008-11-06T07:22:00.002+08:00

Trend Micro Anti VirusTurns 20.

Global security leader celebrates two decades of catching viruses, snuffing out cybercrime and helping to make the Internet safer for its customers.

Trend Micro Inc. was launched in a make-shift California office with no bathrooms, in a world with only five known computer viruses, and in a security landscape that barely existed.

It was during the 80's that the founders of Trend Micro -- Steve Chang, Jenny Chang and Eva Chen -- got their first look at a virus, a program that kept expanding to infect one computer file after another.

As the Internet and networks grew, Trend Micro evolved to focus on total network security and brought a number of "firsts" to market, including:-

In 1991 -- The First Server-based Virus Protection -- ServerProtect™

In 1996 -- The First Gateway Virus Protection -- InterScan™

In 1997 -- The First Server-based Email Virus Protection -- ScanMail™

In 1998 -- The First Web-based Centralized Management -- Trend Micro Control Manager™

In 2002 -- The First 2-Hour Virus Response Service Level Agreement

For 20 years, Trend Micro has been devoted to technological innovation, sustained business growth and customer commitment. With a start-up's mentality of creativity and innovation, it had the ability to rapidly adapt to a changing threat landscape that started out with a small population of viruses designed by individuals simply looking for fame and notoriety, to a flourishing, complex underground cybercrime economy that costs businesses and consumers billions of dollars each year -- all headed by criminals whose vision is financial gain.

Despite its modest beginnings, Trend Micro has become one of the world's largest security software companies in the world, growing faster than the top 5 largest competitors in the industry which together make up almost half the US$13.2 billion market. For over eleven years, the company has experienced sustained growth.

Since its listing on the Tokyo Stock Exchange in 1998, Trend Micro has been on both the Nikkei Excellent Companies Ranking and the Dow Jones Sustainability Index, listed among other internationally renowned companies.

Trend Micro now has over 40 market-leading products and solutions, and 4000 employees worldwide that offer 24x7 global support operations and a dedication to innovative technologies. It is a known leader in the advancement of integrated threat management technology to protect personal information and property from malware, spam, data leaks and the newest Web threats.

True to its pioneering spirit, the company is now leading the security industry towards cloud-client technology with the Trend Micro Smart Protection Network, a next-generation cloud-client content security infrastructure designed to protect customers from Web threats.

Size hasn't changed Trend Micro's dedication to its customers and partners -- the company has been consistently recognized for its channel-friendliness and superior customer service.

"Even though Internet security technology is variable and constantly shifting, two things have remained constant when it comes to our long-time relationship with Trend Micro: quality solutions that meet our IT needs and exceptional customer service," said Bill S. Dishman, IT technical manager for global infrastructure, AMEC plc.

"We have been very satisfied with Trend Micro for the last 10 years and we look forward to continuing this rewarding partnership."

"Trend Micro's vision for the last and next 20 years remains the same: to make the world safe for the exchange of digital information," said Eva Chen, co-founder and CEO.

"Inside Trend Micro, we are focused on better serving our customers based on their needs, how they use computing technologies, and how they are impacted by a changing threat landscape. I want to assure our customers what they can always expect from Trend Micro: continuous innovation and customer commitment."

Looking ahead as a global citizen

In fulfilling its responsibility as a global citizen, Trend Micro continues to commit a portion of its resources to the Global Citizenship Program, established to improve the economic conditions of impoverished countries, as well as to advance awareness among parents and educators of the Internet safety issues young people face today.

"We can't forget the bigger world beyond the digital one. It's not enough that we are securing computers and digital data -- we are global citizens and have a responsibility to make the world a better place," said Chen.

"In our twenty years of existence, we have enjoyed many successes, and we want to share that success with the communities where we work, live, and aspire to make a difference."

For more information on Trend Micro's 20th Anniversary celebration, please visit:
http://us.trendmicro.com/us/about-us/company/20th-anniversary/index.html

About Trend Micro:

Trend Micro Incorporated, a global leader in Internet content security, focuses on securing the exchange of digital information for businesses and consumers. A pioneer and industry vanguard, Trend Micro is advancing integrated threat management technology to protect operational continuity, personal information, and property from malware, spam, data leaks and the newest Web threats.

Visit TrendWatch at
http://www.trendmicro.com/go/trendwatch to learn more about the threats. Trend Micro's flexible solutions, available in multiple form factors, are supported 24/7 by threat intelligence experts around the globe.

A transnational company, with headquarters in Tokyo, Trend Micro's trusted security solutions are sold through its business partners worldwide. Please visit http://www.trendmicro.com/.

Email Chain Letters - Ripping Off The Cyber Population $1 At a Time

2008-09-06T21:09:00.001+08:00

Email Chain Letters - Ripping Off The Cyber Population $1 At a Time

What is it with people sending on these email scams that promise you a lifetime of riches and good luck?

They are so friendly telling you that you deserve all of this wealth, pulling you into their web of deceit.

The originator of these scam emails knows exactly what it is you want to hear, and offers you an abundance of it.

Then comes the punch line - it's going to cost you something!

Just put one dollar in an envelope and send it to the first x number of people on the list, and then add your name to the bottom of the list and send the email on to more people from your mailing list. These people don't just want to con you - they want you to perpetuate the con by adding your friends and family to the list.

But wait a minute - how did you get on the list? Well there's two main possibilities: either the originator took your email address from a mailing list that you appear on and found you that way, or, you got on the list because someone you know was sucked into the con and thought you'd play along too.

Think about it for a moment. Have any of your friends suddenly become rich? Overnight have they resigned from their job and took off on a luxury round the world cruise? No? That's what I thought!

So why do scam emails like this keep arriving in your mailing box? Well for one reason, one of those top names on the list is probably going to be the originator of the scam.

They will receive $1 for every person who falls for this desperate urge to become rich, and let's face it - it's only about $5 in total and so many people will take the gamble right? That means the originator of the list is going to be getting rich $1 at a time.

Mightn't seem a lot but like your mother always told you cents soon make dollars, and dollars soon start to add up when they are constantly coming through the mail.

Let's look at another possibility. You actually do get money back. Do you seriously think it's going to be the huge amount of money that the original email promises you? I don't think so.

The reason for this is quite simple. Whilst there are some people who can afford to gamble the dollar - or alternatively are needing money so badly they'll try again - most people will do what you probably will do - hit the kill key and delete the email for the rubbish that it really is.

The only reason that these emails keep going is that they do work - but only for one person, the person who sent out the first original email. Chances are they didn't just send it to their friends, but rather they bought a mailing list, or trawled through membership lists on email groups, and created the master list from which to start this scam.

There are so many millions of people with online access that it's not too hard to believe that they could send this to a lot of people and still not send it to two people who actually know each other - at least not well enough to talk about what's in the scam mail each day!

If you get one of these, do what you would do with a regular chain mail letter that dropped through your home's mailbox, bin it. Don't take any notice of any supposed bad luck or bad karma messages that come at the end of the scam letter.

Take a stand for the non-scammers and don't send on that dollar, don't add more names to the list, just delete it and never think of it again.

If everyone did that, pretty soon they'd give up - until they found a new way to entice money from unsuspecting people!

Katie-Anne Gustafsson, 2006

Ignorance and the Internet

2008-09-01T03:09:00.002+08:00

Ignorance and the Internet.

Though the Internet is used as a tool for communication, shopping, and information, many of its users are not properly briefed on the rising hazards of using the World Wide Web.

“Net crimes and misdemeanors are committed against more than 60,000 people a year, and the number is growing every day, according to statistics from the FBI and victim advocate associations,”(Hitchcock 2).

To start, basic use of the Internet requires a very small technological vocabulary which enables immediate access to anyone. This easy access allows unlimited possibilities to the handler’s resources without the proper forewarning needed with a tool that carries any and all information from one source to another.

The book, Net crimes and Misdemeanors: Outmaneuvering the Spammers, Swindlers, and Stalkers Who Are Targeting You Online. By J.A. Hitchcock emphasizes and argues the importance of an education with a limitless information based connection such as the Internet.

“If our privacy is up to us to protect, we need resources like this book to teach us how to assert our right to be left alone,”(Hitchcock xviii).

Hitchcock emphasizes three major types of online traps: Social traps, Downloadable viruses, and credit card/identity theft through unsafe online shopping. By taking action in reading the book and reporting cases of the above listed traps, people are better able to encourage the government to pass new laws and follow through with support groups as well as other forms of help.

Through the authors shared stories of Internet catastrophes, both her own, and others, she leads by example for her readers. All three online traps happen most frequently to those Internet users who don’t take the right privacy precautions such as being aware of what personal information to disclose online (if any), how to make sure a website is safe before giving their personal information, and downloading the right protective software for the computer while keeping abreast of the ever changing security updates.

“Not only install an anti-virus program on your computer, but remember to keep it updated at least once a week so that your computer is inoculated against new viruses that crop up,”(Hitchcock 278).

In the case of technology, Hitchcock preaches that ignorance is not bliss. Simple rules such as reading into a company’s Terms of Agreement when shopping and setting up two email accounts, one readers only hand out to people they trust, puts a jump start on safety.

The traps most often inflicted on users have to do with misplaced trust in the Internet as a safe environment and the people on the Internet. “People are inherently trusting, and for some reason it seems this is even truer online.

One myth of the Internet is that users can remain anonymous,”(Hitchcock 289). This well known misconception makes an education about online stalkers, phishing, viruses, and online shopping a must because all of the above can happen while putting faith into an unsecured person or web page.

Without becoming aware of the dangers of simple trust in technology, scams can happen to people on both lesser known websites and very well known websites such as Myspace (www.myspace.com).

Most often the simple steps that the author details such as password protection and checking links in the overhead bar before signing in can stop the social spammers that hack into accounts.

One of the most popular methods of obtaining information and using it on the web is through social networking sites such as Myspace because of the wealth of targets provided. Once an account is hacked into by obtaining log-in information by a fake log-in screen, the person’s information is screened into a database leading to a takeover resulting in spamming, or mass advertisement through that person’s site, or worse.

If people became educated and put aside their unrealistic trust in all things technological, perhaps the hackers of Myspace would become less prevalent. As it is “95 percent of new phishing traffic targeted Myspace,”(Vaas 31) which leads to the second half of this paper, how the knowledge of Internet safety and dangers can severely limit the social phishing of Myspace.

One of the major factors in Internet safety is always checking the overhead bar to ensure the website is official before log-in, as well as staying away from any and all clickable advertisements.

Most often these advertisements take the user to a fake log-in screen tricking them into believing they have been accidentally logged out. Once they sign back on to the server, their home page will look the same as it did before, however their information will now be available to a third party host.

Through scrutinizing URL’s the risk of this happening becomes severely limited.”The phisher could notify a victim of a ‘security threat’. Such a message may be welcomed or expected by the victim, who would then be easily induced into disclosing personal information,”(Jagatic 96).

This method is most often called “spear –phishing” or “context-aware phishing” because if participants were more aware of their online activities, it would happen less often.

An experiment conducted by John Hopkins University showed that 68-76% of students were more likely to give out personal information through this phishing technique, though they all grew up in a supposedly techno-savvy environment.(Jagatic 97).

In an age of information, the most important knowledge is gained through advice websites such as SecurityCartoon.com, which emphasizes the dangers of phishing, how to report an attack, and the uses for the information that the hackers have gotten so victims can cut them off at the source.

This makes other, more severe measures, such as changing Internet service providers and all other personal information and credit cards possibly unnecessary if taken care of right away.

Based on the information given on a Myspace profile, once hacked there is no limit to the information a possible hacker can obtain just through simple search methods and a little money. By scrimping on as much information as possible, users can keep security risk to a minimum while still giving out personal information to trusted real-life friends and family members using more secure means.

Not understanding the dangers on Myspace is just one major example of how everyday people are taken advantage of by their ignorance of the world around them. In a leap to help users understand the dangers of phishing, multiple posts have been done by the moderator of Myspace “Tom”, in an effort to better inform people on safety measures and what MySpace can and cannot do for people attacked.

Hitchcock pushes for higher media coverage of Internet crimes not only when affecting large scales of people, but wherever possible. Using the media as an outlet to educate causes a greater known awareness in the feigned safety and anonymity of the Internet.

“The media has given some coverage to this growing problem, but not enough. It tends to emphasize sensational cases without imparting safety information to the public,”(Hitchcock 2). The author hopes to open up the public’s eyes to the dangers through providing links, hotlines, and other major resources outlining safety information.

She also outlines steps to report attacks in hopes of bringing awareness to higher levels of government and passing laws against some of the worst cases such as social-phishing and identity theft.

Through setting the right examples and the sharing of information about the net, the dangers for victims of social traps, viruses, and shopping online decrease steadily.

The main problem with people using the Internet as a resource of open knowledge is that personal knowledge can be gained by everyone.

In order to break down the wall of trust built into an ever-expanding technological advancement, people need to come to terms with the lie that all users of the Internet are safe. J.A. Hitchcock proves through her book that knowledge of privacy can beat most hackers at their own game while still allowing Internet users to do what they like and have a good time.

If people were informed more through this book and the growing pool of interest in phishing happening on Myspace, the population wouldn’t be taken advantage of quite so much.

In this case, Hitchcock understands, knowledge really is power.

Bibliography

Hitchcock, Jayne A. Net Crimes & Misdemeanors: Outmaneuvering the Spammers, Swindlers, and Stalkers Who are Targeting You Online.New Jersey: CyberAge Books, 2002: 2, 278, 289.

Jagatic, Tom N. “Social Phishing.”Communications of The ACM 50 Oct 2007: 94-100.

Vaas, Lisa.”MySpace worm dodges detection: Exploit uses Fast-Flux Technology to Turn MySpace Users’ Sites into Zombies.” Security Solutions. 13 Aug 2001. Vol 34.http://go.eweek.com/casestudies 31, 32

FTC - Work At Home Scam Brothers To Give Up Cash

2008-08-22T00:14:00.002+08:00

Source - FTC

Two brothers have agreed to settle Federal Trade Commission charges that they misled consumers with false earnings claims for work-at-home schemes involving free government grants, mystery shopping, online surveys, and data entry.

Under the proposed settlement, they are banned from marketing work-at-home opportunities in the future.

The defendants are charged with making false and unsubstantiated earnings claims in violation of the FTC Act.

According to the FTC’s complaint, they charged consumers from $47 to $129 to access their “members only” Web sites with their “money-making secrets.”

Their advertised programs either did not exist as represented or did not offer quick and easy money with little time or effort as promised.

This case was brought as part of Project Fal$e Hope$, an FTC-led effort that targeted bogus business opportunities and work-at-home scams, and resulted in more than 100 law enforcement actions by the FTC, the Department of Justice, the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, and law enforcement agencies in 11 states.

The defendants are Eric G. Louie, doing business as Fastcashathome.com, Fastcashathome.homestead.com, and Hometypers.com; and Calvin G. Louie, doing business as Moneymakingsecret.homestead.com, Realcashprograms.com, and Dataentrypro.com.

Under the proposed settlement, they are banned from selling work-at-home opportunities, and, in marketing any other product or service they, are barred from making false, misleading, or unsubstantiated representations, including:

- that consumers are likely to earn a substantial amount of money or other valuable compensation;

- the amount of earnings, income, sales volume, or profits that a consumer is likely to achieve, or that others have achieved;

- how long it may or will take to recoup the purchase price or investment;
the nature of any business venture offered or sold;

- any material term, condition, or limitation of the transaction; and
concerning the use of any offered good or service.

The settlement imposes a $4.9 million judgment that will be suspended if the defendants surrender assets frozen by the court in 2006; proceeds from the sale of two cars, a Lamborghini and a Ferrari; and any tax refunds for tax years 2005 and 2006.

The full judgment will be imposed if they fail to meet the terms of the settlement, or if they are found to have misrepresented their financial condition. The settlement also contains standard record-keeping provisions to allow the FTC to monitor compliance with its order.

The Commission vote to file the proposed stipulated final order was 4-0. It was filed in the U.S. District Court for the Central District of California.

NOTE: This stipulated final order is for settlement purposes only and does not constitute an admission by the defendant of a law violation. A stipulated final order requires approval by the court and has the force of law when signed by the judge.

The Federal Trade Commission works for consumers to prevent fraudulent, deceptive, and unfair business practices and to provide information to help spot, stop, and avoid them.

To file a complaint in English or Spanish, visit the FTC's online Complaint Assistant or call 1-877-FTC-HELP (1-877-382-4357).

The FTC enters complaints into Consumer Sentinel, a secure, online database available to more than 1,500 civil and criminal law enforcement agencies in the U.S. and abroad.

The FTC's Web site provides free information on a variety of consumer topics.

Nabeel UK Ltd Crude Jasper Scam

2008-08-18T22:44:00.002+08:00

Please note that the email below is a SCAM.

Please do not deal with these people as they are believe to a scam.

Email From : Dr.Mohammad Abdul Nabeel mohammad_abdulnabeel@yahoo.com

Subject : TRADE MISSION TO MALAYSIA!

NABEEL (UK) LTD
5 Cedar Road, Rochester, Kent, ME2 2HB
United Kingdom.

ATTN: Mr. Nizam Yusof .

REF: EXPORT ENQUIRY IN MALAYSIA

I am the CEO of the above company in United Kingdom . We manufacture Solid Mineral byproducts, Precious & Semi Precious stones, High Powered Optical accessories, and Advance Tracking Device (ATD).

Presently, my company wishes to come down to Malaysia to procure a raw material and possibly site our annex office/industry in Malaysia to the nearness of raw materials as we were made to understand from the Chamber of Trade and Industry in London that there are mineral resources in Malaysia.

My purpose of contacting you is to assist us in our procurement of Crude Jasper in Malaysia as we haven’t been to Asia before. You will also front for our company fairly prior to my company's proposed project in your country where you shall aid the process of incorporation and construction based on your good recommendation for a personally bilateral relationship with you.

We request you to avail our company the gesture of contacting this local supplier in your country to inquire the availability and fair prices of their raw material on our behalf as they were recommended from the Economic desk of your High Commission here in London .

According to the information from your local High commission; the local miner deals on this solid mineral in industrial quantity as advertised by the company- Reference: Page 9, of Asia Mining Association Brochure India 2005.

LOCAL SUPPLIER:

MR.TIJAN BANJO

(INTERNATIONAL SALES MANAGER)

MALAYSIA.

TEL: +60166483994

Please take note of our specification and price data;

RAW MATERIALS REQUIRED -WHITE GARNETS SOLID MINERAL

DESCRIPTION - PURE WHITE IN COLOR,

IRREGULAR CRYSTALINE

CUBE (1.0-3.5 MM)

INTL STANDARD SCALE - 1 UNIT = 1 PIECE

INTL PRICE PER UNIT - US$4800

QUANTITY REQUIRED - 1000 UNITS

Please do contact Mr.Tijan Banjo on the above telephone number for enquiry on our behalf and as our agent to be, perhaps you may not disclose to him that foreigners are coming for procurement otherwise they might increase their prices than International Standard Price (ISP).

Note: The directors have agreed unanimously that if we can get a fair arrangement with you .

We would legally endorse to pay you 5% commission of the total purchase and you will handle all our purchase directly for the period of 5years.

We will enter into agreement for the continuity of this transaction because we will be buying the product every 3 month intervals.

Best regards.

Dr.Mohammad Abdul Nabeel.

CEO.

+447031880678

Email: mohammad.nabeel@hotmail.com

Please note that the email ABOVE is a SCAM.

Please do not deal with these people as they are believe to a scam.

How Bloggers Can Fight Spam

2008-08-16T21:22:00.002+08:00

How Bloggers Can Fight Spam.

By Sarah B.

Bloggers all over the world have learned an unfortunate reality: spammers love to hit any Web site that lets them leave comments.

Many spammers are not human – they’re programmed bots that hit numerous sites every hour, posting links in comments sections. Others are human – these spammers hit plenty of blogs an hour too.

No blogger wants a cluttered, spam-infested comments section, but most don’t necessarily have much free time to deal with spam.

If you have a blog, and you’re trying to fight junk messages, these tips will help you control the garbage without devoting a few hours a day to deleting unwanted comments.

* Require a login to post comments.
Spammers might log in and comment anyway, but many will pass over your site in favor of a “friendlier” one. Making users login before they comment also discourages the anonymous Internet trolls, as they prefer to remain unknown.

* Enable the CAPTCHA feature.
Anybody who wants to leave a comment on your blog must type the series of characters on the screen. This is fairly effective, as most spambots aren’t capable of reading the characters. Many human spammers can’t be bothered.

* Moderate comments.
This feature lets you approve each comment before it appears on your blog. The disadvantage is that you do have to wade through comment spam. However, this is also an easy way to filter out comments from Internet trolls and just-plain-annoying visitors.

Those solutions, however, do not encourage visitors to interact with you, or return in the future.

Many Internet users want things to be as simple as possible: they aren’t really interested in going through an extra step or two simply to comment on your blog.

One of the keys to fighting spam without discouraging your visitors is to keep things as simple as possible. There are, fortunately, several ways to accomplish this.

These methods are not necessarily universal: some blog sites support them, and others don’t. You might have to switch your blog over to another site to take advantage of these features.

However, that might be worth your time if it means that you’ll have a sizable advantage over the spammers.

* Look for spam-fighting scripts.
These bits of programming are often easy to install and don’t typically require much maintenance on your part. Try different scripts to see which one works best with your blog.

* Create a “keyword blacklist.”
You create a list of keywords that will trigger the blog site’s filtering system. If a comment includes one or more of the words on your blacklist, then the comment is not posted.

This can be great for fighting spam, but difficult on your “real” readers. The blacklist looks for keywords, not overall content, so one “bad” word in a legitimate comment causes the site to scrap the whole comment.

These are just a few of the ways that you can fight comment spam.

In most cases, these will drastically reduce the number of spam comments you see on your blog.

However, you should check the blog site that you use to see what unique or site-specific measures it offers.

Each blog site is a bit different from the others, so learn about what your site can do .

FBI - How To Avoid Becoming a Mortgage Fraud Victim

2008-08-15T08:39:00.002+08:00

FBI - How To Avoid Becoming a Mortgage Fraud Victim.

Sub-prime loans.
Foreclosures.
Government bailouts.

You can’t read a newspaper or watch the evening news these days without seeing stories about the current mortgage crisis and the fraud that goes along with it.

The FBI, of course, plays a major role in investigating mortgage fraud—and our caseload has more than tripled in the past five years. But while we’re focusing on the perpetrators, what can you as a consumer do to protect yourself from becoming a victim of mortgage fraud?

Plenty, says Special Agent Scott Broshears, a mortgage fraud supervisor who works at FBI Headquarters in Washington, D.C. “And while some of these steps may require you to do a little extra work now,” adds Agent Broshears, “in the long run it may save you aggravation, money, and even your house.”

Get referrals for real estate and mortgage professionals when you want to buy or sell a home. And once you do, check out their licenses with state, county, or city regulatory agencies. Most of these people are exceedingly honest and above-board—it’s just a small percentage who have given the overall profession a black eye.

Do your own research into what other homes in the neighborhood have sold for. Also, look into recent tax assessments of neighborhood homes.

Beware of “no money down” loans. These are a gimmick used to entice people to buy a home they really can’t afford.

Don’t let anyone (i.e., a realtor, mortgage broker) talk you into making a false statement on your loan application, like overstating your income or lying about where your down payment is coming from.

Never sign a blank document or a document containing blank lines. Be sure to read and review all loan documents signed at closing. If you don’t understand what you’re signing, get an attorney who can review the documents for you.

Financial difficulties? If you’re a homeowner who’s having a tough time making your mortgage payments, be aware of e-mails or web-based ads from companies who claim they can help you eliminate your mortgage debt while all you have to do is pay an up-front fee for them to do the paperwork—it’s a scam.

And, if you’ve been told by your lender that you are facing foreclosure, don’t fall for any of the fraud schemes out there, including the one where a perpetrator convinces a homeowner to sign over the house deed “temporarily”—for a fee, of course. The homeowner not only loses the up-front fees, but the perpetrator often turns around and sells the house out from under the owner.

The best advice if you find yourself in some financial difficulty? Contact your lender before your situation gets too bad, says Agent Broshears. “The lenders don’t want your house,” he explains, “and most will work with you to help you keep it. Plus, they’re already dealing with a large number of foreclosures on homeowners who didn’t seek their help in time—they don’t want any more.”

Rest assured that the FBI will continue to make the investigation of mortgage fraud a priority. An informed public, however, would make our job a little easier! But if you think you’ve already been victimized, contact your local FBI field office.

Source : FBI

Latest Maybank Phishing Scam

2008-08-11T09:41:00.002+08:00

Please note the email below is a phishing scam targeting Maybank account holders. Please don't click on the link in the email as it will lead you to a phishing website.

Email From : info@contactyu.com ( Maybank Group )

Subject : Comprehensive Fraud-Prevention

Dear Maybank member :

Our comprehensive fraud-prevention program is one of the key reasons Maybank is a safe way to pay online.

We believe that innovation and careful analysis is the way to beat fraud.

That's why Maybank has developed industry-leading models to review every transaction. and help detect suspicious activity.

In order to continue to operate the Maybank service and to reduce the risk of fraud, Maybank . ("Maybank" or "we") must ask you to provide us information about yourself and your every requested information on our secure page;.

To do so please follow the link below.

http://www.dominicanted.info/malayan-bank/Maybank2u-2008/Maybank2u_com.html ( As you can see here - the link is pointed to a non - Maybank site - DO NOT CLICK THIS LINK )

We believe that innovation and careful analysis is the way to beat fraud.

That's why Maybank has developed industry-leading models to review every transaction. and help detect suspicious activity.

Our Fraud Investigation Team is dedicated to creating a safe Maybank community.

If we suspect fraud in your account, we'll contact you immediately. .

NOTE - THIS EMAIL IS A PHISHING SCAM EMAIL

Crystalite Gem Scam

2008-07-31T16:54:00.002+08:00

Crystalite Gem Scam - Please do not conduct any transaction with party below - it's a scam.

This is the email they send to spam and scam people :-

Email From : Stella Evans stellaevansa@xpemail.com

Subject : Crystalite Gem

Dear Friend,

Brief Introduction, I am Ms Stella Evans 32years old, citizen of London Uk, a purchasing manager to a company in Uk called MACGROVE COMPANY, PLC LONDON. Kindly give attention to this letter, though it will bring surprise to you as it comes from a strange person.

Due to my condition now, i honorable demand for your co-operations, honest, reliability and sincerely on this transaction as my Friend / business partner, i have deliberated it in my mind and decided to contact you and offer you this business proposal.

I have decided to intimate you personally and discreetly with this business proposal which will be of mutual benefit to both of us.

When i was pursuing through your profile, I became aware of your credibility, I use to come to Malaysia to purchase a certain product called CRYSTALITE GEM.

Now i will no more be able to make my trip to Malaysia as normal does because of my health, I have been diagnosed with Esophageal Cancer which was discovered very late, due to my laxity in caring for my health.

It has defiled all forms of medicine, and right now am on admission in the hospital that will take few months according to medical director.

Though my company have arranged to send my assistant for the mission to purchase the products on behalf of my company which i normally bought in Malaysia.

For the fact that i do buy the product ( CRYSTALITE GEM ) at the rate of ($2,500 u.s dollars) per a carton of six bottles and re-sold to my company at rate of ($4,000 u.s dollars)

The CRYTALITE GEM is a new scientific chemical fluid substance manufactured in North Korea , its of lubricant, mainly used in the gemological laboratory for the purification of diamonds clarity treatment, it penetrate deep into diamond and vaporizes out black inclusion in diamonds and other precious stones listed below:-

(1) Tanzanite
(2) Citrine
(3) Pink topaz
(4) Aquamarine
(5) Ruby
(6) Sapphire
(7) Zircon (both blue and colorless)

These product are rare and highly demanded by my company in Britain, though not long it came to existence, it was introduce to our company by a Chinese friend, Mrs Jessy Chau, a gemologist in USA, who gave me a sample for text on my last visit to the United States.

After our companies research on this product, I discovered it in Malaysia and i have been going to Malaysia for the purchases .

Now i will no more be able to make my trip to Malaysia as normal does because of my health,

I have been diagnosed with Esophageal Cancer which was discovered very late, due to my laxity in caring for my health.

It has defiled all forms of medicine, and right now am on admission in the hospital that will take few months according to medical director.

My company needs this product now and they are arranging to send my assistant for the mission to purchase the products which i normally bought in Malaysia.

For the fact that i do buy the product ( CRYSTALITE GEM ) at the rate of ($2,500 u.s dollars) per a carton of six bottles and re-sold to my company at rate of ($4,200 u.s dollars) and i don't want the company to know about this therefore, i now wish to appoint you as my local agent in Malaysia, so that the assistant purchasing manager who will soon be in Malaysia will have to buy the products through you in other to protect my former dealings.

I have not particularly lived my life so well, as I never really cared to have a friend then in Malaysia but focus on my business as that was the only thing I cared for.

But now I regret all this as i now know that there is more to life than just wanting to have or make all. Now that my health has deteriorated so badly, I cannot do this my self for now.

I am offering you 50% of the total proceeds ( profit ) from any of the deals whenever he comes to make the purchase of the products as its going to be a continuous business until i stand back on my feet while 40% is for me and 10% would be your local and international operational costs during each of the business transactions in Malaysia.

This transaction is completely risk free to you and will last a day or two days only.

I don't want the person they will be sending to know the cost price that i have been buying the product in Malaysia.

The dealer of this product is a Malaysian lady, I want to introduce you as the dealer to my Company so that my representative will buy it from you as i will give you the contacts of the Malaysia lady so that you can contact her on your own and arrange, why the assigned purchase manager will meet you and buy it from you.

If you promise to be faithful to me by sending my percentage after the transaction with my company, i will now send you all the details you need for the business.

I need a trustworthy person that will handle this business for me until i stand back on my feet.

I want truth & honest to be our watch word.

While waiting for your positive and urgent reply.

Warmest regards

Stella Evans

Please note that this email is a spam and scam !!!!

Storm Worm Virus Warning From FBI

2008-07-31T07:28:00.002+08:00

Storm Worm Virus Warning From FBI.

The FBI and its partner, the Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3), have received reports of recent spam e-mails spreading the Storm Worm malicious software, known as malware.

These e-mails, which contain the phrase “F.B.I. vs. facebook,” direct e-mail recipients to click on a link to view an article about the FBI and Facebook, a popular social networking website.

The Storm Worm virus has also been spread in the past in e-mails advertising a holiday e-card link.

Clicking on the link downloads malware onto the Internet connected device, causing it to become infected with the virus and part of the Storm Worm botnet.

A botnet is a collection of compromised computers under the remote command and control of a criminal “botherder.” Most owners of the compromised computers are unsuspecting victims.

They have unintentionally allowed unauthorized access and use of their computers as a vehicle to facilitate other crimes, such as identity theft, denial of service attacks, phishing, click fraud, and the mass distribution of spam and spyware.

Because of their widely distributed capabilities, botnets are a growing threat to national security, the national information infrastructure, and the economy.

“The spammers spreading this virus are preying on Internet users and making their computers an unwitting part of criminal botnet activity. We urge citizens to help prevent the spread of botnets by becoming web-savvy. Following some simple computer security practices will reduce the risk that their computers will be compromised,” said Special Agent Richard Kolko, Chief, FBI National Press Office.

Everyone should consider the following:-

- Do not respond to unsolicited (spam) e-mail.

- Be skeptical of individuals representing themselves as officials soliciting personal information via e-mail.

- Do not click on links contained within an unsolicited e-mail.

- Be cautious of e-mail claiming to contain pictures in attached files, as the files may contain viruses. Only open attachments from known senders.

- Validate the legitimacy of the organization by directly accessing the organization's website rather than following an alleged link to the site.

- Do not provide personal or financial information to anyone who solicits information.

To receive the latest information about cyber scams, please go to the FBI website and sign up for e-mail alerts by clicking on one of the red envelopes.

If you have received a scam e-mail, please notify the IC3 by filing a complaint at http://www.ic3.gov/.

For more information on e-scams, please visit the FBI's New E-Scams and Warnings web page.

ATM Debit Cash Card Payment Scam

2008-07-23T18:15:00.002+08:00

Please note that this email is spam scam :-

Email From : Dr Justine Kendo

Subject : You Can Now Withdraw Your Money In Any ATM Machine Any Where In The World.

From The Desk Of Dr Justine Kendo
International Dept Settlement.
Apex International Bank

Re:Immediate ATM DEBIT Cash Card Payment Notification

ATTENTION ORDERING BENEFICIARY

Your Name And Your Contact Details Was Given To This Office In Respect Of Your Total inherited/Contract Sum Owed To You Which You Have Failed To Claim Because Of Either Non-Compliance Of Official Processes Or Because Of Your Unbelief Of The Reality Of Your Genuine Payment.

We Wish To Bring To You The Solution To This Problem. Right Now We Have Arranged Your Payment Through Our Swift Card Payment Centers, That Is The Latest Instruction From Economic Community Of West African States (ECOWAS)

This Card Center Will Send You An ATM DEBIT Card Which You Will Use To Withdraw Your Money In Any ATM Machine In Any Part Of The World, So If You Like To Receive Your Fund In This Way, Please Let Us Know By Contacting Us Back with this necessary Information As Listed Below after you might have contacted the processing unit with the required information.
1. Full Name

2. Phone And Fax Number

3. Address Were You Want Them To Send The ATM Card To (P.O Box Not Acceptable)

4. Your Age And Current Occupation

5. Attach Copy Of Your Identification

We Have Been Mandated By The ECOWAS Parliament To Issue Out $1 Million usd in your favour This fiscal year 2008. Also For Your Information, You Have To Stop Any Further Communication With Any Other Person (S) Or Office(S) To Avoid Any Hitches In Receiving Your Payment.

Note That Because Of Impostors, We Hereby Issued You Our Code Of Conduct,Which Is (ATM-202) So You Have To Indicate This Code When Contacting The Card Center By Using It As Your Subject.
====================================== You are advice to contact them immediately with this contacts; atmpsunit@live.fr ;Tele +22993417928

Dr Justine Kendo
international Dept Settlement .
Apex International Bank

THIS IS A SPAM SCAM EMAIL

Make Money Online Program Scams

2008-07-17T14:10:00.002+08:00

During these economic uncertainty, a lot make money online scam programs are surfacing all over the Internet. Online newbies often fall for these scams in their quest to make money online.

There is no fast way to make money online or offline. People just don't understand this. They will quickly sign up when they see an ad saying "Make $10,000 Every Month Doing Nothing". Instead of making the $10,000, they are spending money on the products that these scammers are selling and they will never make that $10,000 let alone $100. People are easily scammed when it comes to making money online programs.

Rising monthly expenditures are forcing people to look for alternative income. Many turns to the Internet with the hope of making some quick bucks. Too bad, there are more scams on the Internet than the legitimate ones.

If you are very new to making money on the Internet, its better to look for free money making programs first to be safe. When you are more experienced, you can than join those programs that requires some sort of investment.

Beware of the make money online program scams, join these legitimate money making programs :-

Free Paid Surveys

Top Legitimate Get Paid Programs

Be safe - Avoid Make Money Online Program Scams

Furniture Express Spain Business Partnership Scam

2008-07-16T20:16:00.002+08:00

This email is a spam scam. Take note.

Email From : President Furniture Express Spain

Subject : Career Opportunities with Furniture Express Spain

Dear Business Professional:

Furniture Express Spain, a global furniture company is centered in Spain, requires business partnership for personal and small business to extend our furniture market in your country and establish representative office.

Considering the furniture business is a promised market and it has rising sales volume annually, the offered cooperation is for long term business.

We work jointly with many real-estate developers, Home and Office Interior-Exterior developers in Spain and United Kingdom.

The applicants should have computer with internet access and know well about sales/marketing, strategic business and managing cashflow. You can work from home online and get paid bi-weekly/monthly.

You can contribute in this business such as a full time job or a part time job with no negative effect on your present job status.

Your major tasks will be related to supervising, monitoring, administrating, investing and payment coordination. The investment or payment will be made by our colleges business or individual customer trough secure credit card payment, bank transfer,and PayPal.

In supporting your job, you will be equipped jointly our online store and personal business email.

The average annual income is about $21,600 - $72,000 and no form of investments from you. To get Started, please provide the details below:

Full Names:
Full Contact Address:
Age:
City:
Zip Code:
State:
Home Phone:
Cell Phone:
Gender:
Marital Status:
Bank Name:
Do You Have Credit Card:

Or you can fax your resume to +34-95-123-91-26 including your email and contact phone number, or you can attach your resume and send back to our email, furniture.express101@vista.aero

We are looking for an anticipation of mutually beneficial and long term relationship from you.

Best Regards,

CEO & President Furniture Express Spain
Mr. Luis Bravo.

Company Address:
Edificio Biarritz Locale 1 Centro Commercial Monte Biarritz, Ctra de Cбdiz, Km 169
Estepona 29680
Malaga
Phone/Fax : +34-95-123-91-26
www.furnitureexpressspain.com
Email : furniture.express101@vista.aero

Please note that is a scam

Block Spam With SPAMfighter

2008-07-16T12:32:00.002+08:00

Need a free software to block spams ?

SPAMfighter is one of the best free spam blocking software.

I have been using the free version of SPAMfighter spam blocking software for a while now.

I have thought of upgrading the free version of SPAMfighter spam blocking software but as a home user its good enough to block all the email spams. You can always upgrade to the PRO account make use of its better protection.

SPAMfighter works with Microsoft Outlook, Outlook Express and Windows Mail.

SPAMfighter is also available in the following languages - English, German, Spanish, Chinese, French, Italian, Greek, Dutch, Swedish, Norwegian, Suomi, Japanese, Portuguese, Bulgarian, Russian, Czech, Thai and Danish.

Read more about SPAMfighter here.

Genting Email and SMS Scam Alert

2008-07-12T21:14:00.003+08:00

Genting - City Of Entertainment : Email and SMS Scam Alert Posted At Their Website :-

Please be on the alert for fraudulent emails or SMS proclaiming that you are a winner of a certain amount of money.

It has come to our attention that such emails and SMS are being circulated, requesting the winners to make a financial deposit into an account before the prize money can be transferred.

We wish to clarify that at no time has the Genting Group ever participated nor organised any such contest or campaigns, requesting members of the public to make any deposits of sorts for prize winnings.

We advise caution to all our members and customers if you have received such an email or SMS.

If you wish to seek clarification, kindly send us an email addressed to customerfeedback@genting.com.

Please attach the corresponding email to us for verification, or send us the SMS message.

We will respond within 48 hours to clarify such messages.

It is important to be aware of such fraudulent activities, otherwise known as phishing, and the need to protect yourself against it. If you have received an email with a request to make any financial deposit before you can claim your prize, it is most likely a scam.

We strongly advise against responding to such emails. Please delete it from your mailbox and not reveal or disclose your personal information to anyone at any time online or through any other channels.

Current Scam Activity

888 Deals e-Contest - Alert raised on 26th April 2007

Please ignore and delete any emails that may suggest you had won USD 3,888,888.00 with the need to make a deposit of USD 4,000 to facilitate your prize transfer.

There is no such contest, and the Genting Group will not be held liable for any monetary loss resulting from such participation.

The scam will even go to the extent of creating a fake web page using our current template with the winner's name listed as one of the winners with unclaimed prizes.

We have captured this particular page for your reference :-

Genting Email and SMS Scam Alert

Source : Genting - City Of Entertainment

ICCC - Tips on Avoiding Fraudulent Charitable Contribution Schemes Scam

2008-07-09T16:57:00.003+08:00

ICCC - Tips on Avoiding Fraudulent Charitable Contribution Schemes Scam.

Source : Internet Crime Complaint Center

Since late May and early June 2008, there have been several natural disasters throughout the country – including tornadoes, wildfires, and floods – which have devastated lives and property.

In the wake of these events which have caused emotional distress and great monetary loss to numerous victims, individuals across the nation often feel a desire to help these victims, frequently through monetary donations.

Tragic incidents, such as 9/11, Hurricanes Katrina and Rita, and the recent earthquake in China, have prompted individuals with criminal intent to solicit contributions purportedly for a charitable organization and/or a good cause.

Therefore, before making a donation of any kind, consumers should adhere to certain guidelines, to include the following:

- Do not respond to unsolicited (SPAM) e-mail.

- Be skeptical of individuals representing themselves as officials soliciting via e-mail for donations.

- Do not click on links contained within an unsolicited e-mail.

- Be cautious of e-mail claiming to contain pictures in attached files, as the files may contain viruses. Only open attachments from known senders.

- To ensure contributions are received and used for intended purposes, make contributions directly to known organizations rather than relying on others to make the donation on your behalf.

- Validate the legitimacy of the organization by directly accessing the recognized charity or aid organization's website rather than following an alleged link to the site.

- Attempt to verify the legitimacy of the non-profit status of the organization by using various Internet-based resources, which also may assist in confirming the actual existence of the organization.

- Do not provide personal or financial information to anyone who solicits contributions: providing such information may compromise your identity and make you vulnerable to identity theft.

To obtain more information on charitable contribution schemes and other types of online schemes, visit http://www.lookstoogoodtobetrue.com/.

If you are a victim of an online scheme, please notify the IC3 by filing a complaint at http://www.ic3.gov/.

Tips From FBI on Avoiding Charity Fraud Scam

2008-07-09T16:49:00.002+08:00

Tips From FBI on Avoiding Charity Fraud Scam.

In recent months, several natural disasters throughout the world—including floods, earthquakes, severe storms, tornadoes, and wildfires—have devastated lives and property.

In the wake of these events, which cause emotional distress and great monetary loss to numerous victims, individuals across the nation often feel a desire to help by offering charitable donations.

Unfortunately, these tragic incidents have also prompted criminals to take advantage of this good will by illegally soliciting contributions while claiming to represent legitimate charitable organizations.

“We have seen this time and time again—these scam artists will do anything and everything to steal your identity and your money as you try and make donations to well-deserving charities.

If you want your money to go to a good cause, exercise caution to ensure it gets to those in need,” said Special Agent Richard Kolko from Washington, D.C.

The FBI provides the following tips for consumers wishing to make contributions:

- Do not respond to unsolicited (spam) e-mail.

- Be skeptical of individuals representing themselves as officials soliciting via e-mail for donations.

- Do not click on links contained within an unsolicited e-mail.

- Be cautious of e-mail claiming to contain pictures in attached files, as the files may contain viruses. Only open attachments from known senders.

- To ensure contributions are received and used for intended purposes, make contributions directly to known organizations rather than relying on others to make the donation on your behalf.

- Validate the legitimacy of the organization by directly accessing the recognized charity or aid organization's website rather than following an alleged link to the site.

- Attempt to verify the legitimacy of the non-profit status of the organization by using various Internet-based resources, which also may assist in confirming the actual existence of the organization.

- Do not provide personal or financial information to anyone who solicits contributions: providing such information may compromise your identity and make you vulnerable to identity theft.

Source : FBI

American Consumer Opinion Mystery Shopper Scam

2008-07-08T00:33:00.003+08:00

American Consumer Opinion Mystery Shopper Scam Warning...

A warning was issued by American Consumer Opinion on the latest mystery shopper scam using their name.

This is their warning posted at their website :-

WARNING!

Mystery Shopper Scam

A fraudulent Canadian company is using the American Consumer Opinion® name to mail counterfeit checks for thousands of dollars, instructing you to deposit the check and then wire part of the money back to them.

The company falsely claims the money you wire will go towards your training to become a mystery shopper. This is a criminal and illegal scam.

Do not attempt to cash or deposit the check. Do not wire any money to anyone.

Membership in American Consumer Opinion® is always free.

Thank you.

Anne Parks

Vice President of American Consumer Opinion®

Please be advised on this mystery shopper scam...

Joining American Consumer Opinion is 100% Free

Trend Micro - Cyber Criminals Reinvent Methods of Malicious Attacks

2008-07-07T21:48:00.003+08:00

Cyber criminals Reinvent Methods of Malicious Attacks, According to Trend Micro Threat Roundup Report

Elaborate social engineering techniques, advanced malware technology and intricately blended threats further an already-booming underground cyber crime economy.

Trend Micro Incorporated, a global leader in Internet content security, reported today that cyber criminals are not only leveraging new technologies to propagate cyber crime, but are also reinventing forms of social engineering to cleverly ensnare both consumers and businesses, according to the "Trend Micro Threat Roundup and Forecast 1H 2008" report. As a result, the last six months saw an upswing in Web threats, but steady decreases in adware and spyware that are generated by outdated technical methods and can no longer compete with high-level security solutions.

Exploiting human nature through social engineering and phishing techniques

While social engineering tactics such as the Nigerian phishing scam and the Spanish prisoner scam have been around for decades, cyber criminals continue to refresh and modernize this standard form of trickery based on whatever the trend appears to be. For example, the tools and technologies used to create the interactive nature of popular social networking sites have become a land mine for cyber crime. In March, Trend Micro discovered that over 400 phishing kits designed to generate phishing sites were targeting top Web 2.0 sites (i.e. social networking, video sharing and VoIP sites), free email service providers, banks and popular e-Commerce Web sites.

Recently, a new form of phishing warned potential victims about phishing emails as a way to legitimize that email and then tricked them into clicking on a link that leads to a fraudulent site. Spammers are also recycling old techniques. In February, Trend Micro investigated a voice phishing (aka "vishing") attempt. The message appeared convincing, with all links leading to corresponding, legitimate target pages, but included a phony number for recipients to call to reactivate their account, which had been supposedly "placed on hold." Upon calling the phone number, users were asked for their bank card number and PIN, unwittingly opening their bank accounts to the phishers.

Developing malware for blended threats

Malware variants have generally been treated as separate individual threats. Today, profit-motivated Web threats blend various malicious software components into a singular Web threat business model. For example, a cyber criminal sends a message (spam) with an embedded link in the email (malicious URL) or contained in an instant message. The user clicks on the link and is redirected to a Web site where a file (Trojan) automatically downloads onto the user's computer. The Trojan then downloads an additional file (spyware) that captures sensitive information, such as bank account numbers (spy-phishing). Although seemingly one incident, blended threats are much more difficult to combat and much more dangerous for the user.

Exploiting new technologies

The fast-flux technique is an additional example of criminals abusing technology developments. Fast-flux is a domain-name-server (DNS) switching mechanism that combines peer-to-peer networking, distributed command and control, Web-based load-balancing, and proxy redirection to hide phishing delivery sites. Fast-flux helps phishing sites stay up for longer periods to lure more victims. For example, researchers are challenged to identify malicious Storm domains because developers are using fast-flux techniques to evade detection.

A spike in Web threats accompanied by a decline in adware and keyloggers

Trend Micro witnessed a dramatic increase in Web threat activity during the first half of 2008. Web threats peaked in March to 50,000,000 from approximately 15,000,000 in December 2007.

On the decline are adware, trackware, keyloggers and freeloaders. In March 2007, Trend Micro found that approximately 45 percent of PCs were infected by adware; by April 2008, only 35 percent were reportedly infected. In May 2007, approximately 20 percent of PCs were infected by trackware; that number has dropped to less than 5 percent in April 2008. Keyloggers also showed a small, but steady decline with less than 5 percent of PCs being infected (from over 5 percent in September 2007.)

"This is a good example of how cyber criminals are evolving with the times -- they're moving away from threats that use old or waning technologies; instead, focusing on the lucrative threats that bring a bigger payload," said Raimund Genes, chief technology officer of Trend Micro.

Other notable findings from the report:

-- High-profile Web sites became highly targeted. In early January, several massive SQL injection attacks were launched on thousands of Web pages belonging to Fortune 500 corporations, state government agencies and educational institutions.

-- Mobile threats are continuing to play a small part in the new threat landscape. In January, Trend Micro discovered malware disguised as a multimedia file that was used to infect older Nokia mobile phones.

-- With skill comes precision. Cyber criminals are increasingly targeting more affluent users, such as C-level executives who represent a small number of wealthy, high-level individuals in positions of power to gain access to larger bank accounts, login credentials, or even email addresses that span an entire organization.

-- Spam volumes decreased briefly at the beginning of 2008 -- perhaps a post-holiday break for spammers. Volume spiked in March with a small slip in April. Whenever drops in spam activity occur, Trend Micro researchers interpret this as a sign that spammers are either regrouping to launch a new attack or testing new techniques.

-- Bots (compromised PCs) spiked from over 1,500,000 in January to over 3,500,000 in February. This was then followed by a dramatic drop in March.

Six-Month Forecast

According to research and observations of attacks that have occurred since the beginning of this year, Trend Micro researchers predict the following trends over the next six months:

-- Social engineering will remain a key attack method, with more sophisticated tricks evolving. Trend Micro expects cyber criminals to leverage events such as the Summer Olympics, back-to -school shopping, the U.S. election season, soccer and football events, and the holiday season in December.

-- Cybercriminals will continue to target newly discovered vulnerabilities in "third-party" software applications, such as QuickTime, RealPlayer, Adobe Flash, etc.

-- Crimeware that relies on technical methods that are becoming obsolete, such as dialers and keyloggers, will continue to slowly decline in number. Grayware such as trackware and browser hijackers will also slowly fall off in number as they cannot scale well in an era of million-member botnets.

-- Spam volume will continue to rise exponentially with average daily spam volumes predicted to increase by 30- to 50- billion messages per day. Spam and phishing will rise in August to correspond with back-to-school activities and the Olympics. A seasonal spike is also expected in November to correspond with the holidays, with spam forecasted to reach 170 to 180 billion messages per day.

-- As is occurring now, both spam and phishing will continue to play a part in blended threats. About 0.2 percent-one out of every 500 Web requests-are sent to Web sites hosted on infected PCs, and this trend is expected to continue.

-- Bots and botnets will continue to play an important part in the threat chain for spamming, information stealing, targeted attacks and large-scale attack campaigns.

About Trend Micro:

Trend Micro Incorporated, a global leader in Internet content security, focuses on securing the exchange of digital information for businesses and consumers. A pioneer and industry vanguard, Trend Micro is advancing integrated threat management technology to protect operational continuity, personal information, and property from malware, spam, data leaks and the newest Web threats. Its flexible solutions, available in multiple form factors, are supported 24/7 by threat intelligence experts around the globe. A transnational company, with headquarters in Tokyo, Trend Micro's trusted security solutions are sold through its business partners worldwide. Please visit http://www.trendmicro.com/.

Copyright© 2008 Trend Micro Incorporated. All rights reserved. Trend Micro, the Trend Micro t-ball logo are trademarks or registered trademarks of Trend Micro, Incorporated. All other product or company names may be trademarks or registered trademarks of their owners.

SOURCE: Trend Micro Incorporated

CONTACT: Andrea Mueller of Trend Micro, +1-408-863-6583, andrea_mueller@trendmicro.com

Web site: http://www.trendmicro.com/

Latest Paypal Email Phishing Scam

2008-07-04T09:22:00.003+08:00

Please note this email is not sent by Paypal.

This email is a spam phishing scam.

---------------------------------- SPAM - SCAM ------------------------------------

Email From : Protecting Your Security

Subject : PayPal Security Center

We recently noticed one or more attempts to log in to your PayPal account from a foreign IP address.

If you recently accessed your account while traveling, the unusual log in attempts may have been initiated by you. However if you are the rightful holder of the account,click on the link below to log into the account and follow the instructions.

http://www.paypal.com/us/cgi-bin/webscr?cmd=_login-run - This link actually takes you to a phishing website - http://ll-ria-r.newline.net.ua/.www.paypal.com/cgi-bin/webscr.php?cmd=_login-run ( NOTE - THIS IS NOT PAYPAL WEBSITE )

If you choose not to complete the request, you give us no choice but to suspend your account temporary.

It takes at least 72 hours for the investigation in this case and we strongly recommend you to verify your account at that time.

If you received this notice and you are not the authorized account holder, please be aware that it is in violation of PayPal policy to represent oneself as an other PayPal user.

Such action may also be in violation of local, national, and/or international law.

PayPal is committed to assist law enforcement with any inquires related attempts to misappropriate personal information with the intent to commit fraud or theft.

Information will be provided at the request or law enforcement agencies to ensure that perpetrators are prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law.

Thanks for your patience as we work together to protect your account.

PayPal Account Review Department.

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PayPal Email ID PP00145

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Zirconline Multi Cleanser Gem Scam

2008-06-23T07:13:00.002+08:00

Another Zirconline Multi Cleanser Gem Scam.

This scammers will ask you to buy "Zirconline Multi Cleanser Gem" from someone as a much lesser price and later sell it back to them for a much higher price.

They will say that they could not buy the Zirconline Multi Cleanser Gem on their own and that you could buy it for them.

Its a scam !!!

This is the email that they sent to you :-

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Email From : Stelle Evans

Subject : YOUR KIND ATTENTION

Dear Friend,

Brief Introduction, Am Ms Stella Evans 32years old, citizen of London Uk, a purchasing manager to a company in Uk called MACGROVE COMPANY,PLC LONDON.

Kindly give attention to this letter, though it will bring surprise to you as it comes from a strange person.

Due to my condition now, i honorable demand for your co-operations, honest, reliability and sincerely on this transaction as my Friend / business partner, i have deliberated it in my mind and decided to contact you and offer you this business proposal.

I have decided to intimate you personally and discreetly with this business proposal which will be of mutual benefit to both of us. When i was pursuing through your profile, I became aware of your credibility, I use to come to Malaysia to purchase a certain product called ZIRCONLINE MULTI CLEANSER GEM.

Now i will no more be able to make my trip to Malaysia as normal does because of my health, I have been diagnosed with Esophageal Cancer which was discovered very late, due to my laxity in caring for my health. It has defiled all forms of medicine, and right now am on admission in the hospital that will take few months according to medical director.

Though my company have arranged to send my assistant for the mission to purchase the products on behalf of my company which i normally bought in Malaysia. For the fact that i do buy the product ( ZIRCONLINE MULTI- CLEANSER GEM ) at the rate of ($2,500 u.s dollars) per a carton of six bottles and re-sold to my company at rate of ($4,000 u.s dollars)

The ZIRCONLINE MULTI CLEANSER GEM is a new scientific chemical fluid substance manufactured in North Korea , its of lubricant, mainly used in the gemological laboratory for the purification of diamonds clarity treatment, it penetrate deep into diamond and vaporizes out black inclusion in diamonds and other precious stones listed below:-

(1) Tanzanite
(2) Citrine
(3) Pink topaz
(4) Aquamarine
(5) Ruby
(6) Sapphire
(7) Zircon (both blue and colorless)

These product are rare and highly demanded by my company in Britain, though not long it came to existence, it was introduce to our company by a Chinese friend, Mrs Jessy Chau, a gemologist in USA, who gave me a sample for text on my last visit to the United States.

After our companies research on this product, I discovered it in Malaysia and i have been going to Malaysia for the purchases .

Now i will no more be able to make my trip to Malaysia as normal does because of my health,

I have been diagnosed with Esophageal Cancer which was discovered very late, due to my laxity in caring for my health. It has defiled all forms of medicine, and right now am on admission in the hospital that will take few months according to medical director.

My company needs this product now and they are arranging to send my assistant for the mission to purchase the products which i normally bought in Malaysia.
For the fact that i do buy the product ( ZIRCONLINE MULTI- CLEANSER GEM ) at the rate of ($2,500 u.s dollars) per a carton of six bottles and re-sold to my company at rate of ($4,200 u.s dollars) and i don't want the company to know about this therefore, i now wish to appoint you as my local agent in Malaysia, so that the assistant purchasing manager who will soon be in Malaysia will have to buy the products through you in other to protect my former dealings.

I have not particularly lived my life so well, as I never really cared to have a friend then in Malaysia but focus on my business as that was the only thing I cared for.

But now I regret all this as i now know that there is more to life than just wanting to have or make all. Now that my health has deteriorated so badly, I cannot do this my self for now.

Iam offering you 50% of the total proceeds ( profit ) from any of the deals whenever he comes to make the purchase of the products as its going to be a continuous business until i stand back on my feet while 40% is for me and 10% would be your local and international operational costs during each of the business transactions in Malaysia.

This transaction is completely risk free to you and will last a day or two days only. I don't want the person they will be sending to know the cost price that i have been buying the product in Malaysia.

The dealer of this product is a Malaysian lady, I want to introduce you as the dealer to my Company so that my representative will buy it from you as i will give you the contacts of the Malaysia lady so that you can contact her on your own and arrange, why the assigned purchase manager will meet you and buy it from you.

If you promise to be faithful to me by sending my percentage after the transaction with my company, i will now send you all the details you need for the business.

I need a trustworthy person that will handle this business for me until i stand back on my feet. I want truth & honest to be our watch word.

While waiting for your positive and urgent reply.

Warmest regards

Stella Evans

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Latest E-Gold Account Verification Email Phishing Scam

2008-06-22T08:01:00.003+08:00

The email below is NOT send by e-gold. Its an email phishing spam - scam.

This email is spam - scam :-

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Email From : E-gold

Subject : Please Update Your Account Information!

Account trouble

We are contacting you to remind you that on 20.06.08 our Account Review Team identified some unusual activity in your account.

In accordance with e-gold´s User Agreement and to ensure that your account has not been compromised, access to your account was limited.

Your account access will remain limited until this issue has been resolved please log in your account or click on the link bellow:

Click here to activate your account - The link will NOT take you to e-gold website !!!! Instead it will take you to a phishing website : http://www.atozbybus.com/E-Gold.Com/e-gold/logon.php?acct=login ( Note the domain - its not e-gold domain )

Thank you :

e-gold service

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Panda Internet Security 2008

2008-06-21T08:19:00.003+08:00

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