YOU WILL NOT BELIEVE ALL THE SCAMS BEING REPORTED ON THE FBI WEBSITE. I AM JUST SHARING A FEW FOR YOU TO SEE. fbi.gov/scams-safety/e-scams WHEN YOU SEE A SCAM OR YOU ARE THE TARGET OF A SCAM BY ALL MEANS GO TO THE WEBGSITE AND REPORT IT. IT IS THE ONLY WAY TO STOP THESE PEOPLE. Cyber Criminals Continue to Use Spear-Phishing Attacks to Compromise Computer Networks 06/25/13—The FBI has seen an increase in criminals who use spear-phishing attacks to target multiple industry sectors. These attacks allow criminals to access private computer networks. They exploit that access to create fake identities, steal intellectual property, and compromise financial credentials to steal money from victims’ accounts. In spear-phishing attacks, cyber criminals target victims because of their involvement in an industry or organization they wish to compromise. Often, the e-mails contain accurate information about victims obtained via a previous intrusion or from data posted on social networking sites, blogs, or other websites. This information adds a veneer of legitimacy to the message, increasing the chances the victims will open the e-mail and respond as directed. Recent attacks have convinced victims that software or credentials they use to access specific websites needs to be updated. The e-mail contains a link for completing the update. If victims click the link, they are taken to a fraudulent website through which malicious software (malware) harvests details such as the victim’s usernames and passwords, bank account details, credit card numbers, and other personal information. The criminals can also gain access to private networks and cause disruptions or steal intellectual property and trade secrets. To avoid becoming a victim, keep in mind that online businesses, including banks and merchants, typically will not ask for personal information, such as usernames and passwords, via e-mail. When in doubt either call the company directly or open your computer’s Internet browser and type the known website’s address. Don’t use the telephone number contained in the e-mail, which is likely to be fraudulent as well. In general, avoid following links sent in e-mails, especially when the sender is someone you do not know or appears to be from a business advising that your account information needs updated. Keep your computer’s anti-virus software and firewalls updated. Many of the latest browsers have a built-in phishing filter that should be enabled for additional protection. If you believe you may have fallen victim to a spear-phishing attack, file a complaint with the FBI’s Internet Crime Complaint Center at ic3.gov/. Cyber Criminals Using Photo-Sharing Programs to Compromise Computers 05/30/13—The FBI has seen an increase in cyber criminals who use online photo-sharing programs to perpetrate scams and harm victims’ computers. These criminals advertise vehicles online but will not provide pictures in the advertisement. They will send photos on request. Sometimes the photo is a single file sent as an e-mail attachment, and sometimes the victim receives a link to an online photo gallery. The photos can and often contain malicious software that infects the victim’s computer, directing the user to fake websites that look nearly identical to the real sites where the original advertisement was seen. The cyber criminals run all aspects of these fake websites, including “tech support” or “live chat support” and any “recommended” escrow services. After the victim agrees to purchase the item and makes the payment, the criminals stop responding to correspondence. The victims never receive any merchandise. The FBI urges consumers to protect themselves when shopping online. Here are a few tips for staying safe: Be cautious if you lose an auction on an auction site but the seller contacts you later saying the original bidder fell through. Make sure websites are secure and authenticated before you purchase an item online. Use only well-known escrow services. Research to determine if a car dealership is real and how long it has been in business. Be wary if the price for the item you’d like to buy is severely undervalued; if it is, the item is likely fraudulent. Scan files before downloading them to your computer. Keep your computer software, including the operating system, updated with the latest patches. Ensure your anti-virus software and firewalls are current—they can help prevent malware infections. If you have fallen victim to this type of scam, file a complaint with the Internet Crime Complaint Center at ic3.gov. Citadel Malware Continues to Deliver Reveton Ransomware in Attempts to Extort Mon
Posted on: Wed, 11 Sep 2013 06:32:53 +0000
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