With the London Olympics
in high gear, scammers are taking advantage of users with a range of scams
designed to steal money and commit fraud. Here are some to tips you.
Tickets!
Who Needs Tickets!
This email purports to be from the
"London 2012 Ticketing Team." You saw them in the opening ceremony,
didn't you? Well, the message claims that following an audit of tickets
available in advance of second chance sales, authorities are offering the
recipient the chance to purchase tickets that have been made available through
a previous bidder being unable to pay for them. But, unlike the previous
deadbeat, you're expected to pay upfront. After all, it only costs several
thousand GBP. The email is followed up with a phone call asking for credit card
details.
Cash
Is King
The recipient receives an email
purporting to be from a specific individual who claims to be the "London
Olympic Cash Officer" (Where do we apply for this job?), stating that the
recipient was selected at random to receive a cash prize of more than 1.6
million GBP. To receive the payment, they have to submit their details to the
sender. An email address and phone number are included. Do you suppose the
Olympic Cash Officer is subject to random pocket searches?
Paging
Dr. Beavis...
Another email notifies unlucky
recipients that they are among seven winners who will split a cool 7 million
GBP. The money is said to be already in the bank, and recipients are even urged
to keep their winnings on the down-low until the transaction is complete. To
add that little extra dose of credibility, the message is signed by Dr. Beavis.
But, neither he nor his associate (presumably Mr. Butthead) was reached for
comment.
It's
Good To Be Needed
This email is headed "You
are needed ... Get Back to Us," and it informs recipients that they are
using the opportunity to confirm if they would like to participate in the
Olympic Games as a coordinator or event staffer. The recipient is asked to
contact a given individual. Personal details are then required, and people are
then directed to a website where they provide payment for the placement
services. Gee, getting a job is expensive nowadays.
Equestrian
Ring Stewards
This scam is in the form of a
letter or email that tells the recipient that they had been shortlisted to be a
ring steward for the Olympic Games. The message informs the recipient that they
will be contacted again in due course if the recipient is selected to be a ring
steward and purports to be sent from a given individual. Recipients are asked
to call a phone number for additional details, whereupon they are asked to
disclose sensitive, personal information. Sounds like a lot of horse ... oh
never mind!
Carrying
A Torch For You
As if we weren't getting enough
legitimate warnings about viruses, this one appears to be a hoax about a virus
that apparently does not exist, according to the Olympics website. It purports
to be a warning about an email with the reference line "invitation."
According to the message, when you open up this message, it displays an Olympic
torch -- nice right? But, it also unleashes a virus purported to destroy your
entire hard drive. The message cites a number of news organizations and
security vendors discussing how catastrophic the malware is. But, according to
the website, no such exploit is underway.
Because
Two Million Pounds Is Just Too Much
And it goes a little like this
...
"The London 2012 Olympics
lottery is proud to inform you that you have won 1,950,000.00 GBP," (We
suppose when you're not giving away money, a full 2 million is just too much).
Recipients are then asked to provide a wealth of sensitive details, including
their passport number. Though, the scammers are also willing to accept a
photocopy of the passport itself ... because, you know, criminals often want to
make your life easier.
Hello
Everybody-Dot-Com
The recipient receives an email
indicating that they won a promotion that included "all Internet
users" sponsored by a major telecommunications company. The prize is 500,000
GBP, and a bogus reference number is provided. The recipients are then required
to contact a specific individual and provide their details in order to claim
the prize. We're still stuck on the idea that they reached all Internet users!
Just a few people, right?
This
Just In...
This one is a text message scam
that confirms that the recipients have one 300,000 pounds in the London 2012
lotto drawing. They are asked to call a specific phone number and quote the
reference number in order to claim their prize. A number of personal details
are requested, putting the respondents at risk of fraud or identity theft.
Early
Check-In
While it might be too late to
be early, it's never too late to be caught in a phishing snare. This file
reportedly exploits a buffer overflow in Microsoft Office to download at least
two trojans and a host of other malware aimed at unsuspecting victims. Once
again, the emphasis is on getting personal information such as credit card
numbers, driver license numbers, etc.
Written by thecodewhiz
Thecodewhiz is a tech savvy internet enthusiast,Designer,ICT Support Specialist, amatuer Dj and Photographer who loves sharing information.Find Technology tips and tricks and more here...
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