Tuesday, June 12, 2007

Scam Emails Are Victimizing Many Business Owners.  Computer Forensic Analysts from Kessler International are actively investigating cases involving “phishing scams” that are using the email addresses of key employees contained on their company websites to target executive-level company managers. These fraudsters are customizing emails that deliver phony complaints from the Better Business Bureau as well as the IRS that contain spyware designed to steal and transmit all the data a victim enters into a website they visit.

This scam begins by directing the reader of an email to click on a link in the email to view details of a phony complaint filed against their company with the Better Business Bureau. When the reader visits the website a prompt to download an alleged complaint filed against them appears. Embedded within the complaint is a file that allows the fraudsters to gather all kinds of information the victim types into their computer and then transmits it to a third-party website. These third party websites are known to store the stolen data for later use by the hacker. The type of data being stolen includes login information, passwords, credit card and bank account numbers, social security numbers and other sensitive data.

We recommend that extreme caution be taken before opening any email from an unknown source which contains file attachments. Additionally Mr. Kessler recommends the use of a good anti-virus and anti-malware program stressing it must be updated regularly.

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