Lottery Scam Using Skype Message & Phone Gaining Ground in China
A new scam has been discovered by Websense Security Labs ThreatSeeker Network which sends a message to steal money from the victim. The scam is widely spreading in China, as reported by mag-securs on November 3, 2008.
The scam makes use of a fake Skype message to deceive users and make them believe that they have won a big prize lottery. The message contains the web address of a phishing site and a phone number of fake support center.
When the recipient of the e-mail calls at the phone number given in it, the operator asks him to fill up the form in a phishing website. This technique of using Web-based phishing and interaction with human on telephone is very sophisticated and gaining ground in China.
Moreover, the modern organized crimes have not changed much from the old ones, but their extension from street to cyberspace has expanded the territory of organized groups and individuals. Internet has given criminals an additional benefit to operate their scams in cyberspace where surveillance and law enforcement is very difficult due to multiple number of transactions, less governance and a transnational stage.
Furthermore, this new technique of phishing attacks, which involves Skype message and human reply to call on the given number, make lottery scam genuine or real. The victim gets ready to pay the money as the offer of winning 100-000 RMB and a car is just too attractive to neglect. But the victim ends up loosing his money without getting any prize.
In addition, the illegal transactions including selling of counterfeit drugs, identity theft software and credit card are affecting legitimate businesses. These transactions have buried billions of legitimate online transactions that take place every day around the globe.
MessageLabs, an Internet security firm, said in its report that the spam level in China surged to 75.4% due to rise in phishing attacks, cybercrime and e-mails for stealing banking password after the global financial crisis. Further, the number of phishing attacks climbed to a high level during the Beijing Olympics.
Related article: Lottery Fraud: Arrest of Three Nigerians and an Indian
» SPAMfighter News - 23-11-2008