From: Attorney General John Kroger <[email protected]>
Date: May 3, 2011 10:13:54 AM PDT
Subject: Scam Alert: Fake Osama bin Laden Footage
Reply-To: [email protected]
Consumer Protection Hotline: 1-877-877-9392
Online: Oregon Department of Justice - Homepage
Look up consumer complaints about businesses online:
<broken link removed>
ATTORNEY GENERAL'S
SCAM ALERT
A Consumer Protection Alert from Oregon Attorney General John Kroger
Dear friends,
Thank you for signing up to receive news and updates from the Oregon Department of Justice. The following is a scam alert from the Oregon Scam Alert Network. Please feel free to forward this email and encourage your family members, friends and colleagues to join the network too. Together we can fight fraud and help protect Oregonians from falling prey to predatory schemes.
FAKE OSAMA BIN LADEN FOOTAGE
The death of Osama bin Laden is undeniably one of the biggest stories of the last decade. Oregon Attorney General John Kroger, however, cautions Oregonians to be careful when searching the internet for footage or news about bin Laden's death. As seen with the Japan earthquake and tsunami, cybercriminals exploit top stories by creating fake videos, photos, Google ads, and news reports that contain malware and viruses.
Already some highly trafficked blogs have been infiltrated by cybercriminals. For instance, a man who lived near bin Laden's compound inadvertently "tweeted" the raid. People flocked to his website to read his account of events. Unfortunately, so did cyberthieves and his blog was compromised. Those who visited his site are likely to have unknowingly downloaded viruses or malware onto their computers.
On Facebook there is fake video footage of bin Laden's death. When opened, the link exposes the user's personal information to the cybercriminal and downloads malware onto the user's computer.
Attorney General Kroger offers the following advice to avoid falling victim to cyber-scams:
Be cautious of links from emails, social networking sites, or Google searches. If the URL and the search topic don't relate in some obvious way it's best to avoid it.
Pop-up ads related to popular internet searches commonly carry malware. Do not be enticed by fake offers of "free" stuff, surveys or contests. Never provide personal information through pop-up ads.
If a website redirects you to download software or "codec" in order to view a video, stop. These are signs of a scam.
Make sure your computer has up to date anti-virus software. Perform a virus scan on a regular basis.
Here is an example of a fake Facebook video:
If a Facebook user were to click on the above link, the following pop-ups may appear, asking the user to take further steps:
Below is an example of content meant to look like a news article, but is actually a link to malware:
Scammers and identity thieves pose a significant threat to Oregon consumers. Last year Oregonians reported losing nearly $2 million to scams. The Oregon Department of Justice is committed to protecting Oregon consumers. Anyone who thinks they may have been contacted by a scammer should call the Oregon Consumer Protection Hotline at 1-877-877-9392 or go to Oregon Department of Justice - Homepage.
Quick Links
DOJ Web Site
Sign Up for the Scam Alert Network
Be InfORmed: Search Consumer Complaints Online
File a Consumer Complaint
Forward email
This email was sent to [email protected] by [email protected] |
Update Profile/Email Address | Instant removal with SafeUnsubscribe | Privacy Policy.
Oregon Attorney General's Office | 1162 Court St NE | Salem | OR | 97301
Date: May 3, 2011 10:13:54 AM PDT
Subject: Scam Alert: Fake Osama bin Laden Footage
Reply-To: [email protected]
Consumer Protection Hotline: 1-877-877-9392
Online: Oregon Department of Justice - Homepage
Look up consumer complaints about businesses online:
<broken link removed>
ATTORNEY GENERAL'S
SCAM ALERT
A Consumer Protection Alert from Oregon Attorney General John Kroger
Dear friends,
Thank you for signing up to receive news and updates from the Oregon Department of Justice. The following is a scam alert from the Oregon Scam Alert Network. Please feel free to forward this email and encourage your family members, friends and colleagues to join the network too. Together we can fight fraud and help protect Oregonians from falling prey to predatory schemes.
FAKE OSAMA BIN LADEN FOOTAGE
The death of Osama bin Laden is undeniably one of the biggest stories of the last decade. Oregon Attorney General John Kroger, however, cautions Oregonians to be careful when searching the internet for footage or news about bin Laden's death. As seen with the Japan earthquake and tsunami, cybercriminals exploit top stories by creating fake videos, photos, Google ads, and news reports that contain malware and viruses.
Already some highly trafficked blogs have been infiltrated by cybercriminals. For instance, a man who lived near bin Laden's compound inadvertently "tweeted" the raid. People flocked to his website to read his account of events. Unfortunately, so did cyberthieves and his blog was compromised. Those who visited his site are likely to have unknowingly downloaded viruses or malware onto their computers.
On Facebook there is fake video footage of bin Laden's death. When opened, the link exposes the user's personal information to the cybercriminal and downloads malware onto the user's computer.
Attorney General Kroger offers the following advice to avoid falling victim to cyber-scams:
Be cautious of links from emails, social networking sites, or Google searches. If the URL and the search topic don't relate in some obvious way it's best to avoid it.
Pop-up ads related to popular internet searches commonly carry malware. Do not be enticed by fake offers of "free" stuff, surveys or contests. Never provide personal information through pop-up ads.
If a website redirects you to download software or "codec" in order to view a video, stop. These are signs of a scam.
Make sure your computer has up to date anti-virus software. Perform a virus scan on a regular basis.
Here is an example of a fake Facebook video:
If a Facebook user were to click on the above link, the following pop-ups may appear, asking the user to take further steps:
Below is an example of content meant to look like a news article, but is actually a link to malware:
Scammers and identity thieves pose a significant threat to Oregon consumers. Last year Oregonians reported losing nearly $2 million to scams. The Oregon Department of Justice is committed to protecting Oregon consumers. Anyone who thinks they may have been contacted by a scammer should call the Oregon Consumer Protection Hotline at 1-877-877-9392 or go to Oregon Department of Justice - Homepage.
Quick Links
DOJ Web Site
Sign Up for the Scam Alert Network
Be InfORmed: Search Consumer Complaints Online
File a Consumer Complaint
Forward email
This email was sent to [email protected] by [email protected] |
Update Profile/Email Address | Instant removal with SafeUnsubscribe | Privacy Policy.
Oregon Attorney General's Office | 1162 Court St NE | Salem | OR | 97301
