suzy-sue
22-08-11, 13:39
Gmail users are being targeted in a new scam which could hit their friends and family hard. A combination of timing and technology means an alarming number of people are falling for the scam, which asks your email contacts to send money to help you out of a jam.
So how does it work, and how can you avoid falling foul of it?
The scam
The scam sends an email to all your contacts claiming to be from you. It claims you are in one of a number of serious difficulties. A common one is that you have been mugged on holiday and have no cash with which to get home. It gives a mail address which is remarkably similar to your gmail account, and a phone number claiming to be the reception desk of the hotel you are straying at.
If people email or call, the criminals will then email back to escalate the story, or will say you cannot be found in the hotel, but will corroborate the story. If course, when money is sent, it goes straight into the accounts of the criminals.
So how does it work?
Many of the users say they received an odd email in the weeks before the hack, which seemed to come from an email contact and had a link within the text, but when they clicked on the link nothing seemed to happen.
From that date, the hackers automatically set up a mail account matching your gmail account, and forwarded all the contacts that you sent any messages to. From there they assembled a list of people who were more likely to help if they receive an email saying you are in trouble.
On the day of the attack, the email is sent and then immediately deleted from your 'sent items' box, so that when you log back in you have no way of knowing who has received the message, and therefore who you need to email to say it has been a hoax.
Protect yourself
At the moment there are no official figures to show many people have been affected, but it is well worth being on your guard. The victims say they are shocked by how many of their friends and family have been ready to step in and send money. Many receive telephone calls from concerned loved ones and contacts, who are poised to send money to the hackers in an effort to protect you.
It is simultaneously a damning indictment of the shocking lawlessness of the hackers, and a affirmation of the kindness of friends.
There are a few ways to protect yourself from this sort of attack. The first is to make sure your antivirus software is up to date. The second is never to click a link or attachment unless you know exactly what it is, and the third is never ever to send money to anyone asking for it by email - however well you know them and however good your intentions.
STAY SAFE ..Sue
So how does it work, and how can you avoid falling foul of it?
The scam
The scam sends an email to all your contacts claiming to be from you. It claims you are in one of a number of serious difficulties. A common one is that you have been mugged on holiday and have no cash with which to get home. It gives a mail address which is remarkably similar to your gmail account, and a phone number claiming to be the reception desk of the hotel you are straying at.
If people email or call, the criminals will then email back to escalate the story, or will say you cannot be found in the hotel, but will corroborate the story. If course, when money is sent, it goes straight into the accounts of the criminals.
So how does it work?
Many of the users say they received an odd email in the weeks before the hack, which seemed to come from an email contact and had a link within the text, but when they clicked on the link nothing seemed to happen.
From that date, the hackers automatically set up a mail account matching your gmail account, and forwarded all the contacts that you sent any messages to. From there they assembled a list of people who were more likely to help if they receive an email saying you are in trouble.
On the day of the attack, the email is sent and then immediately deleted from your 'sent items' box, so that when you log back in you have no way of knowing who has received the message, and therefore who you need to email to say it has been a hoax.
Protect yourself
At the moment there are no official figures to show many people have been affected, but it is well worth being on your guard. The victims say they are shocked by how many of their friends and family have been ready to step in and send money. Many receive telephone calls from concerned loved ones and contacts, who are poised to send money to the hackers in an effort to protect you.
It is simultaneously a damning indictment of the shocking lawlessness of the hackers, and a affirmation of the kindness of friends.
There are a few ways to protect yourself from this sort of attack. The first is to make sure your antivirus software is up to date. The second is never to click a link or attachment unless you know exactly what it is, and the third is never ever to send money to anyone asking for it by email - however well you know them and however good your intentions.
STAY SAFE ..Sue