Beware of fake Microsoft security alerts

Hi All,
San Francisco (IDGNS) - With Microsoft's monthly patch release expected on Tuesday, scammers are sending out fake security bulletins that attempt to install malicious software on victim's computers.
The e-mail messages claim to describe a "Cumulative Security Update for Internet Explorer" that fixes a critical security flaw in the browser. It comes with a link entitled "Download this update."

Read more:

http://news.yahoo.com/s/infoworld/20070609/tc_infoworld/89242;_ylt=Am_Bpu1bCqVfx4eOONORaHcE1vAI

 

Thanks for that tip, really appreciate it

 

Haven't gotten any yet dromano, but yea Thanks for the "Heads-Up"

 

the other one that is on the rounds is also supposed to be from microsoft to say you have won a large amount of money i spotted it right away only because Microsoft are in my SAFE E mail accounts and this came in on junk mail.

MOTTO: FIGHTING POVERTY ROUND THE WORLD

FROM: THE DESK OF THE E-MAIL PROMOTIONS MANAGER INTERNATIONAL PROMOTIONS/PRIZE
AWARD DEPARTMENT, MICROSOFT CORPORATION WORD LOTTERY
UNITED KINGDOM.61-70 Southampton Row,
Bloomsbury London United Kingdom WC1B 4AR.

REFERENCE NO: MSW-L/200-26937
BATCH NO: 2005SEPTL#22
WINNER NO: 5

ELECTRONIC MAIL AWARD WINNING NOTIFICATIONAWARD PRESENTATION CENTER: UNITED KINGDOM


DEAR WINNER,

MICROSOFT COOPERATION MANAGEMENT WORLDWIDE ARE PLEASED TO INFORM YOU THAT YOU ARE A WINNER OF OUR ANNUAL MS-WORD LOTTO LOTTERY CONDUCTED IN AFRICA BEING THE HOST OF THE EVENT FOR THIS PRESENT YEAR MEGA JACKPOT LOTTO WINNING PROGRAMS HELD ON 1ST, JUNE 2007.

YOUR PERSONAL E-MAIL ADDRESS OR COMPANY EMAIL WAS ATTACHED TO JANUARY MSWLL. WITH SERIAL NUMBER S/N-00168 DREW THE LUCKY NUMBERS 887-13-865-37-10-83, AND CONSEQUENTLY WON IN THE FIRST LOTTERY CATEGORY. YOU HAVE THEREFORE BEEN APPROVED FOR LUMP SUMS OF $600,000 (USD SIX HUNDRED THOUSAND UNITED STATES DOLLARS) PAYABLE IN CASH CREDITED TO FILE REF NO: MSW-L/200-26937 THIS IS FROM TOTAL PRIZE MONEY OF $ 25,000,000 USD, SHARED AMONG THE TWENTY-FIVE (25) LUCKY INTERNATIONAL WINNERS IN FIRST AND SECOND CATEGORY.

ALL PARTICIPANTS WERE SELECTED FROM WORLDWIDE WEBSITES ESPECIALLY YAHOO MAIL THROUGH OUR MICROSOFT COMPUTER BALLOT SYSTEM DRAWN FROM 21,000 NAMES, 3,000 NAMES FROM EACH CONTINENT (CANADA, ASIA, AUSTRALIA, UNITED STATE, EUROPE, MIDDLE EAST, AFRICA AND OCEANIA, AS PART OF INTERNATIONAL "E-MAIL" PROMOTIONS PROGRAM, WHICH IS CONDUCTED ANNUALLY FOR OUR PROMINENT MS -WORD USERS ALL OVER THE WORLD, AND TO ENCOURAGE THE USE OF INTERNET AND COMPUTERS WORLDWIDE.
YOUR FUND (CERTIFIED CHEQUE) HAS BEEN INSURED WITH YOUR REF NO: MSW-L/200-26937 AND WILL BE READY FOR DELIVERY. IT WILL BE DELIVERED TO YOU BY ONE OF OUR CLAIM AGENT IN CHARGE OF YOUR ZONE (ROBERT WHITE). YOUR E-MAIL ADDRESS SHOULD BE USED IN ALL CORRESPONDENCE WITH YOUR CLAIMS OFFICER, PLEASE NOTE THAT, YOU ARE TO CONTACT YOUR CLAIMS OFFICER VIA EMAIL AND PHONE AS WE ARE PROMOTING THE USE OF E-MAIL. ALSO YOU HAVE THE RIGHT TO CALL HIM TO CONFIRM YOUR WINNINGS AND GOVERNMENT TAX PAYMENT THAT IS ALL, AS HE WILL PROVIDE YOU WITH THE NECESSARY DETAILS ON HOW TO CLAIM YOUR PRIZE.

AS PART OF OUR SECURITY PROTOCOL YOU ARE TO QUOTE THIS SECURITY CODE MSW/FEB/XX06 TO YOUR CLAIMING AGENT. THIS IS TO PREVENT SCAM .

CLAIM AGENT

UMESA SEGUROS ESPAÑA S.A
AVENIDA DE TORES 15,28006
CLAIMS AGENT OFFICER CONTACT IS:
TEL: + 34-663-710-692
FAX: + 34-911-849-893
: umesseguros@aim.com
REMEMBER, ALL PRIZE MONEY MUST BE CLAIMED AS SOON AS POSSIBLE. ALL FUNDS NOT CLAIMED ON OR BEFORE THE FIXED DATE WILL BE RETURNED AS UNCLAIMED AND DONATED TO CHARITY ORGANIZATION IN AFRICA .

NOTE: IN ORDER TO AVOID MISTAKES, PLEASE REMEMBER TO QUOTE YOUR REFERENCE AND BATCH NUMBERS AND YOUR SECURITY CODE OF MSW/FEB/XX06 IN ALL CORRESPONDENCES WITH YOUR CLAIMS OFFICER. DO NOT REPLY ANY OTHER MAILS LIKE THIS ON NET, AS THEY ARE A LOT OF SCAM ARTIST OUT THERE PRETENDING TO BE US. YOU MAY SEE MAILS LIKE THIS DO NOT REPLY. DO CONTACT YOUR CLAIMS OFFICER (MR. ROBERT WHITE ) . AT ONCE YOU WILL BE ASKED TO PROVIDE SOME DETAILS TO ENABLE THE OFFICE PROCEED WITH YOUR WINNING CERTIFICATE AND FILE KEEPING.

CONGRATULATIONS, ONCE MORE FROM THE ENTIRE MANAGEMENT AND STAFF OF MICROSOFT COOPERATION TO ALL OUR LUCKY WINNERS THIS YEAR. THANK YOU FOR BEING PART OF THIS PROMOTIONAL LOTTERY PROGRAM. OUR SPECIAL THANKS AND GRATITUDE TO BILL GATE OF MICROSOFT AND ALL HIS ASSOCIATES FOR ALLEVIATING POVERTY ROUND THE WORLD.
SINCERELY,


Mr. Chris Morris Mr.Robert White
(Co-coordinator). Claim Agent

 

Yeah, thanks for the heads-up. So far, no problems for me here in the USA, though I have gotten some of those fake "lottery" e-mails as well, but never opened them and immediately got rid of them.
One question: Why do morons do things like this, seemingly to just infect other peoples' computers with malware, when they aren't going to get anything in return for their efforts? At least, if I was to do something like that (Believe me, I ain't stupid enough to try something like that, even if I did know how to make malware) I'd want something to show for it, wouldn't you? I couldn't imagine doing those sorts of things just for the sheer thrill of it, even though it seems some apparently do. What's the point? I just don't understand.

 

It's insanity all they can hope to achieve is to catch a real beginner! Incredibly enough there are stats that prove they infect enough people to warrant in their sick minds that they have achieved something. Don't be one of those stats. Best of luck,
Dan

 

Yeah, it's sad, ain't it? It seems that so many only use computers at work, and I guess assume that IT will take care of everything. Those people probably never get properly schooled on how a comp really runs, and what's needed to keep it running smoothly, with (hopefully) minimal problems. You would think that, in this day and age, that knowledge of everything computers would be common in most everyone, but of course, that's not the case, and you sometimes have to rely on the 9-year-old down the street to solve any problems you may be having with your home system.
That ignorance is probably what a majority of those cyber criminals count on when they do stupid stuff like that, so that just one person, ignorant of security issues and possibly very trusting of what they see online, can mess things up for a whole lot more, with just one click of the mouse. But, just for the sheer thrill of it, though? Insanity would have to be the quick answer, wouldn't it? And that could possibly be true in some cases. "Vindication" of a sorry existence, wanting to see others suffer in some way, just so you feel more important and detached from your own pathetic life, may be another answer. Of course, I don't actually know, and am only making an educated(?) guess about this whole thing. I'm just an outside observer, from the outside looking in, and may never fully understand what makes people like that tick.

 

One way to know is their abhorrent spelling. Along with the greed factor of people which could cloud proper judgement which really saddens me.

 

good on yer AUGI i didn't spot that one i haven't figured out yet what the scam really is unless they expect you to give you bank details later(are people really so dumb).

http://www.websmileys.com/sm/comp/comp08.gif

 

They just want you to cooperate.