Cyber Crime Security tips

Awareness Programme in connection with the false lottery winning claim via E-mail/SMS :

A sample of such spam e-mail is shown below :
Dear E-mail User : YOU HAVE WON PRIZE MONEY OF (£500,000.00 GBP) BY GOOGLE/YAHOO LOTTERY FOR THE YEAR 2011 ANNUAL LOTTERY PROMOTION WHICH IS ORGANIZED BY GOOGLE/YAHOO IN CO-OPERATIONS. BILLIONS OF EMAILS ADDRESSES HAVE BEEN SELECTED FROM WORLD WIDE WEB DIRECTORIES AND DRAWED BY OUR EMAIL BALLOTING MACHINE AND 13 LUCKY EMAILS HAS EMERGED AS OUR WINNERS FOR THIS YEARS SWEEPSTAKE PROGRAMME.
However you will have to fill and submit the events manager.
1. Full name_________________ 2. Contact address ___________________________
3. Age ____________________ 4. Telephone number _________________________
5. Sex ____________________ 6. Occupation ______________________________
(Contact Events manager Lottery Department)
Name : Mr. Harry COLE
E-mail : CLAIMS211[at]msn[dot]com
Tel : +447014245109

LOTTERY, SMS, EMAIL AND ONLINE SCAM ALERT – THESE SCAMS ARE VERY DANGEROUS !

Lottery, SMS, Email and Online scam letters are sent out by the thousands and thousands every day. There are only two things they want - your money and your identity. A simple mistake can lead to loss of your identity and money.

Have you recently received Lottery Winning Notification email? Don't respond to them, almost 100% such email are fake and sent to either steal your identity or demand money for price claim.

The Shell Petroleum development Company (SPDC) has been sending SMS to maximum people regarding a win in Lottery around thousands of pounds & asking the courier charges for the same. Request you to take some Legal Action on the Shell Petroleum development Company. Request all to not to pay any amount to them if you are receiving any SMS or Mail from SPDC. Request all the guys to report the issue to Cyber Police in their City or to the nearest Police Station.

Defending Cell Phones and PDAs Against Attack

Note: As cell phones and PDAs become more technologically advanced, attackers are finding new ways to target victims. By using text messaging or email, an attacker could lure you to a malicious site or convince you to install malicious code on your portable device.

WHAT UNIQUE RISKS DO CELL PHONES AND PDAs PRESENT?

• Most current cell phones have the ability to send and receive text messages. Some cell phones and PDAs also offer the ability to connect to the internet. Although these are features that you might find useful and convenient, attackers may try to take advantage of them. As a result, an attacker may be able to accomplish the following :
• Abuse your service - Most cell phone plans limit the number of text messages you can send and receive. If an attacker spams you with text messages, you may be charged additional fees. An attacker may also be able to infect your phone or PDA with malicious code that will allow them to use your service. Because the contract is in your name, you will be responsible for the charges.
• Lure you to a malicious web site - While PDAs and cell phones that give you access to email are targets for standard phishing attacks, attackers are now sending text messages to cell phones. These messages, supposedly from a legitimate company, may try to convince you to visit a malicious site by claiming that there is a problem with your account or stating that you have been subscribed to a service. Once you visit the site, you may be lured into providing personal information or downloading a malicious file.
• Use your cell phone or PDA in an attack - Attackers who can gain control of your service may use your cell phone or PDA to attack others. Not only does this hide the real attacker's identity, it allows the attacker to increase the number of targets.
• Gain access to account information - In some areas, cell phones are becoming capable of performing certain transactions (from paying for parking or groceries to conducting larger financial transactions). An attacker who can gain access to a phone that is used for these types of transactions may be able to discover your account information and use or sell it

WHAT CAN YOU DO TO PROTECT YOURSELF?

• Follow general guidelines for protecting portable devices - Take precautions to secure your cell phone and PDA the same way you should secure your computer.
• Be careful about posting your cell phone number and email address - Attackers often use software that browses web sites for email addresses. These addresses then become targets for attacks and spam. Cell phone numbers can be collected automatically, too. By limiting the number of people who have access to your information, you limit your risk of becoming a victim.
• Do not follow links sent in email or text messages - Be suspicious of URLs sent in unsolicited email or text messages. While the links may appear to be legitimate, they may actually direct you to a malicious web site.
• Be wary of downloadable software - There are many sites that offer games and other software you can download onto your cell phone or PDA. This software could include malicious code. Avoid downloading files from sites that you do not trust. If you are getting the files from a supposedly secure site, look for a web site certificate. If you do download a file from a web site, consider saving it to your computer and manually scanning it for viruses before opening it.
• Evaluate your security settings - Make sure that you take advantage of the security features offered on your device. Attackers may take advantage of Bluetooth connections to access or download information on your device. Disable Bluetooth when you are not using it to avoid unauthorized access.

ALERT ON LOTTERY SCAM

Mumbai : The RBI has warned the public of a lottery scam doing the rounds, which fraudulently invokes the central banks authority, besides the promise of windfall gains, to lure people into parting with big amounts of money. According to RBI, the new scheme names an individual as the winner of a lottery running into millions of dollars kept with the banking regulator.

The catch: The winner has to transfer some money into a bank account to take care of administrative and other expenses for the winner. In an attempt to give the game an authentic look, the fraudsters are faking RBI certificates, complete with the name, designation and signature of some of central banks officers.

RBI warned the public that it does not maintain any account in the name of individuals, companies, or trusts in India to hold funds for disbursal. It also does not allow individuals to open an account to deposit money with the RBI. Neither does it issue any certificates, advice or confirmation, evidencing receipt and holding of money in such accounts.

The modus operandi: One gets an email saying he/she is the winner of a lottery and the amount is kept in an account with the RBI. The email also has an attachment of a certificate from the RBI. The email a1so gives a mobile number on which the lottery winner could call to claim the jackpot. Once the recipient of the mail makes the verification call, the voice on the other side, which is claimed to be of an RBI officer, informs the caller about the next step. This usually involves transferring a few lakhs of rupees to a particular bank account.

RBI has received several complaints and it is currently working with the police to track down the fraudsters, a top RBI official said. The economic offences wing (BOW) of Mumbai Police is currently dealing with four similar cases while many more cases are there at the police station level.

RBI has warned people that remittance in any form towards participation in lottery schemes is prohibited under the Foreign Exchange Management Act. Further, these restrictions are applicable also to remittances for participation in lottery-like schemes functioning under different names, such as, money circulation scheme or remittances for the purpose of securing prize money, awards, etc., it said on its website.