CYBER SCAM Warning   

 Recent cyber scams to be aware of:  Virus-laden fake iTunes vouchers. E-mails containing supposed iTunes gift certificates were actually loaded with malware.  Spoofed e-mails purportedly offering $50 vouchers for the iTunes Store, which arrive with e-mail subject lines such as “iTunes Gift Certificate,” come with an attachment supposedly containing a certificate code. In reality, these zip file attachments are infected with the Windows PC-compatible malware. Source:  http://www.theregister.co.uk/2011/11/24/fake_itunes_gift_cert_malware/
Safety Tip: If seems too good to be true, it probably is   

 "PayPal"email address change phishing scheme doing rounds. PayPal users have been targeted again as e-mails supposedly sent by the online payment company urge them to fill out a form with their personal and financial information to prevent the suspension of their accounts. With “You have changed your PayPal email address” in the subject line, the sender attempts to convince the recipient that someone has accessed their account and changed the e-mail address. To “keep the original email and restore their PayPal account,” the users must fill out an attached Personal Profile Form - PayPal-.htm form. “Helpfully” notes “say the form needs to be opened in a modern browser which has javascript enabled (ex: Internet Explorer 7, Firefox 3, Safari 3, Opera 9).” For those who fall for this scam, the submitted information gets sent directly to the phishers, Sophos points out. Source:  http://www.net-security.org/secworld.php?id=12003 Safety Tip: NEVER trust email for financial notice. Always use a trusted phone number to call PayPal, banks, and doctors directly.    

 Android monitoring software hides SMS trojan. Kaspersky Lab experts came across what looked like a legitimate application for monitoring/managing SMS, calls and Internet traffic on an Android smartphone. Except, upon closer inspection, the app hosted on the Web as SuiConFo, was hiding a SMS trojan identified as Trojan-SMS.AndroidOS.Foncy, which sends four short messages to premium rate numbers. The malware will not only send short messages, but it will also hide incoming SMSs from certain numbers. Because such trojans can generate a considerable income, it is likely these operations will be extended to affect citizens of other countries. Source:  http://news.softpedia.com/news/Android-Monitoring-Software-Hides-SMS-Trojan-236641.shtml
Safety Tip: Android application should be considered un-trusted.  Google and read magazine reviews before you download any app.   

 Special Deals – Offers appear via email or social media sites saying that they are for select customers, limited time, hot deals, surveys, etc.  All the user needs to do is click on the web link and complete a form.  The click downloads a key stroke logger (so they can gather you passwords and financial information) , and form gathers name, address, and visa information. User should never click on offer supplied web links, they should Google search for the real web site.  Modern malware can avoid anti-virus detection.  Safety Tip: Use Google to verify any special deals, simply search on any keyword. Real deals with have live links and user comments..  

 Email from YOUR Bank – You will get an email from your bank warning you of some questionable charges, and asking you to click on the supplied link and complete a form about your spending.  No Bank, Credit Union, Health Provider, or retail store will NEVER email you asking for your private information.  You should ignore the message, DO NOT TRUST any names, phone numbers, etc in the email.  Immediately, call the Bank using the phone number on your credit card or prior statement or found by Google. Safety Tip: Cybercrime and Social Engineering exploit User trust, in the area of Finance and privacy, always independently verify 1st.