I recently received the fraudulent e-mail message that's copied at the bottom of this post. It has all of the hallmarks of the classic e-mail scam:
· It references “my recent purchase,” but I haven't purchased any tickets on Delta.
· "Joe Abraham" did not send it from a Delta e-mail address.
· It has a ZIP attachment that "Joe" tells me to print.
· It contains grammar mistakes (for example: "We recommend you to print PASSENGER ITINERARY RECEIPT and take it alone to the airport.")
· It contains the promise of something for nothing. (I didn't buy this ticket, but can I get a free trip if I print out the itinerary and take it to the airport?)
If you've received this e-mail or something like it, tell us about it in the comments section below. If you're not sure what to do with the message, see How to handle suspicious e-mail.
For more information on how to spot classic e-mail scams like this one, see Recognize phishing scams and fraudulent e-mail.
-----Original Message-----
From: Joe Abraham [mailto:[email protected]]
Sent: Saturday, March 21, 2009 1:05 AM
To: Marcelle Amelia
Subject: Confirmation of ticket purchase DOW4P5GZSV
Thanks for the purchase!
Booking number: 68Q5R0EPNMTW
You will find attached to this letter PASSENGER ITINERARY RECEIPT of your electronic ticket.
It verifies that you paid the ticket in full and confirms your right for air travel and luggage transportation by the indicated flight Delta Air Lines.
On board you will be offered:
- beverages;
- food;
- daily press.
You are guaranteed top-quality services and attention on the part of our benevolent personnel.
We recommend you to print PASSENGER ITINERARY RECEIPT and take it alone to the airport. It will help you to pass control and registration procedures faster.
See you on board!
Best regards,
Delta Air Lines
If you haven't visited Microsoft Update, go there now to verify your settings and check for updates. To learn how you can have your computer updated automatically, see Update your PC automatically.
We recently updated our guidance regarding this worm to include information about two new variants, Conficker C and Conficker D. For more information, see Protect Windows from Conficker.
To help remove the worm, try these tools:
A post on Slashdot recently pointed to an interesting new method that scammers use to collect e-mail addresses and distribute unwanted and possibly dangerous software (also known as malware). In Grand Forks, North Dakota several people found fliers on their cars that looked like parking tickets. The fliers directed them to a phishing Web site where, if they clicked on an executable file, malware was installed on their computer.
For more information about this scam, see Malware infection that began with windshield fliers.
To help avoid phishing scams, see Recognizing phishing scams and fraudulent e-mail and How to handle suspicious e-mail.
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If you follow computer security closely, you won't be surprised to know that U.S. President Barack Obama is the subject of many different online scams.
Whenever someone or something is big news, scammers, phishers, and virus writers use the news to try to trick us out of our money. According to the Microsoft Malware Protection Center Threat Research and Response Blog, scammers have registered several Web sites with the word "Obama" in the address.
The Web sites are designed spread malware, collect e-mail addresses, and aid in other scams. Scammers send links to these Web sites in e-mail and instant messages.
To learn more about these scams, see Waledac Trojan Hosted by Fake Obama Web site.
Some scammers even are using the recent U.S. economic stimulus bill as a lure, promising the recipient a stimulus check. These e-mail messages claim to be from the IRS and ask you to fill out a form in order to receive the check.
To help protect yourself against these and other online scams, don't click links in e-mail and don't fill out forms online, unless you know that the site you're on is secure.
For more information about how to tell if a site is secure, see Internet Explorer goes green for "go."
Microsoft releases security updates on the second Tuesday of every month. This month Microsoft released 3 security updates.
Get the updates
To download the updates, visit the Microsoft Update Web site. If you have automatic updating turned on, your computer will update and install these security updates.
Read more about the updates
To find out more about the updates, see Microsoft Security Updates for January.
Get technical information about the updates
For technical details, visit Microsoft TechNet.
Want to learn how the latest Web browser from Microsoft offers increased protection against phishing, malware, and other online threats?
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Internet Explorer 8 provides you and your family with a safer online experience with features like the SmartScreen filter.
SmartScreen is a set of technologies designed to help protect you from evolving Web and social engineering threats.
SmartScreen is “URL reputation-based,” which means that it evaluates both the Web addresses of servers hosting downloads and of potential phishing sites to determine if those sites are known to distribute malicious programs or steal personal information.
Download the white paper.
Download Internet Explorer 8 at www.microsoft.com/ie8.