Hoaxes, Spams & Scams

IMPORTANT NOTICE:
This section of Cyber Top Cops is no longer maintained and has been replaced by the SHPAMEE Project.

The purpose of this section is not to list every possible hoax, spam or scam e-mail, but to educate users on how to identify them, by looking for certain characteristics and using a little common sense.

The following articles provide some insight into the problems and dangers of e-mail scams, hoaxes and spam and how to avoid them:

• Smelling A Hoax A Mile Away By Using A Little Common Sense: A step-by-step explanation how to identify a hoax.
• Protocol Against Spam: Taking a look at some of the methods used to prevent spam from landing in our inboxes.
• Don't Become A Victim Of Identity Theft: Prevent your identity from being stolen
• Cyber Crime Made Easier Through Impersonality: The reasons why it so easy to commit cyber crime
• The Dangers Of Chain Letters And Petition Lists: These popular e-mails are not as harmless as you my think.
• The Key To Beating Spam: Ways of treating and preventing spam contamination.

The examples listed below should give you a good idea of what the most common hoaxes, spams and scams look like.

Hoaxes and Spams

• Chain Letter Spam & Hoaxes
• Malware Spam
• Stock Market Spam

E-mail Scams

• Advance Fee Fraud
  • 419 Scams a.k.a Nigerian 419 Scams
  • Lottery Scams (Common examples)
• Phishing Scams / Web Forgery
  • Amazon Phishing Scams (Common examples)
  • Banking Phishing Scams (Common examples)
  • eBay Phishing Scams (Common examples)
  • Home Loan Phishing Scams (Common examples)
  • IRS Phishing Scams (Common examples)
  • PayPal Phishing Scams (Common examples)
• Other Miscellaneous Scams
  • University Degree Scams and Diploma Mills

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Phishing Scams

MillerSmiles.co.uk - The webs dedicated anti-phishing service :: Scam Alert Service

Google Corporation - Mr. Michael
Sun, 05 Feb 2012 01:00:01
Return-path: Envelope-to: spoof@millersmiles.co.uk Delivery-date: Sat, 04 Feb 2012 23:45:41 +0000 Received: frommailsnd3.chollian.net ([203.252.1.124]:53304 helo=mailsnd3.chol.com) by server5.webserver25.net with smtp (Exim 4.69)(envelope-from ) id 1RtpIa-00046k-EE for spoof@millersmiles.co.uk; Sat, 04 Feb 2012 23:45:41 +0000 Received: (qmail19285 invoked from network); Sun, 5 Feb 2012 04:41:44 +0900 (KST) message-id: Received: from [76.17.129.137](76.17.129.137) by mailsnd3.ch...

Please Update Your Profile - Personal Information Error - PayPal
Sat, 04 Feb 2012 05:00:02
...

Update Your Account- Wednesday, February 01, 2012 - Santander UK plc
Sat, 04 Feb 2012 12:00:02
Dear Customer, The access to your Santander Online Banking Service is about to expire, We recommend you to upgrade your account to avoid the suspension. Please click on the link below to update your account today. https://account-upgrade.santander.co.uk Thank You, Santander UK plc. ...

Important Notice - Abu Dhabi Islamic Bank
Sat, 04 Feb 2012 09:00:02
You have 1 important mail alert! We strongly advise you should update your account and resolve the problem. Click here to proceed FAILURE TO DO THIS WILL LEAD TO YOUR ACCOUNT BEING SUSPENDED OR DE- ACTIVATED. Thanks for your co-operation. Yours Sincerely Abu Dhabi Islamic Bank...

You Have One New Message - 3Dcode
Sat, 04 Feb 2012 08:00:02
Dear account holder, This is an automatic message by the system to let you know that you have to confirm your account information..Your account will be frozen temporary after 48 hours in order to protect it. The account will continue to be frozenuntil it is confirmed.Once you have updated your account records, your information will be confirmed and your account will start to work asnormal once again.The process does not take more than 5 minutesTo proceed t...

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Phishing News

MillerSmiles.co.uk Phishing News Service

Weekly analysis - 28th January 2012 to 4th February 2012
Sat, 04 Feb 2012 12:00:00 GMT
MillerSmiles provides its weekly phishing analysis for the week of 28th January 2012 to 4th February 2012

Weekly analysis - 21st January 2012 to 28th January 2012
Sat, 28 Jan 2012 12:00:00 GMT
MillerSmiles provides its weekly phishing analysis for the week of 21st January 2012 to 28th January 2012

Weekly analysis - 14th January 2012 to 21st January 2012
Sat, 21 Jan 2012 12:00:00 GMT
MillerSmiles provides its weekly phishing analysis for the week of 14th January 2012 to 21st January 2012

Weekly analysis - 7th January 2012 to 14th January 2012
Sat, 14 Jan 2012 12:00:00 GMT
MillerSmiles provides its weekly phishing analysis for the week of 7th January 2012 to 14th January 2012

Weekly analysis - 31st December 2011 to 7th January 2012
Sat, 07 Jan 2012 12:00:00 GMT
MillerSmiles provides its weekly phishing analysis for the week of 31st December 2011 to 7th January 2012