Zappos E-Mail Confirming Order, Is A Fake

In accordance with Wallet Pop, which released news on August 13, 2010, North Dakota and Minnesota (USA) situated BBB (Better Business Bureau) has reported that fake e-mails were reaching consumers' inboxes confirming purchase orders while seemingly originating from Zappos the shoe seller doing business online.

Stating publicly about the happening, BBB said that the e-mails were dubious. It therefore advised consumers to avoid following any given web-link since the link was likely to relate to a phishing attack crafted for releasing malware into their PCs.

Incidentally, the said e-mail comes in the form of a Zappos order confirmation with an acknowledgement for merchandise amounting $928. Also, it tells the recipient that he can have more information by clicking on pictures and web-links provided therein.

While looking extremely real, the e-mail, in reality, isn't so. There's a Zappos official logo and phone number inside the message, while there are also malware-infested web-links, which the scammers expect people on the other side will click. But if clicked, a spyware program will get downloaded on the users' PCs.

Meanwhile, according to the security researchers, these malevolent websites are familiar; therefore the browser or anti-virus applications of users should be intercepting them.

Moreover, the tactic that the scammers have used is common when attempting at making users to unwittingly give away their user id and password during a browsing session on a look-alike website of an authentic retailer. There appears the same-looking e-mail format, the identical-looking logos and pictures, and even an exactly-matching word usage. But, if examined carefully, one may notice there's something ill-humored, carrying web-links highlighted with blue. On brushing the mouse on these, one just has to wait and see the actual websites they lead to.

For example, the phishing messages getting distributed online recently don't have the web-links saying http://www.zappos.com, whilst the mouse cursor is placed on them, rather they relate to a fake site that isn't associated with Zappos.com.

Thus BBB advises recipients of these fake e-mails to avoid answering them and also not follow any given web-links. Furthermore, they must scan their computers for viruses after deleting the messages permanently.

» SPAMfighter News - 8/19/2010