GFI Sunbelt Detects Bothersome Spam Emails from Fake Adobe Support Team

Researchers at GFI Sunbelt (formerly Sunbelt), have warned users and asked them to be cautious as they have uncovered a new wave of spam emails from Adobe Support Team bearing the subject "Action Required: Upgrade New Adobe Acrobat Reader 2011 For Windows and Mac".

According to the security firm, various netizens could be affected by these spam e-mails as this spam campaign is emerging at a time when Adobe is promoting a new and important version of Adobe Reader. This new version is known as Adobe Reader X (10.0). Hence, users can be easily fooled by this scam as e-mail includes a mention of new enhancements Adobe Reader.

The bogus e-mail, supposedly signed by John Watt of Adobe Acrobat Reader Support reminds users regarding a new version of Adobe Reader with new and improved features helpful in creating, watching, printing, and editing of documents. The e-mail further states that the new version is also helpful in sharing PDF documents on internet, as reported by Softpedia on December 3, 2010.

To view the preferred webpage, users are requested to click on the hyperlink hxxp://www.adobe-2011-download.org., which, actually carries only an application named PDF 2011.

Access to the application is only possible on provision of some general information by the users and by choosing one of the following three plans: a three years plan of "unlimited VIP access and support" ($12.97), one year of "full protection against intrusion with ETD scanner" at the rate of $1.49 monthly - payable up front, and an "award-winning download accelerator" for $9.95.

Sunbelt researchers claimed that the "EDT Scanner" as offered in the spam has its own home page and is also available on a website named "BrotherSoft", from which the scanner could be easily purchased for $29.95. They further downloaded a free version, which was claimed safe by several AV sources, as reported by Net-security on December 3, 2010.

In short, the outcome of this whole spam deal pertains to monetary loss, credit card compromise, and theft of funds from the account of the victim; due to which the system can be poisoned with malware.

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» SPAMfighter News - 12/17/2010