Barracuda Labs Revealed Fake Red Cross Scam Emails

Researchers at security firm, Barracuda Labs have recognized a forged e-mail that purports to originate from the American Red Cross, a humanitarian organization that provides emergency assistance in U.S. However, the domain of an e-mail address is redcros.org which had no links with the organization. The actual domain of American Red Cross is redcross.org.

The e-mail was advertising all initiative for the blood donor. It cares to offer hot meal to the blood donor, a shade for the homeless donor, and the delivery of an emergency message to the family members of Armed Forces. These are some of the works done through American Red cross.

However, the donation link in the message does not point to a forged PayPal site. but instead it takes one to the genuine website, with advantage of transferring money to a user into the cheat artist's account.

Through the process, the victim offers money, makes the donation to Thomas March with the coonetkf to do with the American Red Cross.
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In fact, American Red Cross does not plead for donation in this manner. The organization has its own dedicated HTTPS protected web forms which is the only webpage through which online donations should be processed.

"This underscores one of our primary pieces of advice regarding email security "as published by HELP NET SECURITY on July 2, 2012 quoting researchers of Barracuda Labs

Researchers of Barracuda Labs blogged at barracudalabs.com an alert intimating people from donating to such business without any prior information. They also advised people from following any link related to the donation business. For visiting an authentic organization, one needs to visit to the web page of the organization and make any donation therein. For avoiding fraud and spam one of the following nature, most websites do not include links in their emails.

Categorically this is not the first time that Red Cross has been targeted by cyber criminals. In January 2005, unsolicited emails impersonating Red Cross International, The Netherlands asked recipients to donate for tsunami victims through money transfer.

Related article: Barracuda.A Bot Infects A Large Network of PCs To Initiate DDoS Attacks

» SPAMfighter News - 7/9/2012