[Hidden-tech] survey phishing attack warning

[Peter Degen-Portnoy]

I would like to add my 2 cents worth in supporting Kathy's message.

Having received phishing accounts that seemed to originate from two of 
my banks and from eBay, I am now very wary of business email.  No, none 
of these attempts fooled me.  Spelling errors and poor grammer are 
clues, but the final key is that the links provided in the email do not 
lead back to the legitimate site.  Thank you, Thunderbird for putting 
the hidden HTML in the status bar when the cursor hovers over the link.

It seems to me that loosing your username and password to a financially 
focused website (banks, PayPal, eBay, etc.) could cost dearly.

That's why I tell my kids that it's dangerous out on the Internet.  
Let's be safe out there.

Peter

---
Peter Degen-Portnoy
{
   President
   Innovatium

   Makers of the Hold-It! Game Card Organizer (tm)
      "Go from Mess to Marveous(tm)

   pdp at InnovatiumInc.com
   781-583-7566 (o)
}



Kathy Reinig wrote:

>   ** Be a Good Dobee and help the group
>   ** Fill out the survey/skills inventory in the member's area.
>   ** Remember you must be counted to post .
>
> As a survey researcher and on-line purchaser, I want to warn people 
> about what seems to me a highly believable new phishing scheme.  The 
> email claims (as all do) to be from a reputable company and they want 
> an on-line survey filled out and offer an incentive for participation.
>
> I received one just now that claimed to be from eBay.  Not being an 
> eBay customer, I always send such notes to their spoof address.  They 
> are very good at responding back and confirmed that it was *not* from 
> them.  Beyond not being a customer, I was also tipped off by an offer 
> of $20 to complete the survey - which in cash is a far greater 
> incentive than is common but implies to me that the spoofer was going 
> to be drawing from PayPal accounts.
>
> An earlier one that almost took me in was from a company I do order 
> from every few months.  I have not confirmed that one was also spoof 
> but now assume so.  It offered $ off of purchase for participating in 
> a review of a new site which seemed reasonable since that would be the 
> equivalent of a normal sale price.  What saved me was the order page 
> to get the discount wasn't verifiable as the company's by my web 
> browser.  I actually wrote them a complaint about that.  Makes me feel 
> foolish now - and wonder how such verification is done and how easily 
> it can be faked.
>
> So, while there are many legitimate web surveys, do take care and 
> check the veracity of the offer before placing an order or otherwise 
> signing up for an incentive which involves giving out information.  
> I've only seen the two to date, but this looks like something that 
> could be very expensive for people.
>
> [I've reported this to the Boston NBC affiliate and hope other news 
> agencies will be contacted as well.  In my opinion this story needs 
> telling.]
>
> Kathy
>
>
> KJ Reinig Associates
> quantitative research analysts
> Kathy.Reinig at KJReinig.com
> 978 544 2194
>
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