Article taken from IT and Related Security News Update from
BEWARE : New wave of SMS Phishing
Ankur and Pallavi with CRPCC Team
29 March 2009
Just yesterday, Sudha got an SMS on her mobile, stating
You have won GBP 500,000.00 in 2009 on going (o2TELECOMS)INT’L mobile draws in UK. To claim contact: Dr. Steve Mark on +447031844919 ormobile.draw@live.com
On reading the message, she was very happy and distributing sweets.
On asking the reason for distribution of sweets, she showed the above message.
I told her to keep away from this as this is pure SMS 419 (Advance Fee) and Phishing scam. It was explained to her and all of a sudden, she felt sad to loose the happiness of winning a lottery.
This is the new wave of Phishing and 419 (Advance fee) frauds, started by fraudsters in India.
Another person, Manish, responded with a e-mail and get a reply to furnish –
1. A proof of your identity [copy of your driver's license or international passport]
2. Proof of winning [the certificate of award issued to you by (o2tele)
3. A fund Release Order [F.R.O] from the financial services authority.
He mailed again to the said sender. The sender sent him proof of winning and asked to contact a so-called lawyer to get FRO. On sending e-mail to the said lawyer, the said lawyer asked him to send Rs. 33,000. For the details of Manish Complaint, visithttp://www.complaintsboard.com/complaints/o2-telecom-c177205.html.
“People should be beware of these SMS frauds and should not respond to these at all”, saidShashin Lotlikar, Chairman of Cyber Security firm ISAAC at Mumbai. Anjay Agarwal, CMD of AAA Consulting hold the same views and warned “The best way to deal these frauds is just delete the SMS message”.
“Nobody give you free money. Fraudsters devise newer methods to attract your attention by playing with human psychology and greed. People should just think straight – why any person is offering you the lottery money, when he does not know even your name and you have not purchased any ticket?”, said Rakesh Goyal, Director-General of CRPCC and MD of Sysman Computers, a Mumbai based IT Security Company. “+44-70xx are Personal numbering in theFind me anywhere range in UK. Charges for calls to these numbers are not distance-dependent. They can cost as much as INR 45 (GBP 0.50) per minute to call and can forward the call to virtually any phone number in the world. Forwarding numbers can be set up for free and completely anonymously via websites such as uknumbers.com. Thus, these numbers are used by 419 fraudsters, mostly based in Nigeria and nearby West-African countries, giving these countries a bad name. Further, why a genuine organization use e-mails like @live.comor @yahoo.com, or a similar e-mail provider”, said Rakesh Goyal
8 comments
lalitkumar says:
April 9, 2009 at 12:39 am (UTC 5.5)
thankyou sir,for your article as even i had recieved the same sms on my number …
AssaureVarm says:
April 9, 2009 at 6:40 am (UTC 5.5)
I’m new to this blog. Apologize for asking this though, but to OP…
Do you know if this can be true;
http://www.bluestickers.info/ringtones.php ?
it came off http://ringtonecarrier.com
Thanks
Netai Chandra Basu says:
June 11, 2009 at 5:44 am (UTC 5.5)
Thanks Sir for this information as I also got the same msg and responded to them by sending my identity and other bank details.Now they are asking for Rs 55000 for the transfer of prize money, this made me conscious and I searched google and came to know this is a fraud.But I am now tensed that I gave them my identity proof and other bank details will they be able to do any harm?
Freak says:
June 13, 2009 at 10:00 pm (UTC 5.5)
If you gave them the exact spelling of your name and account number and your address etc, they can still contact the bank posing as you and attempt to get access to the bank. One safe thing you can do is contact the cyber crime cell, and file a report. Its not the same as an FIR, but atleast there would be a chance that they might catch the person who tried to dupe you.
John says:
July 3, 2009 at 10:06 am (UTC 5.5)
Thanks for ur information and even i got the same mess from the cfcs
anil rawal says:
September 9, 2009 at 3:29 pm (UTC 5.5)
my name is anil rawal & my contact no is 09820398077
Dwayne Canupp says:
April 18, 2010 at 3:32 am (UTC 5.5)
I’ll be back again, thanks for the info.
Freak says:
April 10, 2009 at 4:28 pm (UTC 5.5)
if one link normally redirects to another, there is very less chance that it will be genuine.
Such redirection is common among people who are trying to dupe you.