Scams

I have recently received 2 scams I’d like to pass on for your information.

 

The first was from Australia Post, & certainly looked authentic.  I did click on Save Information Label, entered the number that was displayed & downloaded the PDF.  But Windows Defender warned me of the dangers, so didn’t open it. 

 

The explanation below this email is from my son &, I feel, well worth reading.  It may help you to check out any suspicious emails in the future. 

 

I have since done a Windows Defender full scan, & relieved no threats were detected. 

 

I’ll post the second email separately. 

 

JOYCE WALL An agent did not redeem the item to your address for the reason: you were away Print out shipping label and then go to mail office to collect the packet. Save information label Just in case the parcel isn't received within 30 serving days Our Company will have the reason to assert reimbursement from you for it's helping to keep in the total 2.41 AUD through each day of storing.

This is an automatically generated message. Unsubscribe Australia Post @ 2015

 

 

Yes it most certainly IS a scam.

If you hover your mouse over those links "supposedly" from Australia post,
"Save information label"
and
"Unsubscribe Australia Post @ 2015"
you will see down the bottom of your email the actual links which are
"http:// max.bcustom.ru/ system/logs/izsS6CYG.php?id= joymay@tpg.com.au"
and
"http:// max.bcustom.ru/ system/logs/izsS6CYG.php?id= joymay@tpg.com.au&action=unsubscribe"

The important part in these links is the first bit "http://max.bcustom.ru" with the "max.bcustom" being the actual address of the link (not Australia Post) and the ".ru" being the country the website/address was registered in. In this case .ru is short for Russia, where most of the scammers live/work from.

From the look of it if you clicked on any of these links, (..Save Information Label, then entered the numbers shown to download a PDF..) you very possibly have gotten a virus or trojan or worse. It obviously took you to its dodgey website, which is enough for them to get you alone, but to download anything at all, let alone a "so-called" PDF document, which are notorious for carrying/hiding trojans and viruses, is very bad.

I would seriously recommend a full system scan (might take hours?) with your anti-virus, and don't do anything private, like banking, logging on to anywhere, etc., until after it's done.

If ever you get emails from anyone you're not sure about, or don't usually get emails from, like Australia Post, your bank, the A.T.O. or any "official" company or government department, ignore the links in the emails and check with the company or department directly by phone or a legit website/email you've found searching Google or from somewhere you know is legit. Like you did ringing the P.O. and your friend Col checking for you personally.

Unfortunately the crooks are getting smarter and smarter all the time and looking more realistic and legit especially if you don't double check everything. If you're lucky, Windows (Defender?) may have stopped them and protected you, but Windows can't always protect you from yourself, clicking on web links and downloading suspicious files/programs.