PandaLabs has detected a new massive email attack destined to recruit ‘mules’ for money laundering. These messages use the lure of offers of well-paid jobs – up to 4,000 euros per month — requiring little effort. They claim to come from a major global software developer.
The messages offer easy, non-extensive timetables, compatible with the user’s main job and are aimed at European Union citizens, which might make the fraud more credible.
The email addresses messages are sent from and their subjects vary. Subjects used include: Haz su carrera con nosotros! (Job vacancy), Perspectiva de trabajo. (Job vacancy) or Perspectiva de trabajo (Best Career.). The offers are in Spanish and English, although they are poorly written. The text of the emails is as follows:Â
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Message text in English:
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“Dear Sir/Madam,
We are glad to represent you the new job opportunity for European Union citizens.
Our program was specially developed for anyone who has a busy schedule or wants to make extra money (up to 4000 Euro per month).
Position of Customer Service Assistant was added today and sponsored by one of the Global leader company in Software Development and IT Project Management.
No special skills or experience required.
To start you have to be over 18, to have computer with internet access and mobile phone.
If you are interested or would like to receive additional information about this opportunity, please send to our e-mail (omitted e-mail direction) the following information:
First name:
Last name:
Country:
City:
Home phone number:
Mobile phone number:
E-mail:
Language knowledge: list language skills and your current level
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This is the limited time offer and valid through the January 12, 2007 or until the position is filled.”
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The user is asked to make numerous considerable bank transfers to certain addresses receiving a percentage commission. Although it may look legal, the money has been obtained through other crimes including phishing, and the authors only seek to launder it. In the event of legal action, it is the ‘mules’ who will be held directly responsible, since it is their names that figure in the transactions. The real crooks however, will go unpunished.
“Attempted online fraud is a recurrent threat nowadays” warns Mikel Pérez, Head of PandaLab’s Malware Detection Department, who adds: “Although the majority of users do not pay attention to this type of email, if one in every one hundred does, they have already achieved their goal. At Panda Software we advise users to delete these messages that reach their mailbox and not to give out any personal information that may be used for criminal activities.”
In order to be protected from this sort of attacks, it is advisable to include an antispam filter in the security solution. Panda Software offers its clients this kind of filter in their products, to meet the needs of personal, business and large corporate users alike.
For further information about these and other computer threats, visit Panda Software’s Encyclopedia or http://www.pandasoftware.es/virus_info/
