Security experts have just detected an old hackers’ trick on the Web – an email with the Norton Antivirus logo is sent out to users, trying to trick them into giving out their email logins.
The email is well-camouflaged as a legitimate message from the Norton Antivirus; however, it does not provide much detail of its source. It rather emphasizes on the urgency of a malware issue the users may be having with their emails.
Such types of emails usually state that the users’ email accounts may be deactivated if they don’t take the suggested steps to terminate the detected malware. The ‘steps’ include filling out their email login information, and many users do comply in order to start “a 30-second scan.’ And, their willingness to cooperate is completely understandable as the message is signed by Symantec at the bottom, which gives them even more confidence that the email is legitimate.
In addition, the email includes a link claiming to provide a scanning service by Norton Antivirus.
This type of fraudulent email is a popular way for hackers to collect email credentials that are later used for sending out spam through these users’ accounts. This way, the anti-spam tools will not detect the scam.
In order to protect yourself, make sure you always check the source of such emails. Usually, if the email is a fraud, the source information is quite vague or even missing.