Nigerian scamsters have changed tactics as they target Indian people online , security experts have warned . The fraudsters are no longer relying on phishing emails about lotteries and charity as bait Attack.Phishing , but are duping Attack.Phishing people on the pretext of partnering with MNCs ( multinational companies ) , investing in herbal seed businesses and channelising foreign funds . According to security agencies , there is a complete shift in the modus operandi of these Nigerian web gangs . A senior Delhi Police Crime Branch officer said : 'The scamsters lure Attack.Phishing gullible targets via social networking sites such as Facebook . 'They then pose as Attack.Phishing diplomats or MNC executives and entice Attack.Phishing their targets to invest in a global venture , which actually does not exist . 'Interestingly , all dealings are done at high-secured areas such as airport and five-star hotels to give an impression of being high-flyers and avoid the risk of getting into trouble . ' 'There is no fixed narrative . Depending upon the profile of the target , the gang traps them . In the herbal seeds scam , the victim is approached online as a representative of an overseas pharmaceutical firm looking to source herbal seeds from local farmers through an agent . They promise the victim huge returns if they pay the agent upfront for the seeds . Then they disappear with the money , ' said Uttar Pradesh Special Task Force 's additional superintendent of police Triveni Singh . One of the latest victims is Meerut 's Varun Thapar , who lost Rs 3 lakh to a Nigerian gang . Thapar went to meet the gang members at a five star hotel in Mumbai and Delhi . He told Mail Today : 'The gang members contact through their international number or makes a WhatsApp call . The gang sounds so professional that it is difficult to make out that they are fraud . ' I was trapped after getting a friend request from a Manchester-based female executive . I was given seed sample in Mumbai and later duped at a five-star hotel in Delhi . The trap was so perfect that I could not sense any foul play . ' During investigation , it was found that all the numbers used for communication were taken on fake identities . Police claim the gangs have developed a new trick Attack.Phishing , where they pose as Attack.Phishing diplomat or MNC executive and work in nexus with a local youth who helps them with logistics .

The Indiana Department of Revenue ( DOR ) and the Internal Revenue Service ( IRS ) are warning folks of fraudulent emails impersonating Attack.Phishing either revenue agency and encouraging individuals to open files corrupted with malware . These scam emails use tax transcripts as bait Attack.Phishing to entice Attack.Phishing users to open the attachments . The scam is particularly problematic for businesses or government agencies whose employees open the malware infected attachments , putting the entire network at risk . This software is complex and may take several months to remove . This well-known malware , known as Emotet , generally poses as Attack.Phishing specific banks or financial institutions to trick Attack.Phishing individuals into opening infected documents . It has been described as one of the most costly and destructive malware to date . Emotet is known to constantly evolve , and in the past few weeks has masqueraded as Attack.Phishing the IRS , pretending to be Attack.Phishing “ IRS Online. ” The scam email includes an attachment labeled Attack.Phishing “ Tax Account Transcript ” or something similar , with the subject line often including “ tax transcript. ” Both DOR and IRS have several tips to help individuals and businesses not fall prey to email scams : Remember , DOR and the IRS do not contact customers via email to share sensitive documents such as a tax transcript . Use security software to protect against malware and viruses , and be sure it ’ s up-to-date . Never open emails , attachments or click on links when you ’ re not sure of the source . If an individual is using a personal computer and receives Attack.Phishing an email claiming to be Attack.Phishing the IRS , it is recommended to delete or forward the email to phishing @ irs.gov orto investigations @ dor.in.gov Business receiving these emails should also be sure to contact the company ’ s technology professionals .

The Internal Revenue Service today warned the public of a tax transcript scheme via a surge of fraudulent emails impersonating Attack.Phishing the IRS . The emails offer Attack.Phishing tax transcripts , or the summary of a tax return , as bait Attack.Phishing to entice Attack.Phishing users to open documents containing malware . The scam email carries an attachment labeled “ Tax Account Transcript ” or something similar , and the subject line uses some variation of the phrase “ tax transcript. ” The IRS said the scam Attack.Phishing is especially problematic for businesses whose employees might open the malware because it can spread throughout the network and potentially take months to successfully remove . Known as Emotet , the well-known malware generally poses as Attack.Phishing specific banks and financial institutions in its effort to trick Attack.Phishing people into opening infected documents . However , in the past few weeks , the scam Attack.Phishing has been masquerading as Attack.Phishing the IRS , pretending to be Attack.Phishing from “ IRS Online. ” The United States Computer Emergency Readiness Team ( US-CERT ) issued a warning in July about earlier versions of the Emotet in Alert ( TA18-201A ) Emotet Malware . US-CERT has labeled the Emotet Malware “ among the most costly and destructive malware affecting state , local , tribal , and territorial ( SLTT ) governments , and the private and public sectors. ” The IRS reminds taxpayers it does not send unsolicited emails to the public , nor would it email a sensitive document such as a tax transcript . Taxpayers should not open the email or the attachment . If using a personal computer , delete or forward the scam email to phishing @ irs.gov . If seen while using an employer ’ s computer , notify the company ’ s technology professionals .

One needs to be always aware of Tax Scams , including tax refund scams , which are carried out by scamsters who pretend to be Attack.Phishing from the IRS of USA , HMRC of UK , CRA of Canada , Income Tax Department of India and such . Scamsters contact Attack.Phishing you via fake emails , phone calls , recorded message , SMS , etc , and either scare you with the possibility of some legal action or entice Attack.Phishing you with a tax refund ! Every tax season , Tax Scams start doing the rounds . Emails , Phone calls , or recorded messages by cybercriminals impersonating Attack.Phishing authentic tax agents have become an order of the day and continue to remain a major threat to taxpayers . The scam artists use sinister designs that threaten police arrest , deportation , and even license revocation . With the increases in its popularity , fraudsters are also busy finding more ways to increase efficiency . Earlier , the major targets were elderly people and immigrant population . Slowly , the focus has shifted to methods that rely on auto-dialers , robocalling , and voice mail messages to hit as many taxpayers as possible . The story begins with an automated call . It plays a recorded message warning you that it ’ s “ the final notice ” from the tax agency such as the Internal Revenue Service , Indian Income Tax Department , HM Revenue and Customs , or the Tax department of your country . Or it could begin with an email . In any case , the recorded voice or email purports to be Attack.Phishing from tax inspector and goes on to specify about the course of action , the agency is likely to follow against you like , planning a lawsuit against you , and if you don ’ t return this call , you could land up in jail , soon . Attacks , such as these use fear as bait Attack.Phishing or the lure Attack.Phishing of a tax refund on the other hand . They rely on social engineering tactics . One such message tells recipients that there ’ s a pending law enforcement action against them as they have evaded tax . It is mainly used to target U.S. taxpayers . The scam pretends to contain information about a subpoena . It could contain a web link which it wants you to click . The link could take you to a fraudulent website . Or the email could include an attachment . The file is a “ document file ” that Microsoft Word opens in Protected View . It contains an instruction to Enable Editing . If the Enable Editing button is clicked , malicious Macros in the ‘ document ’ downloads a malware . So one needs to always exercise utmost caution in either of the cases .

SCAMMERS are using fake websites to lure Attack.Phishing in Cyber Monday and Christmas shoppers and take their money . Be wary of `` too good to be true '' offers on Fingerlings toys , iPhones and fashion as they 're the most common items sold by fraudsters , according to the City of London Police . With shoppers set to spend £2.96billion by the end of Cyber Monday , fraud experts have warned that scammers will tempt Attack.Phishing shoppers with suspiciously good deals so they buy their counterfeit items and hand over their card details . They 'll also set up Attack.Phishing fake websites that look like Attack.Phishing genuine retailers to trick Attack.Phishing people into giving away their data and payment details , according to a new report by Action Fraud and the City of London Police . Phishing emails containing tempting deals which entice Attack.Phishing shoppers to click on links to fake websites are also on the rise on Cyber Monday and over the Christmas period , the report said . Scammers are using social media websites such as Facebook , re-selling websites such as Gumtree and online auction websites such as eBay to target Christmas shoppers , experts revealed . Mobile phones - particularly Apple iPhones - are the most common item that people try to buy from fraudsters , according to the report . Seventy-four per cent of all mobiles bought from fraudsters were iPhones , the study said . Electrical and household items , computers , fashion and accessories are also commonly sold to fraud victims , including Apple MacBooks , Ugg boots and Fingerlings toys - so be wary of `` too good to be true '' offers for these items . Women aged between 20 and 29 are the most likely to be caught out by scammers , according to the report , with 30 per cent of fraud reports coming from young women . But the police have warned that everyone should stay on their guard as anyone can fall victim to Christmas shopping fraudsters . More than 15,000 shoppers lost a total of £11million to scammers over the Christmas period last year . Detective Chief Superintendent Pete O ’ Doherty , of the City of London Police , said : “ Unfortunately , at what is an expensive time of year for many , the internet has provided fraudsters with a platform to lure Attack.Phishing people in with the promise of cheap deals . He added : “ To stop fraudsters in their tracks , be cautious of where and from whom you ’ re buying , especially if it is technology at a reduced price . '' Tony Neate , CEO of Get Safe Online , a free fraud awareness website , said : “ It can be easy to rush into making a quick purchase online to secure a must have gift or bargain without taking the time to check that everything is as it seems . “ But taking a couple of minutes to familiarise yourself with a few simple online safety tips can be the difference between getting all your shopping done in time and becoming a victim of online fraud . '' There are plenty of Black Friday and Cyber Monday scams around at the moment - we 've revealed the latest tricks used by fraudsters . Meanwhile scammers claiming to be Attack.Phishing from Tesco are running a fake competition in an attempt to steal your bank details .

Phishing Attack.Phishing is one of the most devious scams for filching your personal information , but experts say it is possible to avoid them if you know what you 're looking for . At its essence , phishing Attack.Phishing is the act of pretending to be Attack.Phishing someone or something you trust in order to trick Attack.Phishing you into entering sensitive data like your user name and password . The goal -- of course -- is to take your money . Some of the most common phishing scams Attack.Phishing are bogus emails purportedly from trustworthy institutions like the U.S.Internal Revenue Service or major banks . The more sophisticated scams are crafted to look very much like Attack.Phishing a legitimate message from a site you do business with . “ Many popular phishing scams Attack.Phishing purport to be Attack.Phishing from shipping companies , e-commerce companies , social networking websites , financial institutions , tax-preparation companies and some of the world ’ s most notable companies , ” said Norton by Symantec senior security response manager Satnam Narang via email . One of the worst cases on record was an aircraft parts CEO who was tricked Attack.Phishing into handing over more than $ 55 million – which shows that phishing scams Attack.Phishing can dupe Attack.Phishing even smart people . Fox News asked Symantec about the top phishing scams Attack.Phishing and how to avoid them . 1 . Your account has been or will be locked , disabled or suspended . `` Scare tactics are a common theme when it comes to phishing scams Attack.Phishing , '' said Narang . `` Claiming a users ’ account has been or will be locked or disabled is a call to action to the user to entice Attack.Phishing them to provide their login credentials . '' 2 . Irregular/fraudulent activity detected or your account requires a `` security '' update . `` Extending off of # 1 , scammers will also claim irregular or fraudulent activity has been detected on your account or that your account has been subjected to a compulsory 'security update ' and you need to login to enable this security update , '' Narang said . 3 . You ’ ve received a secure or important message . `` This type of phishing scam Attack.Phishing is often associated with financial institutions , but we have also seen some claiming to be Attack.Phishing from a popular e-commerce website , '' said Narang . `` Because financial institutions don ’ t send customer details in emails , the premise is that users will be more inclined to click on a link or open an attachment if it claims to be Attack.Phishing a secure or important message . '' 4 . Tax-themed phishing scams Attack.Phishing . `` Each year , tax-themed phishing scams Attack.Phishing crop up before tax-time in the U.S. and other countries , '' Narang added . `` These tax-related themes can vary from updating your filing information , your eligibility to receive a tax refund or warnings that you owe money . One thing that ’ s for sure is that the IRS doesn ’ t communicate via email or text message , they still send snail mail . '' 5 . Attachment-based phishing Attack.Phishing with a variety of themes . `` Another trend we have observed in recent years is that scammers are using the lures Attack.Phishing mentioned above , but instead of providing a link to an external website , they are attaching an HTML page and asking users to open this 'secure page ' that requests login credentials and financial information , '' according to Narang . Avast , which also develop antivirus software and internet security services , offered advice on what to look for . Ransomware , which encrypts data ( i.e. , makes it inaccessible to the user ) , tries to tap into the same fears that phishing Attack.Phishing does . The hope that the “ attacked person will panic , and pay the ransom Attack.Ransom , ” Jonathan Penn , Director of Strategy at Avast , told Fox News .

The Indiana Department of Revenue and the Internal Revenue Service is warning individuals and businesses about emails that use tax transcripts as bait Attack.Phishing to entice Attack.Phishing users to open attachments . These scams are problematic for businesses or government agencies whose employees open the malware infected attachments , putting the entire network at risk . This well-known malware , known as Emotet , generally poses as Attack.Phishing specific banks or financial institutions to trick Attack.Phishing individuals into opening infected documents . It ’ s been described as one of the most costly and destructive malware to date . Both the DOR and IRS have several tips to help individuals and businesses stay clear of these scams : - The DOR and IRS do not contact customers via email to share sensitive documents such as a tax transcript - Use security software to protect against malware and viruses , and make sure it ’ s up-to-date - Never open emails , attachments , or click on links when you ’ re not sure of the source If you receive Attack.Phishing an email claiming to be Attack.Phishing the IRS , delete it or forward the email to phishing @ irs.gov < mailto : phishing @ irs.gov > . If the email claims to be Attack.Phishing from the DOR forward it to investigations @ dor.in.gov < mailto : investigations @ dor.in.gov > . Emotet is known to constantly evolve , and in the past few weeks has masqueraded as Attack.Phishing the IRS , pretending to be Attack.Phishing “ IRS Online ” . The scam email includes an attachment , with the subject line often including “ tax transcript ” .

The attack was discovered when the perpetrators attempted a fraudulent wire transfer of money . A link has been posted to your Facebook feed . A phishing email attack Attack.Phishing potentially compromised the accounts of as many as 18,000 current and former employees of media company Gannett Co. As of Tuesday there was no indication of access Attack.Databreach to or acquisition of any sensitive personal data from employees ’ accounts , said the company . Gannett Co. ( GCI ) is the owner of USA TODAY , the publisher of this report , and 109 local news properties across the United States . The attack was discovered on March 30 and investigated by Gannett ’ s cybersecurity team . It appeared to originate in emails to human resources staff . The 18,000 current and former employees of the company will be sent notices about the incident and offer of credit monitoring via the US Postal Service . No customer account information was touched Attack.Databreach by the phishing attack Attack.Phishing . They will be provided with an offer of credit monitoring because employee information was potentially available through some of the affected account login credentials before the accounts were locked down . Phishing attacks Attack.Phishing are a common method used by attackers to infiltrate computer networks . They typically consist of faked emails sent to Attack.Phishing an employee that entice Attack.Phishing them to click on a link that unleashes malicious software that can compromise Attack.Databreach their computer accounts . Once in a network , attackers can then leapfrog to other accounts , working their way deeper into the system . In the Gannett attack , the infiltration was discovered when the perpetrator attempted to use a co-opted account for a fraudulent corporate wire transfer request . The attempt was identified by Gannett 's finance team as suspicious and was unsuccessful .