Ashes cricket scam targets Australians

Email claims recipient has won millions of US dollars

Cricket fans in Australia are being warned not to reply to an email which claims they have won money in the 2013 Ashes series.

The scam, which was discovered by Symantec researchers, appears to be taking advantage of recent news that England is leading the series 3-0.

The email promises rewards of up to US$242 million if the target replies back with their personal details.

“In a typical 419 spam, the scammer mentions in the email that you have won and asks you to reply back with your personal details immediately to claim the money,” said Symantec senior security response technician Christopher Mendes in a blog post.

He advised consumers to update operating system and antivirus patches when prompted, avoid opening unsolicited emails and not to send any personal details to strangers.

Follow Hamish Barwick on Twitter: @HamishBarwick

Follow Computerworld Australia on Twitter: @ComputerworldAU, or take part in the Computerworld conversation on LinkedIn: Computerworld Australia

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Tags scamcricketonline securityemail scamsThe Ashes

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