Spammers are targeting “the superhero within” with software apparently capable of endowing users with “superhuman” powers, according to Clearswift’s latest Spam Index, an in-depth analysis of unsolicited e-mails. Spam promising “all of your heart’s desires ... automatically” are making an appearance in inboxes around the world.
In what could be an attempt to jump on the bandwagon of the superhero film craze, such as “Batman Begins” and the recently released “Fantastic Four,” spammers are claiming that their “breakthrough technology” will supply a plethora of benefits from long life to the perfect body. Spurious offers of software that promises to “automatically motivate, empower, and re-educate your mind to develop superhuman-like powers ... fast!” have proliferated, along with other apparently “miraculous” products. Particularly gullible PC users can even buy authentic magic “coins that can change your life.”
Also identified in this month’s Spam Index is a massive growth in gambling spam; with e-mails increasing by more than 1,500 percent. Recent reports reveal that online gambling services have rocketed, particularly following the World Poker Series finals in July, with companies such as PartyGaming claiming to be making $1.4 million a day from this lucrative growing industry.
“Despite the fact that their claims are laughable, PC users should not click onto these e-mails or forward them as jokes to colleagues,” said Alyn Hockey, Clearswift’s director of research. “Not only is this software likely to be highly ineffectual, but by clicking on these e-mails you might infect your PC with spyware or pass your bank details on to a potentially insecure site.”
Financial- and healthcare-related spam, such as loans and drug offers, continues to be a dominant theme, making up 31 percent and 41 percent of all unsolicited e-mails, respectively. E-mails purporting to be from eBay and South Trust are making up a sizable proportion of scams while get-rich-quick scam spam are on the up having more than doubled compared to last month.
