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Australia: ACCC warns against ACCC malware scam

By  |  July 14, 2016

The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission has warned businesses to be on the lookout from emails claiming to be from the ACCC that criminals are using to spread malware.

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    According to the consumer watchdog, several businesses have received scam emails from fake ACCC accounts asking them to respond to a complaint lodged against them, or seek payment for an infringement notice.

    The emails contain embedded links disguised as .pdf files containing more information about the infringement, which actually point to .zip files that download malware.

    ACCC acting chairman Michael Schaper said that businesses should be especially cautious of ransomware.

    “Scammers commonly ask for bitcoins or ask you to transfer money by wire transfer but even if youpay the fee, there is no guarantee that your computer will be unlocked,” said Schaper.

    “Fortunately, no money has been reported lost from these particular scams to Scamwatch yet. The emails are easy to spot as fakes and you can avoid falling victim by checking the email address of the sender before clicking on any links.”

    Scammers have been using email handles such as @accc.govt.au or comm.dept@outlook.com. ACCC noted that the extension for government emails is .gov.au, not .govt.au.

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