14 DAY TRIAL // Security vendors warn that the wave of Fourth of July spam emails promoting replica items, pills and other such products, has already begun.
It is a well known fact that spammers are trying to capitalize on any holiday with special promotions and discounts for their pool-quality products.
Security researchers from Symantec point out that Fourth of July is no different and such unsolicited emails are already hitting inboxes.
"Some people actually take advantage of the nice holiday weekend to stay at home and catch up on other activities, which may include shopping.
"Since sales levels are usually lower during holiday weekends, stores and online shopping sites offer lots of exciting deals. "The spammers, as always, have exploited this likelihood and are distributing spam messages promoting luxury products replicas, pharmaceuticals, and other products," they write.
Replica watches are always a popular spam theme during holidays. In one sample showed by Symantec, the spammers are spoofing Rolex.com and link to a website that lures users with an Independence Day Sale.
The emails were sent from Brazilian IP addresses that participated in similar spam campaigns in the past and are most likely associated with a botnet.
Another popular category of products advertised during the holidays are male enhancement pills. These are sold by rogue online pharmacies and carry serious health risks because they haven't passed FDA approval and might contain dangerous substances.
"Spam emails that are promoting popular gadgets and outdoor grilling products at a discounted rate are also being observed in yet another spam campaign," the Symantec researchers warn.
Since fireworks are closely associated with Independence Day celebrations, discounts for such items might also be advertised by spammers. Most of the domains used in these campaigns have been registered during the past week in preparation for the holiday.
Users are strongly advised against buying from spam sites. First of all, they expose themselves to financial fraud by handing over their credit card details to cyber crooks. Secondly, in case they are actually shipped, the products are of poor quality.