14 DAY TRIAL // Bitdefender warns that cybercriminals have resurrected an old scam aimed at company executives. The scammers send out emails to executives, informing them that they’ve been selected for the “Top 100 Executives Magazine.”
“This is your final notice. We previously attempted to contact you regarding your recent selection as a candidate for publication in the prestigious Top 100 Executives of 2013 Magazine,” the scammy message reads.
It continues, “It is my distinct pleasure to inform you that your candidacy has been reviewed and approved by a special committee and that your biography may soon be featured in this extraordinary and professional magazine.”
Those who fall for it and click on the link from the email are taken to an official-looking website of the “Top 100 Executives of 2013 Magazine.”
Here, they’re asked to enter their names and contact details. To make everything more realistic, they even quote other “top executives” who say they’re satisfied with the results of being included in the magazine.
As experts highlight, these spear phishing emails are just the first phase of a larger campaign. Scammers can use the victim’s personal information in social engineering attacks that help the crooks gain access to much more sensitive information.