Hey…I got a package from FedEx!!!…uhh….not :)

So considering I got THREE of these over the weekend…I thought it would be a good thing to pass this info along.

There is another wave of malware making the rounds….called “ransomware” – one example is it comes in an email like this…a package alert…and tells you need to download and print a label.

Apparently if you download the malware, the hard drive is scanned and documents, presentations, videos, and photos are encrypted and the computer is locked down.  You are then presented with a screen telling you that you have 100 hours to pay up or the data will be permanently destroyed.

The email ALMOST looks legitimate…except if you look in the few important places..you’ll see where it’s not..

1) the email address…um that’s NOT a valid sender for “Fedex Shipping Services” (in some email programs, if you put your mouse over the display name, you’ll see the return address).

2) the date…the package was delivered on Oct 5? today is Oct 27th?!

 

3) if you put your mouse over the “click here” link….um, yeah…that really looks legitimate.

 

So the morals of the story are:

1) no, I didn’t get a package from FedEx…and

2) Please continue to watch where you click…and practice “safe computing”

Just because it “looks” like it came from Microsoft…that doesn’t make it any more legitimate…

There is a phishing campaign that is going around preying on individuals who have had issues with Microsoft Updates.

First of all, you wouldn’t be receiving any EMAILS about updates failing and any “error repair software” that you would need to download  and install.

if you get this email, and click on the link you are lead to an “official looking” Microsoft page asking for your email address and password (they will also NEVER ask you for your password!)

If you put your mouse over the link before clicking on it, you will see that the URL it leads to is a site other than Microsoft.

Steer Clear!!

if you would like to read more, you can click here