As expected, we at the Symantec Probe Network have started observing an influx of spam messages related to the upcoming events of Halloween and Christmas. As the festive season is around the corner, it’s not surprising that spammers are exploiting these events with their malicious attacks.
Recently we have observed spam message promoting replica watches, health products, free gift cards, and other fake product offers.
The following email subject lines demonstrate the use of seasonal offers in the email spam:
Subject: Grab em before Christmas
Subject: Get yours Free trial today
Subject: Just in time for Christmas - cheap watches
Subject: Hi xxxx, get 70% off Christmas
Subject: Ys, such as Christmas, are not celebrated at the
Subject: Follow the style 24/7. Our accessories will do it for you. Your money should be in safe place, buy Armani wallet today.
Most of these spam messages encourage users to get these products early because of limited supply or to get the best deals. Clicking the URL directs the user to a fake Web site selling replica watches, an online pharmacy, or other fake product offer sites.
With three months to go before Christmas, we expect to see spam in large volumes related to these events. There may be variations in the spam types with fake product offers, malware distribution through fake e-card messages, and phishing attacks.
Symantec recommends having antispam and antivirus solutions installed and encourages users to update their signatures from time to time to prevent personal information from being compromised. Users are advised to refrain from clicking on unsolicited email unless it is from authorized or official sources. We at Symantec have a 24x7 coverage to monitor holiday-themed spam attacks and to keep our readers updated.
Thanks to Christopher Mendes for contributed content.