The email tries to shock you to click on a link for more
information regarding an alleged child predator in your area. In one version of
this scam, the email has two links. One link takes you to a website called
“Kids Live Safe” which is a service that sells localized reports on sex
offenders. The spam email has no affiliation with Kids Live Safe, a service
that sells localized reports about sex offenders. The other link loads malware
onto your computer. The link to Kid Live Safe obviously is there to lend
credibility to the email. The malware searches for your usernames, passwords
and credit card numbers that are stored on your computer.
The email sent to the Silver Lake area had an email address
of “account-security-noreply@account.microsoft.com.”
“account.microsoft.com” has nothing to do with sex offenders. If you enter “account.microsoft.com”
in your browser, it will take you to your Microsoft .hotmail or .outlook
account.
To spot a phishing scam, the Better Business Bureau
recommends that you:
·
Check out the “From field of the email. Look for
email addresses that do not match the brand used in the email message.
·
Watch out for typos, strange phrasing and bad
grammar.
·
Hover over URLs to discover their true
destination.
·
If you did not sign up for an email alert, be
suspicious of emails alerting you of anything.
You can find out about registered sex offenders in your area
at the Snohomish County Sheriff’s Office web site at: http://www.snohomishcountywa.gov/302/Registered-Sex-Offenders.
Better Business Bureau:
Microsoft:
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