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We all receive spam emails, some just annoying marketing abuse, and some more … dodgy ones.

A lot of tempting messages out there, promising you that you that by logging into a website, using your Hotmail email and password, you can find out who has blocked you on MSN,

The temptation is high for people who suspect that they have been blocked by friends, ex or potential partners.

Once you are tempted, giving away your Hotmail password is just a click away. But what do you get in return? The answer is simple: disaster.

Once you press the SIGN IN button, your email and password are emailed to the person who has set up the trap. They receive your details, and immediately they log in to your email account, change your password and your security questions. You do not realise what happens at the beginning but in a few minutes you see that you are disconnected from MSN Messenger. You try to login and your password is not recognised. Your next instinctive move is to go to the Hotmail website. You get there but you are signed out. You try to sign in again and you get the same error message: your password is not recognised.

Photo 1. Phishing Warning from PC GUARD.

Most Internet Service Providers (ISPs) have updated protection and databases that contain all reported web forgery. The screenshot from Photo 1 is a typical example of a Pc Guard warning. But the responsibility also lays with the user. It is YOUR responsibility to install an up to date Firewall and anti-virus suite. The antivirus suite must have more than the old traditional antivirus.

In our days, the acceptable setup for such a suite would include :

• Anti Virus (for viruses)
• Firewall (for attacks from the web)
• Anti Spyware (protection from stealth spyware code)
• Identity Theft Protection (protect your identity and login details)
• Parental Control (to restrict and control your children’s access)
• Privacy Manager
• Pop Up Blocker

Photo2. A phishing login page in French.

Photo 3. A typical login page of an MSN Messenger phishing scam.

The phishing websites are very often different from the Messenger login, but carry similar logos and colours. Sometimes the web page is almost identical to that of Yahoo! Or Hotmail or any other webmail platform. If that is the case, the easy way to check the validity of the site, is to look at the URL (address) box on your browser.

For Hotmail, the address should look something like:

http://mail.live.com/default.aspx?wa=wsignin1.0          

and for Yahoo something like this:

http://uk.yahoo.com/?p=us

 where “uk” is relevant to the country you are in (i.e. I am in the UK).

You may ask “why would somebody want your email account”?

There are actually more than one answers to this question; and none of them is any better than the other.

1. In your account you are bound to have kept emails with login details to websites like PayPal.
2. You might have stored “draft” messages with login of your internet banking.
3. You might have sensitive information stored in your account
4. You might need your account urgently so you will be vulnerable to blackmail. If you wonder how will the contact you if you do not have access to your account … the answer is simple. You might have another email address in your account (as alternative email for security) and if you do not, they just login to MSN or Yahoo Messenger and inform your friends!

Once again the key word in protecting yourself is common sense.

1. Do not follow links that look suspect (even if it is from people you know).
2. Do not click on links from emails coming from people you do not know.
3. Do not be tempted to put your email and password to any website. You will just lose your email account.
4. Do not save your webmail, PayPal and e-banking addresses in your Favourites. They may be altered by malware and lead you straight into a trap.

In my professional capacity I see way to often people who lose their email accounts, or people whose computers are infected, and they have no idea about it. It is easier for someone else to spot it, since I receive spam messages from their accounts.

Do not be a victim. Keep your login details safe, and never click on anything that is tempting.

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