There is a new "phishing" email scam out there.

This one pretends to be from the popular auction site eBay, containing an attachment.  The body of the email is blank but the subject says something to the effect of "Payment request from" with the attachment named "form.html"

When clicking on the attachment to find out what it is, the malware is installed, most likely without you even knowing it. This is your typical email scam, where the creators send millions of them out to unsuspecting people hoping you will open the attachment.  This is a good reminder why you should always be careful opening up questionable emails

Most people are unaware of how easy it is to create legitimate looking emails from banks, billing companies, debt collectors and even government agencies like the IRS.

Here are several tips to help you avoid online scams like the current e-Bay e-mail:

•Always download the newest updates to your computer and smartphone operating system

•Install anti-virus on your computer AND smartphone

•Don’t open e-mails that look suspicious. Delete them immediately.

•Turn off the “preview” setting in your e-mail reader, so that you have to double-click on every e-mail before it will open

•Never open an e-mail attachment unless you know who it’s from

•Don’t click on hyperlinks, tiny URLs, embedded videos or embedded photos

•Never make an online payment if the URL is “http” and not “httpS.” That “s” is critical, as it means the site uses advanced encryption for security.

•Sign up for the FBI’s E-Scams alert:  http://www.fbi.gov/cyberinvest/escams.htm

•All of these tips apply to e-mail, text messages and messages on your social network

•Understand that your smartphone (e.g., BlackBerry, iPhone, Android phone) is at just as much risk as your computer.

Here are some signs to tell if an email is a scam:

 •Subject line or body of the e-mail has several misspelled words

•Return address has a foreign country code Top Level Domain (ccTLD) ... i.e., instead of “.com,” it uses “.ru,” “.cn,” “.ro”

•Flagged as spam by your e-mail client

•Makes some type of financial claim without providing all the information (ex: an overdue bill, missed payment, friend in need of money), and the only way to respond is via e-mail or online

•Government agencies, and most financial institutions, do not accept payments via e-mail

As explained before in some of my posts, if your not sure about an email, just delete it.  If you think you have been infected, unplug your PC from the network and run a virus and malware scan as soon as possible.

For more help with viruses/malware, give the CCS Retail Systems Support Department a call at 800-672-4806 or email_us

-Bryan