Copyright Phishing Scam

ah5168

ah5168

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I received this email today from the contact part pf my website.

It's obviously a phishing scam, so thought I would share it. I have redacted parts of the email and link.

Not sure if this is the right forum but please move it to the correct one.




"name :: Mel

Email: Mgallery***@***.com

Message: Hi there!

This is Melea and I am a licensed photographer and illustrator.

I was confused, putting it lightly, when I saw my images at your website. If you use a copyrighted image without an owner's approval, you should be aware that you could be sued by the owner.

It's illegal to use stolen images and it's so low!

Take a look at this document with the links to my images you used at www. xxxxxx and my earlier publications to obtain the evidence of my ownership.

Download it right now and check this out for yourself:

www. xxxxxxxx

If you don't get rid of the images mentioned in the file above within the next several days, I'll file a complaint against you to your hosting provider letting them know that my copyrights have been severely infringed and I am trying to protect my intellectual property.

And if it doesn't help, trust me I am going to take legal action against you! And you won't receive the second notice from me."
 
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Hmmmm!

If they have mis-appropriated your images in an attempt to draw you into a discussion for phishing purposes......perhaps and on the assumption said images of yours are being displayed on their website get Pixsy on the case i.e. counter strike via a one step removed action and don't get involved with any direct action.

PS and they are using a Google service to try to legitimise their activities perhaps Google would be interested in that 'abuse'?
 
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Most likely if you follow a link to download their 'proof' all you'll really download is a key logger, encryption software and other malware. NEVER EVER follow a link from an email of this kind.
 
Box Brownie said:
Hmmmm!

If they have mis-appropriated your images in an attempt to draw you into a discussion for phishing purposes......perhaps and on the assumption said images of yours are being displayed on their website get Pixsy on the case i.e. counter strike via a one step removed action and don't get involved with any direct action.

PS and they are using a Google service to try to legitimise their activities perhaps Google would be interested in that 'abuse'?
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I doubt it's that elaborate. I think the scammers are just relying on how common image grabbing is - enough people will either think they might have done this, or on the other hand be outraged at the suggestion, that some will click on the malware link.
 
Had one of these through the contact form on my website a while back. Ignored it as all the pictures on there are mine. Nothing else happened. As others have said, don't click the links.
 
I get loads of different ones. One was a threat to smear this and that if you don't pay bitcoins, threats to release secret of indecent videos (of which there are obviously precisely none), etc. Delete, ignore, move on
 
LongLensPhotography said:
I get loads of different ones. One was a threat to smear this and that if you don't pay bitcoins, threats to release secret of indecent videos (of which there are obviously precisely none), etc. Delete, ignore, move on
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I get that one a lot, I just reply saying I would love to see the videos, they have never provided them:mad:.
 
I also had a contact email on my website at one time but removed it because only 1 in 100 emails were genuine communications about my website.

Dave
 
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I had one from a Nigerian minister- I sent him the $200 he asked for - just awaiting my share of the $20 million he promised me

Should I be concerned its been a week??? :LOL:

Les
 
LongLensPhotography said:
I get loads of different ones. One was a threat to smear this and that if you don't pay bitcoins, threats to release secret of indecent videos (of which there are obviously precisely none), etc. Delete, ignore, move on
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I had the 'we will post your indecent videos' one too. I asked them if they were from before 2015 because I lost all mine in a computer crash and would love to get them back :LOL:
 
moggi1964 said:
I had the 'we will post your indecent videos' one too. I asked them if they were from before 2015 because I lost all mine in a computer crash and would love to get them back :LOL:
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What strikes me about the threat involved in that sort of phishing.......is that bearing in mind that the email is sent out "scatter gun" like, so I suppose it only needs to land on a few folks who might have such videos in their past :lol: :banghead: to react badly and pay up!
 
ancient_mariner said:
NEVER EVER follow a link from an email of this kind.
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Agreed but I'd remove the words "of this kind".

I get annoyed when a bank or other financial institution sends me an email with a link on it. They are doing a good job for the scammers and a bad job for their customers.
 
Box Brownie said:
What strikes me about the threat involved in that sort of phishing.......is that bearing in mind that the email is sent out "scatter gun" like, so I suppose it only needs to land on a few folks who might have such videos in their past :LOL: :banghead: to react badly and pay up!
Click to expand...

It could also push some people over the edge & end with suicide.
 
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