WhatsApp not what’s up for you, Chase Bank also targeted for scams

January 22, 2014
Santa Paula News

By Peggy Kelly 

Santa Paula Times

Two emails are circulating that you don’t want to have anything to do with or you’ll risk your computer or your personal information or your credit cards and bank accounts...or all of them.

WhatsApp as well as Chase Bank have been targeted as the senders of the bogus emails, one which asks you to download dangerous malware and the other that’s just trying to help themselves to your money and credit.

WhatsApp is a file sharing application used by many on their mobile devices and users are advised to be on the lookout for the bogus emails that try to get them to open an attached file. 

The messages are part of a cybercriminal campaign whose goal is to distribute a piece of malware. 

Malware is short for malicious software used to disrupt computer operation, gather sensitive information, or gain access to private computer systems.

The bogus emails are entitled “Your friend has just sent you a pic!” and they read, “Your friend has just sent you a photograph in WhatsApp. Open attachments to see what it is!”

The emails have nothing to do with WhatsApp and the attached file is actually a piece of malware of the Wauchos family, a threat currently detected by only  around 9 of the approximately 40 antivirus engines available from the online VirusTotal.

WhatsApp has also been targeted by a scam that’s tied to “new voicemail” emails that have been used to distribute malware.

With the WhatsApp email, or any others that look suspicious for that matter, check who else was sent the email...scammers are either so dumb or so confident that you might find that others listed as recipients have a similar email address and are in alphabetical order from the account that was hacked to obtain the addresses in the first place.

Customers of Chase Bank must be on guard for the latest email scam that urges customers to verify and update their accounts, of course an excuse used to break into accounts.

The bogus Chase email notes: 

E-mail intended for: VERIFICATION AND UPDATE

Dear Customer

We’re writing to let you know your account needs to be updated immediately, to reflect every changes made to our database CLICK HERE to keep your account updated and also ensure maximum layer of online protection.

Note: The account above is enrolled in Paperless Statements, so you won’t receive a paper statement in the mail. You can update your statement delivery preferences anytime to begin receiving paper statements again.

Please don’t reply directly to this automatically-generated e-mail message. If you have questions, please contact our Customer Support team at the phone number on the back of your card.

Sincerely, 

ChaseSM Services

Of course the generators of this email have gone to great lengths to not only address security but also in advising those who have questions to contact Chase customer service via the phone number on the back of the bank card. 

No doubt they believe-and are probably correct-that urging such caution will make customers more comfortable with clicking through as originally advised.

Of course the email has the standard trigger of concern with an awkwardly phrased first paragraph no bank would send out. 

If you receive any questionable email from Chase Bank forward it to: Abuse@chase.com





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