Something Phishy in my PM box?

[PhilGE]

Just received this message via PM:


Dear, PhilGE!

A virus alert was noticed on your computer.
We highly recommend you to check your computer and perform online virus check at our site immediately: <Link removed by moderator>
----------------------------------------------------
Forum Administration www.mandolincafe.com.

Please DON'T follow any links from "ForumTeam" - at least if you value your computer's security at all.

I alerted a number of the Moderators and hope this can be addressed quickly. If I'm mistaken and this is legit, I will gladly apologize and take 30 lashes with a wet noodle. I seriously doubt it's legit, and here's why.

I checked out "ForumTeam" and can't view the public profile. "ForumTeam" has zero posts and, hmmm, joined the forum in February of 2010. I haven't signed on in several days - why would I get such a message early this morning? There's been no public announcement (that I know of) alerting people to virus scanning services through this site. I could continue, but it simply sounds like some serious phishing/spoofing going on.

[Ted Eschliman]

Thanks, Phil, and you are correct. We're working to catch the culprit.

Word to the wise to always be suspicious of these kind of generic alerts. We have no "ForumTeam." Don't open the link.

[Scott Tichenor]

Users have a special account when they've registered but have not been yet approved. I just found out I had every permission turned off for this status/account except for the fact that they could send single PM messages one at a time, and apparently this new account that named itself "ForumTeam" did so and contacted at least four people that I know of--possibly more. I've shut down that permission, obviously.

And you're correct, most definitely not a site anyone should visit. Thanks for the heads up. My fault for not having that turned totally off.

[sunburst]

Maybe I'm just a suspicious person, but I would never click a link like that. If it was legit, it would be wasted on me. If I don't know the sender well, I ain't clickin' no links or attachments in no emails!
It makes me wonder why that type of stuff persists, and I can only conclude that others are more trusting than I am, and for those folks, I thank you for the warning.

[Joe Parker]

I just found a message in my pm box from someone offering free movie downloads.Wonder how these are getting through? I deleted the message.Hopefully no harm done.

[BiscoMando]

the spelling of Phishy made me think this thread had something to do with Phish.... darn

[PhilGE]

Thanks, Scott and Ted. There will always be vulnerable members who could be duped. Your efforts help protect us from exploitation of our ignorance.

[Daniel Nestlerode]

Scott & all,
I had the same jerk on my site today (http://santacruzguitarplayers.com). Banned him, his IP address, his email domain name, and "the horse he rode in on." I also changed the subscriber process from instant approval to moderator approval and disallowed the use of any username word combo with "forum," "team," "admin," "administrator," and "administrators."

Hoping this does the trick.

If you find the culprit let me know. I'll add my complaint to yours at his ISP.

Kinda nice to know I wasn't the only one hit.
Daniel

[blueridgemandolin]

Security Tool is a real pain my stepdaughter got in on both of their laptops and I like to have never got it off had to reload one of them completely. If any one gets it do a search and a website will come up that tells you what to do to get rid of it. Seems like it installs a random number program that takes all of the CPU to rum, Nasty thing
Dan