[dbaust] SCAMwatch email alert: SCAMwatch email alert

From: Erika Webb <erikaweb@xxxxxxxxxxxx>
To: Erika Webb <erikaweb@xxxxxxxxxxxx>
Date: Mon, 23 Jul 2012 23:05:35 -0700 (PDT)
From: SCAMwatch email alerts <web.team@xxxxxxxxxxx>
Subject: SCAMwatch email alert:  SCAMwatch email alert
Received: Tuesday, 24 July, 2012, 1:36 PM
'Hitman' scam resurfaces

View Radar Online
Added July 2012

SCAMwatch is warning Australians to beware of SMS death threats from scammers 
claiming to be 'hitmen' hired to kill the SMS recipient unless they send cash.
This scam has been around for a number of years, with scammers using both SMS 
and email to target you. The message arrives out of the blue and often contains 
a variation of the following text: 

"Sum1 paid me to kill you. get spared, 48hrs to pay $5000. If you inform the 
police or anybody, death is promised...E-mail me now: killerking247yahoo.com.''

The scammers will typically request a sum of money and may also ask you for 
your personal details.
If you receive this scam SMS, do not respond – these text messages are often 
sent at random, so scammers won’t know if they have reached a live mobile 
number until the recipient responds. Ignore any requests for your personal 
details as it may lead to the theft of your identity.

Protect yourself

Delete the SMS immediately. 
Do not forward or respond to the SMS – if you do, the scammers will escalate 
their intimidation and attempts to get your money. 
Never provide your personal, credit card or banking details in an SMS, email or 
over the phone – scammers will use your details to commit identity fraud or 
steal your money. 
If you have transferred any money, or have provided your account details to a 
scammer, contact your bank and the police immediately.
Reporting scams
You can report scams to the ACCC via the report a scam page on SCAMwatch or by 
calling 1300 795 995. Noting the text and phone number of the sender may assist 
in any investigations of the scam.

Should you ever be concerned about your physical safety, contact your local 
police.

More information
SCAMwatch has issued previous radars on ‘hitman’ scams:

September 2010: 'Hitman' email scam 
July 2008: 'Death threat' SMS scam

Stay one step ahead of scammers, follow @SCAMwatch_gov on Twitter or visit 
http://twitter.com/SCAMwatch_gov.

You have received this email because you have subscribed to receive SCAMwatch 
radar alerts on scams targeting Australians. These alerts are issued by the 
Australian Competition and Consumer Commission and can be viewed on its 
SCAMwatch website www.scamwatch.gov.au. 

If you have any doubts about an email's source, verify the sender by 
independent means - use their official contact details to check the email is 
legitimate before clicking on links or opening attachments.
[dbaust] SCAMwatch email alert: SCAMwatch email alert

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