Graphic: Diego AguirreMichael Jackson wasn't dead six hours when I already heard the first of several (bad) jokes about the superstar. In the same vein, fraudsters were already taking advantage of the public's curiosity within minutes of his death. These miscreants know that information seekers are more readily lured to bogus sites so that they'll be on top of the latest dirt. What they often forget is that lots of these sites were set up to transmit malicious code.
"Jackson's death unleashes barrage of online scams" by Jordan Robertson of the AP reminded me how easy it is to take advantage of people when they've been stunned. I think the surprise of Jackson's death has made people -- fans and non-fans alike -- hungry for details about why and how he died. Having details that others haven't heard yet makes people feel important when they relay the information -- so much so that they're more likely to take a chance and visit an untrusted site or download a bogus program (like a video player).
Don't be placated if you're thinking you don't have to worry because you don't visit unknown sites. Spammers are also getting one over on victims by enticing them to open email attachments that promise YouTube videos of the star, links to the latest Jackson photos, access to unpublished songs, etc., etc. As authentic fan club sites are struggling with the news of their idol's death, they also have to compete with scammers. Those bogus fan sites aren't legitimate, having just sprung up in the wake of Jackson's death and set up solely for the purpose of spying on visitors.
Just as we should always be wary, we need to be mindful of unsolicited requests for downloading software and opening email attachments. We just could get more than we were looking for.
(See "How to Spot an E-Mail Scam")
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