The latest trend in Russian language spam shows that spammers have started promoting Make Money Fast (MMF) schemes where users are told that money can be easily made with the use of binary options trading.
The sample observed by Symantec has the usual spam traits including a catchy subject, which highlights a large sum of money someone is making every month, to grab the attention of the recipient.
The spam is sent from mail.ru, the largest free email service in Russia, with the account name stating the age of the person linking it to the subject line. The following is a translation of the email header:
Subject: $3700 a month – this retiree making more than you?
From: [email protected]
This is an effective trick, especially during the festive season when many peoples’ finances are stretched.
Figure. Spam email highlights money-making pensioner
The body of the message advertises a Samara region pensioner’s high income made with the help of Binary Code. The recipient is asked to click on a hyperlink to get more information. The hyperlink leads to a hijacked domain, registered in 2008, that belongs to Web design company maxuz.com. The link is mainly used for redirection to another domain. The other domain, binarytraders.ru, was registered more recently in August 2013 and is likely to have been created specifically for this kind of spam. The domain’s main page lists advantages on why one should be involved in Binary Code trading along with a video with full instructions on how to get started. It also adds that binary options is currently the biggest money making tool available on the Internet.
Symantec has blocked this spam, but we wish to remind users to be alert this Christmas season and beware of Make Money Fast schemes.