Security giant Symantec says it is tracking a recent eruption of spam relating to false celebrity deaths.
The scam works by using celebrity names in the subject line of e-mails to lure victims into opening a malicious URL or malware-infected attachment.
In a statement, Symantec explains that celebrities such as Beyonc'e Knowles, Bon Jovi, Brad Pitt and David Beckham are popular subject lines. Also, brand names such as a well known news agency give the spammer the much required credibility to gain trust in the recipient's mind.
Symantec cautions users to follow standard practices of not opening any suspicious links and attachments received in an unsolicited mail or from an unexpected source.
According to Symantec's August state of spam and phishing report, spammers have shifted their attention from World Cup-related spam to other current events and news. Overall spam made up 91.89% of all messages in July, compared with 88.32% in June.
Symantec says the focus is now on using the BP oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico as a means of trapping unsuspecting e-mail users. Another focus area is the upcoming Cricket World Cup next year February.
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