iPod Email Hoax
Summary:Email claims that your credit card has been charged for the purchase of an iPod music player (
Full commentary below.)
Status:False
Example:(Collected online, 2003)
Subject: Transaction Receipt (UKCards)
From: "UKCards"
Please note: All charges to your statement will appear in the
name "UKCARDS LIMITED".
Order Information
Amount: £399.95
Currency: GBP
Merchant Name: HUNTINGDON MAIL ORDER
Description: iPod Music Player 40GB
Customer Service
Telephone: [REMOVED]
Email: N/A
Delivery Address
[REMOVED]
If you have any questions on the delivery of this order or
product details please contact the merchant directly using the above details.
Commentary:
This hoax email caused major problems for the Cambridgeshire
Police Force in the UK.
The email "confirms" that the recipient's credit card has been
charged 399 pounds for the purchase of an iPod music player. The
"Custom Service Telephone" number provided is in fact the number
of the Cambridgeshire Police Force. As to be expected, the police
were inundated with calls from people wishing to complain
that they never ordered an iPod.
This hoax appears be a deliberate attempt to disrupt the services
of the Police force. The hoax could be considered a malicious Distributed Denial of Service (DDoS) attack on the Cambridgeshire
Police Force. A police spokesperson advised recipients to delete the hoax email without further action.
References:
http://itvibe.com/default.aspx?NewsID=1093
Write-up by Brett M.Christensen
