Having been an avid viewer of “The Simpsons” since my college days, this one caught my attention.

The security company Sophos reports on its website that Spammers use the upcoming release of “The Simpsons Movie” in yet another attempt to lure unsuspecting email recipients into confirming their email addresses.

An unsolicited email containing a genuine looking image of the popular cartoon series, promises a chance to win cash for completing an online survey.

The web page behind the fake survey simply asks visitors to enter their email address to participate.

“You would be as crazy as Krusty the Clown to enter an email address on that page,” said Graham Cluley, senior technology consultant for Sophos. “Not only are your chances of receiving a gift less than zero, but you are delivering a valid email address to a spammer on a platter. Lists of living breathing email addresses are what keeps the spam industry afloat - by confirming your contact address you are helping the spammers and increasing your chances of being deluged by junk email.”

According to Sophos, this tactic is not new and cybercriminals frequently try to exploit the interest in upcoming movie releases for their illegal activities.

Perhaps this is a good opportunity to remind your employees about the risks associated with Spam and Phishing emails and educate them on how to avoid falling prey to these scams.

Technorati Tags: The Simpsons spam, Sophos, The Simpsons Movie, phishing

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