Anti-spam experts at SophosLabs™ are calling on
consumers to be wary of unsolicited emails trying to sell them
goods via spam, as an unsolicited email campaign offers a copy of
Dan Brown's best-selling novel "The Da Vinci Code".
At its global network of spam traps Sophos has intercepted
emails inviting recipients to join a book club, claiming to offer a
free copy of "The Da Vinci Code" as an incentive. The email calls
on people to "Read the novel everyone's STILL talking about" and to
"Get the Da Vinci Code free, plus five more bestsellers for 99
cents."
The spam campaign offers a free copy of 'The Da
Vinci Code'.
"People should be careful of unsolicited emails like this and
remember the old adage that there's no such thing as a free lunch,"
said Graham
Cluley, senior technology consultant for Sophos. "This Da Vinci
Code email directs recipients to a website that was registered less
than a month ago - a clue which instantly sets alarm bells ringing
in anti-spam circles. The intention of the website is presently
unclear, but it certainly fails to supply a free book to
surfers."
According to a poll* conducted earlier this year, 9% of computer
users have purchased goods sold via spam, which Sophos claims is
more than enough to keep spammers in business and encourage them to
continue bombarding innocent users with unsolicited emails.
"Some would argue that there's more than enough wall-to-wall
coverage about Dan Brown's controversial book on the TV, radio and
cinema without having to be subjected to it via email too,"
continued Cluley. "It's time to boycott the companies who use spam
to sell their goods. If you receive an unsolicited commercial email
don't try, don't buy, don't reply."
Sophos recommends companies protect themselves with a consolidated solution which can defend businesses
from the threats of spam, spyware and viruses.
* Sophos online survey, 533 respondents, February
2006
More than 100 million users in 150 countries rely on Sophos as the best protection against complex threats and data loss. Sophos is committed to providing security and data protection solutions that are simple to manage, deploy and use and that deliver the industry's lowest total cost of ownership. Sophos offers award-winning encryption, endpoint security, web, email, and network access control solutions backed by SophosLabs - a global network of threat intelligence centers. With more than two decades of experience, Sophos is regarded as a leader in security and data protection by top analyst firms and has received many industry awards.
Sophos is headquartered in Boston, US and Oxford, UK. More information is available at www.sophos.com.