Phishers target Junior NTR fans by song web link

VISAKHAPATNAM: Fans of Junior NTR beware! Something as simple as listening to ‘ChinnadhoVaipu’ from the actor’s Telugu blockbuster ‘Brindavanam’ can rob you of your hard earned money. Computer security software expert Symantec has warned that the song from the 2010 movie is being used as bait by phishers to extract personal information of gullible internet users.
According to a statement issued by Symantec on Wednesday, its response team observed a phishing attack this month involving a web page with the link to the popular song. To attract visitors, the site displays an image from the song featuring Samantha and Kajal Aggarwal along with a plot summary of the movie.
The site, which was hosted on a server based in Montreal, Canada, directs users to enter their login credentials to watch the video of the song. Those who log in are redirected to a legitimate movie website that features the same video to create an illusion of authenticity for the duped users, Symantec said. But those who enter their login credentials fall prey to phishers who steal personal information such email ID, password, bank and credit card details.
According to Symantec, the phishers were trying to cash in on the popularity of the Junior NTR film that had mopped up about Rs 40 crore in the box office and was later remade in other languages like Oriya and Kannada. This is not the first time that phishers have made use of popular movies to trawl the net for susceptible victims. Earlier, another phishing site had featured Bollywood movie ‘Bodyguard’ to lure people into parting with crucial information.
Advising people to be cautious, Symantec has urged internet users not to click on suspicious links in emails and avoid giving out personal information while answering emails. It also urged people not to enter personal details in a pop-up page or screen.