Kaspersky Lab experts have decided to highlight just some of the dangers of looking for romance on the Internet. Various virtual "honey traps" are not uncommon on the World Wide Web - and once dazzled by a momentary passion, a user can easily find himself left without money or with a nasty infection on his machine.
The most creative type of junk mail which has not lost its popularity throughout the years is so-called Nigerian spam. The more romantic authors of these letters target potential victims registered on dating sites. Unlike these “Nigerian” brides, "Russian" brides only need money to buy an air ticket and finally meet the man of their dreams – and of course this money becomes easy prey for the fraudsters.
By clicking the links on online dating sites emails, the user runs the risk of infecting the computer with some sort of malicious program that is usually downloaded instead of the promised photos of a beautiful stranger. Fake dating sites not only pose risks associated with phishing or malware – they can also risk the wealth of the user.
Tatyana Kulikova, Senior Spam Analyst, Kaspersky Lab, said, “The Internet offers ample opportunities for communication. However, it is not always a safe place to search for romance. We have described only a few of the honey traps lying in wait on the Internet. To avoid disappointment, follow these safety rules: do not visit unknown dating sites, especially those advertised in spam, do not open emails from unknown senders and do not reply to emails if they seem suspicious.”
