If you are like me you get a lot of spam in the inbox even though, like me, you have filters in place. Most of it is just crap but there are some that are dangerous if you click on the included link. Here is an example posted by a friend on Facebook. The bottom line is to use the tools we have available such as "whois"
and do some research before you click away and for Goddess' sake don't
give any personal information to one of these "mystery" links
My friend got an email offering some "work at home" offer containing the link:
http://www.msnbc.msn.com-sept-2012.us/ (Warning: Don't click on this link)
This may look like something at MSNBC with some update information tagged to the domain but it is not, it is actually another website that who knows what is going to do to you or your system. The actual address(domain name) is actually the COM-SEPT-2012.US part and not the full string that includes the msnbc. This address is actually a website on some godaddy server somewhere owned by who knows who. (The registrar is a James Richardson in Burbank????)
You need to watch for this type of misdirection in link addresses. The real domain is going to be the last two parts on the link (before any /’s), …xxx.nnn, in this case it is the COM-SEPT-2012.US. If you go to network solutions web site,
http://www.networksolutions.com/whois
and plug the domain name in the Search all WHOIS Records you will get info on the person or company that registered the domain. You should also note that the registrant may not have given his or her real name.
Just pay attention and don't just click away before you know where it will take you.
