Going Phishing

http://maplestory.nexon.net/FunStuff/GMB...ageIndex=1

“Dear Subscriber,

This is to inform all nex0n account holding that upgradw/maintenance of server has schedule for August 13, 2009 to help serve better. You may experience login problems to MappleStoryduring this period. We are having congestion due to the anonymous registration of accounts and on this note, we are deactivating some accounts that are no longer active and your account may be deactivated if no response to this e-mail within 1 week.

To confirm and keep your nexon account active during and after this upgrade and maintenance, you are advice to e-mail your account information as below.”

Have you ever gotten that email or one like it? If you have, you may have been the victim of a “phishing” scam. Of all the ways that a thief can steal your account information, phishing is the most common and usually the most successful. Phishing is a two-part scam involving fake emails and Websites that imitate real Nexon sites. If a phisher can convince you to take an immediate action, hit a link or go to a specific Website, for example, they’ve got your right where they want you. Even if you never enter your information, you may find yourself the victim of keylog software or other malicious programs downloaded onto your computer without your knowledge.

How do phishers get you to do this and why are they successful? It’s simple, really. Phishers rely on creating a sense of fear or panic that keeps you from thinking straight. The one common element of all phishing emails is urgent language. All of them will try to convince you to click a link or go to a specific Website in order to “fix a problem” or to do something “for your own safety.” If you see a message that tells you to do something right away “or your account will be shut down!” it may be a message from a scammer. If you make a mistake, your stolen information may be used to steal money or items from your account.

How do you prevent this and protect yourself? There are a number of ways to recognize a scam email that we’ll get into, but the most important rule when it comes to doing anything on the Internet is this:

Stop and think.

Never just react to a strange email or just click a link because it has a familiar logo next to it. Time is always on your side, not the scammers’. Look for suspicious signs and if you’re unsure whether the email is legitimate or not, you can always send a ticket to Nexon Support for clarification. You may also want to check the official Website for more information.

Other Phishing Signs

Phishers often use the Nexon logo or official art from one of our games to make their emails and Websites look real. Here are some things to look for that will tell you an email is suspicious.

• Strange or unfamiliar links: Be careful of clicking links in an e-mail message. While the link’s text may look completely legitimate, the link’s source code points to a completely different site. Always remember that you don’t have to click on a link. You can cut and paste it into your Web browser or type it in yourself.
• Strange greetings: Phishing emails often have unusual greetings designed to slip past email filters.
• Typos: Phishers will often deliberately introduce typos into an e-mail message in order to bypass email filters.
• Incorrect Grammar: This is another method used to slip past email filters.
• Misspelled company name. Another method that phishers use to get past email filters. Common variations include using a “0” for the “o” on Nexon and unusual spacing.: e.g. “Nex0n,” “NexonAmerica” and “Nex on.”

Phony Websites



Fake Websites are often the second half of a “phishing” scheme. Fake Websites can be very convincing. They often use copies of official Nexon artwork and Nexon logos. Here are some ways to detect whether you’ve been directed to a fake site.

• How did you get here? Did you follow an email or chat link to get to the site? If you did, use caution.
• Check the URL: All official Nexon sites use the URL pattern "http://[gamename].nexon.net." If a site doesn’t end with Nexon.net, it’s not an official Website.
• Look for blind links and broken or dead end pages: Look around for ways to get back to the home page or to find other information. If there are no other links on the page and no way to get to any other locations on the site, be suspicious.
• Be careful at “fan” Websites: Most fan Websites are just what they appear to be. Some are fronts for scammers though. Never use the same name, password and email you use for your Nexon account for a fan site account.

Again, the key here is to always stop and think.

Protect yourself, game safe and happy Mapling!

Some what surprised by this, and that it wasnt posted.