There is a malicious email doing the rounds at the moment that is specifically targeted at small to medium sized businesses with an email attachment that has a macro inside that is designed to download trojans and password stealers including banking credentials. These may also include cridex, dridex, dyreza and various Zbots, cryptolocker, ransomware and loads of other malware on your computer.
They are using email addresses and email titles that may easily entice the recipient to open the attachment because so many people may not realise that .xls or .doc files can contain viruses and trojans.
Because the email contains a remittance advice on what appears to be a genuine excel spreadsheet or word document, it is targeted at businesses in the hope of getting a higher conversion rate, especially those companies that may have a high number of customers and accounts and whose staff may open the attachment without thinking too much about it.
There has also been reports on the internet from people who have opened the attachments who have said that their social media, Paypal and email logins have also been compromised.
On various security forums, it appears that this clever attachment has not yet been picked up as a threat yet and so it is advisable to not even scan the document before opening it.
K J Watking & Co Remittance Advice – The facts
After some research on the internet, it seems that there is a company in Walsall with a similar name called K J Watkin – Certified Accountants Insolvency Practitioners but whom have a different telephone number to that on the email.
This company do not have anything to do with this scam but have the misfortune to be slightly associated with the email by name only.
Below is the signature on the email, if you do get this come through to your inbox, delete immediately:-
Please find attached a remittance advice for recent BACS payment.
Any queries please contact us.
Neville Collins
Senior Accounts Payable Specialist
K J Watking & Co
Tel: 01469 863725
