Just wanted to caution everyone to keep an eye out for fake emails that are attempting to get you to click on links to take you to a drug sale site. I have seen them steadily coming in over the last few days.
In this case it is an email that is formatted to look like it came from LinkedIn:
Each of those links in that message are hidden links to a website that ultimately takes you to a site that is selling prescription drugs. It does not appear to be malicious but you never know so your best bet is to ignore it and delete it entirely from your inbox.
This is a typical method used by spammers and traffic seekers to get you to click on links or open attachments based on a familiar brand. They are hoping to get you to take your guard down and click on their link. Once you have clicked they are happy because they either received traffic or some type of phishing payload/attempt has been delivered.
As I look at this message I notice a couple of other things that also help me identify it as a bogus email:
- It was sent to an address that I have not used at LinkedIn
- I did not know the individual’s name that is listed as a friend
- I hovered my mouse pointer over those links while in my email reader program to see what the hidden link was and saw that it was not going to LinkedIn but some site in the Netherlands.
So between those items above and my rare use of LinkedIn I suspect this is a bogus email and I do the best thing you can do with these – delete them.
Stay vigilant on this type of stuff because there will not be an end to the creative steps the spammer will take to get you to click on their email links.
