We put the internet to work for you.Call Us: 781-440-9080  (serving you from Foxboro, MA)
  • HOME
  • Websites
    • Business Websites
    • eCommerce
    • Responsive Design
    • Mobile Applications
    • Portfolio
  • Marketing
    • Internet Marketing
    • Search Engine Optimization
    • Pay-Per-Click Advertising
    • Social Media
    • Email Marketing
    • Logo and Graphic Design
    • Website/Social Media Updates
  • Web Content
    • Content Management System
    • Copywriting
    • Landing Page Development
    • Photography
    • Video Production
    • Website/Social Media Updates
    • Blogging Services
  • Collaboration
    • eRoom
      • Our Expertise
      • Best Practice Consulting
      • eRoom Hosting
      • eRoom Design
      • Gallery View
      • About eRoom
    • SharePoint
  • Portfolio
  • About Us
    • About OpenVine
    • Our Team
    • Client List
    • OpenVine Blog
    • Become a Guest Blogger
  • Contact us
8.5.5

Small Business Internet Blog

Tips and techniques to help small businesses benefit from using the Internet.

Interested in becoming a guest blogger for OpenVine? Click here to get started.

Beware of Phishing Scam from "Experienced Photographer" Threatening Copyright Violation

Kelly Thomas Mango
Tuesday, December 29, 2020

Recently we have heard from some of our clients that they have received one or more threatening emails from someone named "Mel." The sender claims to be a photographer and/or illustrator (depending on the email) alleging that the client used her photos or illustrations without permission. 

In all instances, this email is submitted through the website contact form from someone named "Mel, Mellie, Melinda, Melisha, or Melina." These email variations have basically the same message, which threatens legal action against the client for copyright infringement. 

The emails also include a link to a Google folder, which, when clicked, takes you to a file download that probably contains a virus allowing the hacker to get control of your device. From there, he or she may be able to demand a ransom, obtain access to other important accounts (like banking or email), or release a virus which can infect your device so it can be used to attack others.

Here's an example of one of the emails.

Sample Phishing Email


"Name: Mel

Email: Megallery325@gmail.com <mailto:Megallery325@gmail.com>               

Subject: Why do you use my images for [Your Website Address] without my consent! It's unlawful! It violates my rights! You must delete them immediately!!!!!  

Message:            

Hello,

This is Melissa and I am a qualified photographer.

I was baffled, to put it nicely, when I found my images at your website. If you use a copyrighted image without an owner's consent, you should be aware that you could be sued by the copyright holder.

It's unlawful to use stolen images and it's so wicked!

See this document with the links to my images you used at [Your Website Address]
and my earlier publications to get the evidence of my legal copyrights.

Download it now and check this out for yourself:

[Google Link Redacted]

If you don't get rid of the images mentioned in the document above within the next several days, I'll file a complaint on you to your hosting provider stating that my copyrights have been severely infringed and I am trying to protect my intellectual property.

And if it doesn't work, for damn sure I am going to take legal action against you! And I will not bother myself to let you know of it in advance." 

Safety Tips to Avoid Falling Victim to Phishing Scams and other Cyber Threats

The intent of these types of emails is to intimidate or scare you into taking the desired action, which in this case is clicking on the link and likely downloading a virus. Don't fall victim to this tactic.

Here are some other tips to remember:

  • Install a good security software on your computer.
  • Beware of emails or messages with spelling and grammatical errors.
  • Never click on links within suspicious emails.
  • Hover over links that you are unsure of to see if the hover URL matches the one in the email (but don't click on it).
  • Don't open attachments of suspicious/unrecognized emails.

Here is some additional information from the FTC to help you avoid phishing attacks as additional ways to protect yourself. 

Hopefully this post helps you avoid compromising your device and your personal information. Please pass this along to others! If you need help securing your website to protect against online attacks, get in touch with us. We can help you secure and backup your website so you are always protected.


Previous Next

Recent Posts

  • Beware of Phishing Scam from "Experienced Photographer" Threatening Copyright Violation
  • What is Schema Markup and How Does It Help Your SEO Strategy?
  • Small Business Tips for Dealing with (and Adapting to) the COVID-19 Crisis
  • The Importance of Using Google My Business for Small Business Owners
  • How to Promote Your Small Business Products and Services Using Pinterest
  • How to Set Up Pinterest for Your Small Business [Step-By-Step Guide]
  • How to Use Google Analytics to Find Your Most Popular Website Content
  • How to Use Your Computer to Post to Your Business’s Instagram Account [Quick Tip]
  • How to Easily Find and Edit Website Images [Free Tools]
  • Six Affordable Marketing Tactics for Small Businesses on a Tight Budget

Get web design and internet marketing tips with our monthly newsletter, OpenVine Insights.


Tags

  • advertising (3)
  • Automation (1)
  • best practice (13)
  • blog writing (11)
  • Blogging (13)
  • bloggings (8)
  • business websites (7)
  • calls-to-action (5)
  • content creation (20)
  • content marketing (8)
  • conversion rate optimization (1)
  • copywriting (7)
  • email marketing (9)
  • Facebook (4)
  • Geo-targeting (2)
  • Google (2)
  • hashtags (1)
  • html (2)
  • hyperlocal (1)
  • Images (3)
  • internet advertising (5)
  • internet marketing (30)
  • keyword research (7)
  • keywords (10)
  • landing page (5)
  • LinkedIn (2)
  • local search (8)
  • mobile websites (5)
  • off-site SEO (3)
  • online advertising (2)
  • online directories (2)
  • online security (1)
  • on-site SEO (9)
  • optimization (10)
  • Pinterest (2)
  • PPC (3)
  • responsive design (14)
  • RSS feeds (1)
  • search engine listings (11)
  • search engine optimization (22)
  • seo (31)
  • small business tips (3)
  • social media (18)
  • social media marketing (17)
  • tips and tricks (16)
  • trends (3)
  • twitter (5)
  • video (3)
  • video marketing (1)
  • website content (25)
  • Website Conversion (1)
  • website design (20)
  • website metrics (3)
  • website traffic (6)
  • wordpress (1)

Archive

  • December 2020 (1)
  • May 2020 (1)
  • April 2020 (1)
  • March 2020 (2)
  • February 2020 (1)
  • January 2020 (3)
  • December 2019 (5)
  • November 2019 (1)
  • October 2019 (1)
  • August 2019 (2)
  • July 2019 (2)
  • June 2019 (2)
  • May 2019 (2)
  • April 2019 (2)
Foxboro, MA | 781-850-2525© Openvine Internet Solutions. All Rights Reserved | Privacy | Terms of Use