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"SCAM" and "VIRUS Outbreak" Warnings

Several companies in South Africa, including some of our clients, have been targeted by a new Internet scam in the name of EUROPE BUSINESS GUIDE.

We’ve been in contact with a number of companies in PTA, who have already been tricked into an agreement with EUROPE BUSINESS GUIDE.

Security researchers warn of this new scam, which involve tricking company representatives to sign an expensive contract, to have the business listed in the INTERNATIONAL registry.

The scam begins with e-mails that bear the subject of “World Company Register 2011/2012” and are sent by Laura Allen (info@serv2ebg.com)

“UPDATING IS FREE”

In order to have your company inserted in the registry of World Business for 2011/2012 edition, please “print, complete and submit” the enclosed form (PDF file) to the following address:

Europe Businss Guide
PO Box 2021
3500 GA
UTECHT
THE NETHERLANDS

It is a well designed form that looks legit.  It has fields for filling in the company information and other details.

Below, and example of the form:

Security researchers from Belgian Email security provider MX Lab that this document is actually a contract.

First, recipients are mislead into thinking that completing the form and sending it back doesn't cost anything.
"To update your company profile, please print, complete and return this form. (Updating is free of charge)," a note inside the document reads.

However, at the end, in barely visible letters, it says "I hereby order a subscription with service provider EU Business Services Ltd 'Europe Business Guide'. I will have an insertion to its data base for three years. The price per year is euro 990."

The scammers hope that people who realize their mistake when receiving the first invoice, will pay up anyway in order to avoid complications, such as lawsuits.

"Do not pay, even if they imply to take your case to court," MX Lab advises.

"If you have paid a certain amount, stop the next payments. Expect that you won’t get a refund either," it adds.

Both serv2ebg.com and europebusinessguide.net, two of the domains associated with this scam, were registered earlier this year by private persons through Chinese domain registrars.

The group behind this attack has been active since at least 2009 and this is the third time when they switched domains and started fresh campaigns.

For more information, you can do a Google search for “Europe Business Guide Scam”

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