Spammers target Google+ with fake invites

4 Jul 2011

Spammers are taking advantage of the demand for Google+ invites and users need to be on their guard against fake invites that connect users to sites selling pills.

In what appears to be the first cyber criminal campaign that exploits the Google+ brand, spammers are sending out bogus Google+ invitations that point to online pharmacies, warns Sophos analyst Graham Cluley.

The messages mimic the real emails users may receive from friends who are already members of Google’s new social networking infrastructure.

However, instead of Circles, Huddle and Hangout, users will instead be offered Cialis, Levitra and Viagra.

“The spammers are no doubt hoping that the email will be too hard to resist for many people eager to see Google’s new social network, although just how many users will be tempted to buy drugs online is a mystery,” Cluley said.

John Kennedy is a journalist who served as editor of Silicon Republic for 17 years

editorial@siliconrepublic.com