During my daily ritual of visiting my LinkedIn account and opening the inbox, I noticed three identical messages from different people asking me to download a file. Despite no search engine results to date, I immediately recognized the beginnings of a potential phishing scam.
The message says:
LinkedTricks allows you to send unlimited messages to any person found in LinkedIn search results and view unlimited number of profiles without paying for InMails or premium membership. You can download it here http://www.prolab-software.com/downloads/setup.exe
I didn’t download the file and can’t say for sure what happens if you do, but I’m fairly confident it won’t be pretty. The domain–prolab-software.com–was created last month and is registered to a Paul Swirovic in Warsaw, Poland. Call me crazy, but I doubt many Poles are on LinkedIn.
If you sent such a message, you should change your LinkedIn password now–and verify it’s not the same as any other online password. For suggestions why every online password should be different, read my anti-hacker tips today!
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Ari Herzog is an online media strategist and Newburyport City Councilor-Elect.
978-558-0008
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{ 6 comments… read them below or add one }
Ari,
Thanks for the heads up on it! Appreciated. But, might I recommend re-phrasing “Call me crazy, but I doubt many Poles are on LinkedIn.” as it may be slightly offensive to any people of recent Polish decent (like 2nd gen American…*hint*) that might read your blog and are active in social media?
New from Kirsten Wright: Two-word Tuesday #9
Spam has been a problem on LinkedIn and now phishing too. LinkedIn is a great tool, but they need to get proactive on stopping these scams. Having said that, I dont know how they should go about it, without becoming a police state. A challange.
On the subject of Poles, did a quick search of LinkedIn for people from Poland. Almost 218,000. Yes, Ari, bad call on that.
Ray
Stricken. Thanks.
Posted: 2009-08-30 by Professional Collector
Identity Fraud/Job Scam
Company information:
Prolab Software Incorporated
157 Highland Avenue
Arlington, Massachusetts
United States
Phone: (888) 838-0236
prolab-software.com
Prolab Software advertised for Collection Agent positions on all the major job search sites (such as LinkedIn, Indeed, etc.) I applied and was then asked to fill out a lengthy interview form. The details of the job were so specific and the website looked fine. Because my background was a perfect fit for the job, I got the job. I was sent such specific instructions regarding their collections needs and the website indicated that they were approved by the Better Business Bureau, I thought the whole thing was legit. I am NOT a naive person but I made a huge mistake. As is customary with new employers, our Federal Govt. requires that you fill out an I-9 form that proves you are eligible to work in this country. Along with that form you have to supply at least 2 forms of ID, such as a copy of a your passport, a copy of your driver’s license and a copy of your birth certificate. And, of course, you have to put your social security# on the W4 form so they can withhold taxes.
The wage they were offering was not so outrageous so there were no red flags for me. I was supposed to start August 3rd and haven’t heard a word from them and cannot reach them by phone. I’ve been in touch with the Better Business Bureau and Prolab Software was using the BBB insignia without permission. Prolab Software is supposedly based in Poland but has a distribution facility in Arlington, MA with a picture of the brick building shown on the website. My husband and I went to the address and it’s a two family house, not the building pictured on the website. The toll free phone# gets you into voicemail but there are no real people. The two people I received emails from don’t exist in the voicemail system. The cell# given for “my boss” (male) has a recording by an English woman and I received no return call. As I investigated this matter, I learned from a blog managed Ari Herzog that the domain–prolab-software.com–was created in July and is registered to a Paul Swirovic in Warsaw, Poland but that anyone can create a website. As I clicked on things in the Prolab Software website, such as news releases, I got kicked into a website for Luxoft in NY who also made the same news releases. I sent Luxoft an email but they never responded. This whole thing has been a nightmare and I will never know what their intention is for my personal information. If I had it to do over again, I would have never supplied any information without running a Dunn & Bradstreet report on them.
I went to log into my account, it stated to call in. My account was closed based on some other accounts under my IP address is what they stated first, then they stated it was someone made a complaint against me.
I haven’t received such a message thank goodness, because I probably would have done it. These things always look so legitimate.