Homer Likes Donuts, Not Spam, So Don't Click
The spammed e-mails try to lure unsuspecting users to a Web site, where their e-mail addresses will be harvested for later spamming attacks, according to researchers at Sophos. To get users to visit the site, the spam claims recipients will be given a $500 Visa gift card if they click on a link and participate in an online survey about the movie.
Each e-mail contains a graphic of Homer Simpson sitting on his sofa wearing a Superman crop-top and tighty-whities. A message in the image asks: "Will you go see the movie The Simpsons? Take our short survey now."
"You would be as crazy as Krusty the Clown to enter an e-mail address on that page," said Graham Cluley, senior technology consultant for Sophos, in a statement. "Not only are your chances of receiving a gift less than zero, but you are delivering a valid e-mail address to a spammer on a platter. Lists of living, breathing e-mail addresses are what keep the spam industry afloat. By confirming your contact address, you are helping the spammers and increasing your chances of being deluged by junk e-mail."