Chinese scammers adopt search engine optimisation

Internet monitoring company Websense has issued a warning that Chinese scammers are using search engine optimisation (SEO) techniques to subvert company details.

The scammers first send out large amounts of spam containing fake telephone numbers against the names of legitimate organizations. This is then followed up by a second wave of spam, usually traditional lottery scams, where users are conned into paying transfer and administration fees before they can receive a prize.

“Most of these numbers belong to the Hainan province in China,†said the company. “Many high profile names like Sina, Taobao, QQ, Tencent, etc., from portal sites to shopping sites, have been used as part of the attack. Dozens of fake telephone numbers are being used to lure users into dialing.