Many individuals have generously offered to donate money to help the people of Burma recover from the devastation caused by cyclone Nargis. Unfortunately, this group of people is also being targeted by heartless spammers.

A large number of individuals have received email messages containing links that direct them to fraudulent websites. The phishers have tried to capitalize on the massive publicity following the natural disaster and the appeals made by aid agencies such as the Disasters Emergency Committee in the UK. Phishers have designed websites that are made to appear as if they are actually from the UN. Unsuspecting users are lured to these sites when they receive fake emails asking them to donate money to help the Burmese people.

As a result of these phishing scams, many people are now hesitant about donating. However, organizers are encouraging individuals to donate only to registered charities, not via links contained in emails that may lead to fake charity websites. You can verify if a charitable institution is actually registered by visiting www.charitycommission.gov.uk

In addition to the UN, the Federal Trade Commission has also been alert to the phishing tactics used by these fake fundraising scams. Similar phishing tactics involving fake charity websites were used in 2005 to exploit potential donors wishing to help people affected by Hurricane Katrina.

Until recently, the majority of spammers relied on messages selling male enlargement and sexual performance pills. However, the new trend appears to be promoting items such as inexpensive jewelry, knock-off watches and pens.

Marshal TRACE’s security researchers report that the recent increase in the sale of such products has finally broken the two-year abundance of health-related spam that has been flooding the inboxes of email users worldwide. Until recently, the sale of health products comprised approximately 75 to 80% of the total Internet spam. The emergence of product spam reveals how much the spam market has increased in terms of sophistication.

Bradley Anstis, Marshal’s Vice President of Products, explains that the significance of this new trend of spam that promotes software and jewelry products; it reveals an awareness on the part of the spammers regarding the purchasing patterns of customers and their preference for a certain type of product.

The percentage of health-related spam selling pharmaceutical products and herbal medicines has continued to decrease from 80 to 45% since January 2008. On the other hand, product spam promoting items such as replica clothing and watches and pirated software has increased from 12 to 46%.

Both types of spam comprise more than 90% of the total spam. This new trend has been initiated by a group of prominent spammers. Because they control such a large number of botnets, they are able to alter the worldwide preference for spam products.

Prominent botnets such as Srizbi, Pushdo and Mega-D feature in the latest trend of spam. Spammers use them to send remarkable amounts of spam promoting replica products, and the items reveal a surprisingly high rate of consistency. Spam goods are being promoted under brand names such as Herbal King, Canadian Pharmacy, Prestige Replicas and Exquisite Footwear.

Marshal believes that this current shift away from health-related spam to product spam reveals that spammers have recognized the trust felt by consumers for the new type of replica products being promoted.