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Scam Emails Capitalize on Swine Flu Scare

Phishing scheme asks targets to register for vaccination

By Nick McMaster, Newser Staff

Posted Dec 4, 2009 2:40 PM CST

(Newser) – Bogus email alert: Be on the lookout for messages allegedly from the CDC about a "mandatory" swine flu vaccination program. The emails ask recipients to enter personal information in order to get vaccinated, but unlucky registrants get malware instead of medicine. The CDC has confirmed that it is not running a mandatory vaccination program, the Baltimore Sun reports.

"The CDC has NOT implemented a state vaccination program," the agency said in a statement on its website. "Users that click on the email are at risk of having malicious code installed on their system."

Nurse Margaret England of the Central Vermont Home Health and Hospice draws some H1N1 vaccine during a swine flu clinic in Montpelier, Vt., Monday, Nov. 23, 2009. (AP Photo/Toby Talbot)

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COMMENTS

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Showing 3 of 5 comments

JGirl

Dec 5, 2009 4:51 AM CST

*wouldn't* have any way to spread

JGirl

Dec 5, 2009 4:50 AM CST

yes people still cllick that stuff...if they didn't most of the viruses have any way to spread

schmidtkoff

Dec 4, 2009 9:43 AM CST

this is 2009. we've been in the computer and email age for a long time. are people still so ignorant to respond to such things? whether it be the cdc, irs or another agency they don't send emails to the masses.

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Scam Emails Capitalize on Swine Flu Scare

Phishing scheme asks targets to register for vaccination

OTHER STORIES ON OUR RADAR

Internet • Centers for Disease Control and Prevention • phishing • hoax • Internet hoax • influenza • hacking • swine flu • H1N1 virus

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More Newser Stories

Swine Flu Killed 17K Americans: CDC

Total lower than usual, but victims skew younger

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Thank You, Swine Flu: Seasonal Version No Big Deal

History, and this past spring, show novel strains 'crowd out' normal ones

Flu Cases Plummet, But Child Deaths Rise

32 states report widespread disease activity, down from 43 a week ago

Flu Pandemic Slacks Off, But 'It's Not Over'

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Scam Emails Capitalize on Swine Flu Scare

Phishing scheme asks targets to register for vaccination

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OTHER STORIES ON OUR RADAR

Internet • Centers for Disease Control and Prevention • phishing • hoax • Internet hoax • influenza • hacking • swine flu • H1N1 virus

MOST POPULAR STORIES

[ By Views ]

[ By Comments ]

More Newser Stories

Swine Flu Killed 17K Americans: CDC

Total lower than usual, but victims skew younger

Swine Flu Not Gone Yet

US is 'not at all out of the woods,' CDC chief says

Thank You, Swine Flu: Seasonal Version No Big Deal

History, and this past spring, show novel strains 'crowd out' normal ones

Flu Cases Plummet, But Child Deaths Rise

32 states report widespread disease activity, down from 43 a week ago

Flu Pandemic Slacks Off, But 'It's Not Over'

Tamiflu-resistant cluster crops up in NC; 3 of 4 patients dead

About Us

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Newser By Users

Community

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More News

What is Newser?