Imprisoned Russian billionaire's fortune offered by 419 scammers.(Security)

Sophos's global network of virus, spyware and spam analysis centres, have stopped thousands of messages related to an email seam that attempts to fool computer users into thinking they are in line to receive money from a jailed Russian oil tycoon. The emails, which claim to come from the personal secretary of billionaire Mikhail Khodorkovsky, offer almost 5.7 million pounds if the email recipient will assist in the transfer of approximately 26 million pounds of Khodorkovsky's fortune.

Khodorkovsky, who was the CEO of Russian oil company Yukos, was arrested at gunpoint at a Siberian airfield in 2003, and is serving an eight-year prison sentence on tax and fraud charges.

However, Sophos warns computer users that this is a ruse to steal personal details, and that the fraudsters behind the seam campaign can use such information to steal money from bank accounts and commit identity fraud.

Comment

'Originally we saw the scammers sending their messages about Khodorkovsky in Russian, but now they are spreading their wings and sending their seam emails all around the world in English. The notoriety of the case against the Yukos CEO has made his fame a prime target for exploitation by internet criminals,' "Email users should be on their guard not to believe everything they receive via email, and ensure their spam defences are kept up-to-date.'

This email con-trick is the latest of many 419 seams. These seams are named after the relevant section of the Nigerian penal code where many of the seams originated and are unsolicited emails whereby the author offers a large amount of money.

Once a victim has been drawn in, requests are made from the fraudster for private information which may lead to requests for money, stolen identities, and financial theft.

Other examples of 419 email seams include a message claiming to come from a persecuted widow of the late Nigerian head of state, an associate of the massacred Nepalese royal family, and even an African astronaut stranded on the Mir spacestation.

www.sophos.com