Party Poker Players: Beware Phishing Scam

Websense Security Labs has issued a warning to Party Poker customers to be on the lookout for fake e-mails that encourage players to divulge their private login information. These “phishing” attacks are relatively easy to detect, as they were sloppily created, but they are still dangerous, nonetheless.

The scam e-mails make reference to the five-month-old Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act, but do not really make much sense. They then ask the recipient to login to their account via a link in the e-mail to update their username. Why this is necessary or how it is related to the UIGEA is not explained.

The link takes the recipient to a website that looks like Party Poker’s account login page, but is really a front for those behind the e-mails to acquire usernames and passwords, and in turn, the money in the players’ accounts.

A couple things in the e-mail standout, pointing to it being a scam. The fact that the sentences are constructed with poor grammar and punctuation is a dead giveaway. While companies are not infallible, most official correspondence is proofread. The threatening tone to the e-mail is also a big clue. While the e-mail does not say you “must” do something as many often do, the discussion of the UIGEA is intended to put fear into the readers’ minds in order to influence them to click the link.

It is important to always remember to never click a link in an unsolicited e-mail. If you think it might be legitimate, simply close the e-mail, go directly to the company’s webpage, and login to your account there. You can also check the company’s site for more information about any curious message you receive an e-mail.

Below is the majority of the e-mail text, for reference:

Party Poker news!!!

Dear poker player, Information for US and all over the World based customers on the passing of the 'Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act of 2006. On September 30, 2006, the United States Congress passed The Safe Port Act.

That measure also contained certain provisions known as the ‘Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act of 2006’. On October 2, 2006, Party Gaming made an announcement regarding the impact the act would have on business when, as expected, it is signed into law.