IE 11 Not Supported

For optimal browsing, we recommend Chrome, Firefox or Safari browsers.

New Spam Scam Uses .Gov Links

Traditionally viewed as a symbol of trustworthiness, spammers have found a workaround to use .gov URLs as part of email scams.

A new spam scam uses .gov URLs as a way to lure marks into a false sense of security, Symantec recently announced. While .gov URLs have traditionally been reserved for government websites, spammers have found a way to use the popular URL shortening website bitly.com to carry out their scam.

Many of the spam emails contain a link with a shortened URL, which if clicked will redirect to a work-at-home scam website. The scam website is designed to look like a financial news network website, except many of the links lead to a final website where the scammer tries to make a sale.

“Make money and change your life NOW!” the website reads. “Within five minutes you could be making up to $87 an hour and work from the comfort of your own home.”

This spamming technique is not new, Symantec reported, but the use of .gov website endings in the scam is a new development. “Symantec encourages users to always follow best practices and exercise caution when opening links even if it is a .gov URL,” the Symantec website reads.

For an illustrated guide of how the new scam works, visit Symantec.com.

Sign up for GovTech Today

Delivered daily to your inbox to stay on top of the latest state & local government technology trends.