14 DAY TRIAL // Bogus Atmos Energy emails which inform recipients that they can view their bill online have been found to carry malware.
The emails are entitled “Your Atmos Energy Bill is Available online,” and they read something like this: “Your latest Atmos Energy bill is now available to view online. Click here to find out why natural gas is the best choice for clean and responsible energy use.”
The emails also show an account number, a bill date and charges. Recipients are instructed to click on a link in order to view their bill.
However, Hoax Slayer warns that the link doesn’t point to Atmos Energy’s website. Instead, victims are taken to a hijacked site that’s been set up to serve a version of the Kuluoz malware. The threat is designed to download other pieces of malware onto the infected computer.
Atmost is aware of the malware-spreading spam campaign.
“Atmos Energy is warning the public of a scam targeting our natural gas utility customers as well as people we do not serve in several states. The fraudulent emails are coming from an email address not affiliated with Atmos Energy. The fraudulent billing message references a fake account number and contains links to spam,” the company warns in an alert posted on its website.
Users are advised to check the account number written in the email. If it doesn’t match theirs, or if the email is suspicious, it’s likely part of this cybercriminal scheme.
Customers are recommended to log in to their accounts only by visiting atmosenergy.com, not by clicking on links contained in unsolicited emails. For additional questions, the company can be contacted at 1-888-286-6700.
If you’re a victim of this attack, scan your computer with an updated antivirus product to make sure it’s not infected with malware.