[Billy Kay]

If you get a Yahoo IM from one of your buddies that says

geocities dot com picc_zz1/ index.htm
check it out...

DON'T CLICK IT!

Near as I can tell, it then goes to your own buddy list and sends that same IM to everyone on your own list

Then... you get logged out of Yahoo with a message saying "You were logged out because you just logged in on a different computer"

aargh

[Billy Kay]

i got this from zdnet

Yahoo Instant Messenger has been used to spread a phishing scam designed to steal username and password information from users. The scam is then spread further using the user's contacts list.

First detected on Friday in the US, the IM arrives from someone in your contact list with a link to a Geocities Web page and smiley faces surrounding the link. When clicked on, the link opens a page that looks like a legitimate Yahoo 360 sign-in page.

Yahoo is investigating the matter and will take down the Geocities Web site if it is perpetrating a scam, a Yahoo spokeswoman said. Geocities is Yahoo's free Web space service. Yahoo also will add filters to the Messenger system to prevent the malicious link from being propagated, she said.

Phishers often use smiley faces and other emoticons to make the victim feel that the IM is safe. Geocities sites are often used in phishing scams. Such scams are not new and are becoming increasingly more common.

IM users should not blindly trust links they receive even if the link comes from a trusted source or friend. Users should confirm that the person behind the IM account actually sent the link and that it is legitimate.

If you are duped, immediately change your password and notify your Yahoo IM contacts about the malicious IM. Yahoo users also can customize their Yahoo log-in page with a security seal so they will know that the site is legitimate.

[Liz - Team Loxly]

Yeah, wish I had seen this about 20 minutes ago. Already changed my password though when it said I was logged off due to being logged on on another computer.

[Sue]

Thanks for the warning Billy. I had woke up to 2 open windows with this but read your warning before I had touched them.


Sue.

[charpaula]

Got it from loxly and just clicked the link...grrrrrrr

Just kept sending me to the login page which I thought was rather odd...

Already changed my passwords.. thanks for posting

[loxly]

Not sure how it is sending because I was away from the computer and came home to about 12 yahoo windows open with the link in it. I never clicked it. I also had 4 messages telling me not to click it. Thanks to Billy and the other 3 folks for the warning

[Billy Kay]

Got it from loxly and just clicked the link...grrrrrrr

As I understand it... you didn't get it from Loxly, you got it from someone who has Loxly in their buddy/contact list

And the Yahoo login screen that appears? It's just a standard mail-to form. So if you changed your password, the person didn't have time to login and get to your list.

But I'm no expert on this stuff.

[HardwareGeek]

Whats rule number 1 of IMing and Emailing?

NEVER EVER CLICK LINKS OR ACCEPT FILES WHEN YOU AREN'T EXPECTING THEM

All of you just violated that rule, go stand in the corner for 10 seconds

[AffiliateSummitMissy]

Hey everyone,

I'm not sure if this is related but I got a similar message a couple of minutes ago on AIM from an AIM address that could actually look official (AOL SYSTEM MESSAGER) with basically the same type of message.

If it is the same thing, I'm glad that I read this post before I clicked on it

-Missy

[HardwareGeek]

All the Messengers have them, AIM, Yahoo, MSN

people are wise to their tricks via email so they go after you via IM.

Even via PM on forums.