OOTP: Phishing Attempt Pretending to Be OOTP?

[gstelmack]

So I received the following e-mail. My question is, is it legit? If not, someone is pretending to be OOTP for a phishing attempt, I guess that says something about the popularity. And if it's not, someone should let Markus know, if he doesn't see this himself, that the best way to handle surveys like this is to have the link go through a page on the OOTP site so that it doesn't look like a phishing attempt. I won't take surveys that don't go through the site of the company it's for precisely because I can't trust the link is legit.

<https://staticapp.icpsc.com/icp/loadimage.php/mogile/168341/20ee9c40f6bf6df68cdf6a3cee508e94/image/jpeg (https://staticapp.icpsc.com/icp/loadimage.php/mogile/168341/20ee9c40f6bf6df68cdf6a3cee508e94/image/jpeg)> <o:p></o<img>>
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Survey Invitation<o:p></o<img>>
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Dear OOTP Developments Customer,<o:p></o<img>>
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We always want to understand how our customers use our games so that we can make smart decisions about new features. We're currently conducting a survey to better understand how people play our Out of the Park Baseball series, and we would really like your feedback!<o:p></o<img>>
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As an incentive, we'll be randomly giving away a free license for one of our games (OOTP 13, OOTP 12, iOOTP, ITP, or TBCB) to 10 lucky customers who complete the survey until November 8th! If you win, you will be contacted on November 9th at this e-mail address.<o:p></o<img>>
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Note: You have received this invitation because you are on the OOTP Developments mailing list. We value your privacy and assure that all responses are kept confidential and used for informational purposes only.<o:p></o<img>>
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The survey is quick and easy - just 16 questions! We appreciate your feedback and thank you very much for your time.<o:p></o<img>>
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Kind regards,<o:p></o<img>>
OOTP Developments<o:p></o<img>>
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Start Survey... <http://click.icptrack.com/icp/relay.php?r=928372&msgid=300188&act=CMD7&c=168341&destination=https%3A%2F%2Fapp.icontact.com%2Ficp%2Fsub%2Fsurvey(link bits pulled (http://click.icptrack.com/icp/relay.php?r=928372&msgid=300188&act=CMD7&c=168341&destination=https%3A%2F%2Fapp.icontact.com%2Ficp%2Fsub%2Fsurvey(link bits pulled))> <o:p></o<img>>
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This message was sent to EMAIL ADDRESS DELETED from:<o:p></o<img>>
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OOTP Developments GmbH & Co KG | Vorderstr. 44a | Hollern-Twielenfleth, Ni 21723, Germany<o:p></o<img>>
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Email Marketing by iContact - Try It Free! <http://www.icontact.com/a.pl/144186 (http://www.icontact.com/a.pl/144186)> <o:p></o<img>>
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Manage Your Subscription <Manage Your Subscriptions and Profile (http://app.icontact.com/icp/mmail-mprofile.pl(removed private bits))> | Forward To a Friend <iContact Login - iContact (http://app.icontact.com/icp/core/message/(removed private bits))> <o:p></o<img>>
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[Sweed]

Just checked oopt boards and it is real.

OOTP Survey 2011 - OOTP Developments Forums (http://www.ootpdevelopments.com/board/ootp-12-general-discussions/215256-ootp-survey-2011-a.html)

[CraigSca]

eek - I hope it's real as I already answered it!

[spleen1015]

I don't see how it could be phishing because you don't give them any useful information like your name or email address.

I think it is pretty safe.

[Marc Vaughan]

'tis definitely real .. Markus/OOTP Dev do these surveys semi-regularly and listen closely to the feedback they get from them so they're worth completing imho.

[gstelmack]

I don't see how it could be phishing because you don't give them any useful information like your name or email address.

Given how popular viruses on web sites are, you should never click a link in an e-mail that you don't recognize. Simply going to the site can infect you. So, wrapping a link to a bad site inside an otherwise trustworthy-appearing e-mail is a common scam these days.

I see plenty of these seemingly-legit survey requests, but I never click them UNLESS they go through the site of the company requesting the survey. So I'd click the link in the e-mail if it took me to the OOTP Developments site and then that forwarded me to the third-party conducting the survey, but never if it took me directly to some third-party. You can't trust those e-mails. Unfortunately lots of marketing folks don't seem to be up on security and scams (hello, Sony), and so send e-mails like this anyway.

[gstelmack]

Just checked oopt boards and it is real.

OOTP Survey 2011 - OOTP Developments Forums (http://www.ootpdevelopments.com/board/ootp-12-general-discussions/215256-ootp-survey-2011-a.html)

Thanks, I posted a note over there. Since I know it's legit, I'll go do the survey this evening, too.

[Alan T]

Given how popular viruses on web sites are, you should never click a link in an e-mail that you don't recognize. Simply going to the site can infect you. So, wrapping a link to a bad site inside an otherwise trustworthy-appearing e-mail is a common scam these days.

I see plenty of these seemingly-legit survey requests, but I never click them UNLESS they go through the site of the company requesting the survey. So I'd click the link in the e-mail if it took me to the OOTP Developments site and then that forwarded me to the third-party conducting the survey, but never if it took me directly to some third-party. You can't trust those e-mails. Unfortunately lots of marketing folks don't seem to be up on security and scams (hello, Sony), and so send e-mails like this anyway.


It is very common for people to send these type of emails appearing to come from your bank for instance.

The IT security team at work constantly reminds our employees to never click on links in emails that do not come directly from our company.

[Marc Vaughan]

I see plenty of these seemingly-legit survey requests, but I never click them UNLESS they go through the site of the company requesting the survey. So I'd click the link in the e-mail if it took me to the OOTP Developments site and then that forwarded me to the third-party conducting the survey, but never if it took me directly to some third-party. You can't trust those e-mails. Unfortunately lots of marketing folks don't seem to be up on security and scams (hello, Sony), and so send e-mails like this anyway.

Thats a fair and sensible point imho - something hopefully Markus will take on board.

[Subby]

I see plenty of these seemingly-legit survey requests, but I never click them UNLESS they go through the site of the company requesting the survey.
The great phishing scandals in history - facebook message notification, bank of america account update, IRS audit notification, and....OOTP SURVEY!

;)