LancasterOnline Targeted in Phishing Scam Posing as Adam Kidan
LancasterOnline has reported receiving phishing emails, seemingly from wealthy businessman and major Republican donor Adam Kidan. The emails, received in September 2023, have caused confusion due to Kidan's prominence and previous legal threats against the news outlet.
The phishing emails appeared to be part of ongoing conversations, with subject lines like 'Re: Successfully sent data' and 'Acknowledge New Work Order'. One attachment led to a fake Microsoft Office 365 login page, designed to steal credentials. This is a common tactic known as thread hijacking, where fraudsters exploit the recipient's curiosity about being copied into a private discussion. Kidan, who was sentenced to 70 months in federal prison for fraud in 2006 and moved to Lancaster County, Pa., in 2014, is suspected of being the target, not the sender, of these phishing emails. CEO fraud or business email compromise scams are common examples of thread hijacking. To avoid such scams, do not click on links or attachments in unsolicited emails, and visit websites manually using bookmarks to avoid potential typosquatting sites.
LancasterOnline's Executive Editor Tom Murse found the phishing attempts confusing due to Kidan's prominence. The FBI hasn't responded to the tip, and messages to Kidan's email addresses were blocked. Officials remind the public to be cautious of such emails and report any suspicious activity.
