Scam Alert: Adobe Acrobat Reader 2011
UPDATE:
Shawn Sijnstra has been contacting us and explaining that he was a victim of identity theft. He has a blog explaining his story.: http://sijnstra.name/blog/
Please note that:
The latest version of Adobe Reader X can be obtained from Adobe.com.
There is no such thing as Adobe Acrobat Reader 2011, contrary to the scam/spam email sent to unsuspecting users.
From: Adobe <newsletter@adobe-acrobat-upgrades.com>
Subject: New Version Release : Adobe Acrobat Reader 2011, Upgrade Available Now !
Date: February 16, 2011 XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX
To: XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX
Reply-To: newsletter@adobe-acrobat-upgrades.comADOBE ACROBAT READER 2011 UPDATE NOTIFICATION
This is to remind that a new version of Adobe Acrobat Reader 2011 with enhanced features for viewing, creating, editing, printing and internet-sharing PDF documents has been released.
To check and download the latest version , go to :
http://www.adobe-acrobat-upgrades.com
Start downloading the update right now and let us know what you think about it.
We’re working on making Adobe Acrobat Reader better all the time !
Thanks and best regards,
Adobe Support
© 2011 Adobe Systems Incorporated. All rights reserved.
Adobe Systems Incorporated | 343 Preston Street | Ottawa | ON | K1S 1N4 | Canada |
UPDATE:
WhoIs information has changed.
Whois information on adobe-acrobat-upgrades.com
% By submitting a query to RU-CENTER’s Whois Service
% you agree to abide by the following terms of use:
% http://www.nic.ru/about/servpol.html (in Russian)
% http://www.nic.ru/about/en/servpol.html (in English).Domain name: ADOBE-ACROBAT-UPGRADES.COM
Creation Date: 2011.02.17
Expiration Date: 2012.02.17Status: NOT DELEGATED
Registrant ID: AVNEP9R-RU
Registrant Name: JSC “Regional Network Information Center”
Registrant Organization: JSC “Regional Network Information Center”
Registrant Street1: 2/1, 3d Khoroshevskaya str.
Registrant City: Moscow
Registrant Postal Code: 123182
Registrant Country: RUAdministrative, Technical Contact
Contact ID: AVNEP9R-RU
Contact Name: JSC “Regional Network Information Center”
Contact Organization: JSC “Regional Network Information Center”
Contact Street1: 2/1, 3d Khoroshevskaya str.
Contact City: Moscow
Contact Postal Code: 123182
Contact Country: RU
Contact Phone: +7 495 737 0601
Contact Fax: +7 495 737 0602
Contact E-mail: auction@nic.ruRegistrar: Regional Network Information Center, JSC dba RU-CENTER
Last updated on 2011.12.01 01:48:51 MSK/MSD
WhoIs Information on adobe-reader-upgrades.com:
Domain ID:D161523747-LROR
Domain Name:ADOBE-READER-UPGRADES.ORG
Created On:16-Feb-2011 22:20:46 UTC
Last Updated On:18-Apr-2011 03:51:45 UTC
Expiration Date:16-Feb-2012 22:20:46 UTC
Sponsoring Registrar:Regional Network Information Center, JSC dba RU-CENTER (R148-LROR)
Status:CLIENT HOLD
Status:CLIENT TRANSFER PROHIBITED
Registrant ID:AVNEP9R-RU
Registrant Name:JSC “Regional Network Information Center”
Registrant Organization:JSC “Regional Network Information Center”
Registrant Street1:2/1, 3d Khoroshevskaya str.
Registrant Street2:
Registrant Street3:
Registrant City:Moscow
Registrant State/Province:
Registrant Postal Code:123182
Registrant Country:RU
Registrant Phone:+7.4957370601
Registrant Phone Ext.:
Registrant FAX:+7.4957370602
Registrant FAX Ext.:
Registrant Email:auction@nic.ru
Admin ID:AVNEP9R-RU
Admin Name:JSC “Regional Network Information Center”
Admin Organization:JSC “Regional Network Information Center”
Admin Street1:2/1, 3d Khoroshevskaya str.
Admin Street2:
Admin Street3:
Admin City:Moscow
Admin State/Province:
Admin Postal Code:123182
Admin Country:RU
Admin Phone:+7.4957370601
Admin Phone Ext.:
Admin FAX:+7.4957370602
Admin FAX Ext.:
Admin Email:auction@nic.ru
Tech ID:AVNEP9R-RU
Tech Name:JSC “Regional Network Information Center”
Tech Organization:JSC “Regional Network Information Center”
Tech Street1:2/1, 3d Khoroshevskaya str.
Tech Street2:
Tech Street3:
Tech City:Moscow
Tech State/Province:
Tech Postal Code:123182
Tech Country:RU
Tech Phone:+7.4957370601
Tech Phone Ext.:
Tech FAX:+7.4957370602
Tech FAX Ext.:
Tech Email:auction@nic.ru
Name Server:NS1.ADOBE-PDF-UPGRADES.COM
Name Server:NS2.ADOBE-PDF-UPGRADES.COM
Name Server:
Name Server:
Name Server:
Name Server:
Name Server:
Name Server:
Name Server:
Name Server:
Name Server:
Name Server:
Name Server:
DNSSEC:Unsigned
WhoIs information on adobe-acrobat-upgrades.com:
% By submitting a query to RU-CENTER’s Whois Service
% you agree to abide by the following terms of use:
% http://www.nic.ru/about/servpol.html (in Russian)
% http://www.nic.ru/about/en/servpol.html (in English).Domain name: ADOBE-ACROBAT-UPGRADES.COM
Name Server: ns1.adobe-pdf-upgrades.com
Name Server: ns2.adobe-pdf-upgrades.com
Creation Date: 2011.02.17Status: DELEGATED
Registrant ID: CRABZUX-RU
Registrant Name: Shawn Sijnstra
Registrant Organization: Shawn Sijnstra
Registrant Street1: 2938 Avenue Street
Registrant City: New York
Registrant Postal Code: 20394
Registrant Country: USAdministrative, Technical Contact
Contact ID: CRABZUX-RU
Contact Name: Shawn Sijnstra
Contact Organization: Shawn Sijnstra
Contact Street1: 2938 Avenue Street
Contact City: New York
Contact Postal Code: 20394
Contact Country: US
Contact Phone: +1 877 8663849
Contact E-mail: Shawn@yahoo.comRegistrar: Regional Network Information Center, JSC dba RU-CENTER
Last updated on 2011.02.17 02:46:12 MSK/MSD
Notice that the creation date is 2011.02.17 (or 2011.02.16 in Pacific Time).
Another one using adobe-reader-upgrades.org:
Domain ID:D161523747-LROR
Domain Name:ADOBE-READER-UPGRADES.ORG
Created On:16-Feb-2011 22:20:46 UTC
Last Updated On:16-Feb-2011 22:20:48 UTC
Expiration Date:16-Feb-2012 22:20:46 UTC
Sponsoring Registrar:Regional Network Information Center, JSC dba RU-CENTER (R148-LROR)
Status:CLIENT TRANSFER PROHIBITED
Status:TRANSFER PROHIBITED
Status:ADDPERIOD
Registrant ID:CRABZUX-RU
Registrant Name:Shawn Sijnstra
Registrant Organization:Shawn Sijnstra
Registrant Street1:2938 Avenue Street
Registrant Street2:
Registrant Street3:
Registrant City:New York
Registrant State/Province:
Registrant Postal Code:20394
Registrant Country:US
Registrant Phone:+1.8778663849
Registrant Phone Ext.:
Registrant FAX:
Registrant FAX Ext.:
Registrant Email: Shawn@yahoo.com
Admin ID:CRABZUX-RU
Admin Name:Shawn Sijnstra
Admin Organization:Shawn Sijnstra
Admin Street1:2938 Avenue Street
Admin Street2:
Admin Street3:
Admin City:New York
Admin State/Province:
Admin Postal Code:20394
Admin Country:US
Admin Phone:+1.8778663849
Admin Phone Ext.:
Admin FAX:
Admin FAX Ext.:
Admin Email: Shawn@yahoo.com
Tech ID:CRABZUX-RU
Tech Name:Shawn Sijnstra
Tech Organization:Shawn Sijnstra
Tech Street1:2938 Avenue Street
Tech Street2:
Tech Street3:
Tech City:New York
Tech State/Province:
Tech Postal Code:20394
Tech Country:US
Tech Phone:+1.8778663849
Tech Phone Ext.:
Tech FAX:
Tech FAX Ext.:
Tech Email: Shawn@yahoo.com
Name Server:NS1.ADOBE-PDF-UPGRADES.COM
Name Server:NS2.ADOBE-PDF-UPGRADES.COM
Name Server:
Name Server:
Name Server:
Name Server:
Name Server:
Name Server:
Name Server:
Name Server:
Name Server:
Name Server:
Name Server:
DNSSEC:Unsigned
Notice that the creation date is 2011.02.16
37prime 
I received an email this morning offering the upgrade but there is no Adobe logo anywhere so I skipped it.
“Shawn Sijnstra” has done the same with a scam email offering an updated Skype:
http://www.skype-instant-download.com/
http://www.whois-search.com/whois/www.skype-instant-download.com
There’s another one circulating that purports to point to http:/www.official-adobe-software.org
Here’s what I received tonight (4/11/11) “INTRODUCING UPGRADED ADOBE ACROBAT READER
Dear Customers,
Adobe is pleased to announce new version upgrades for Adobe Acrobat Reader.
Download Now To Try Us Out
Advanced features include:
– Collaborate across borders
– Create rich, polished PDF files from any application that prints
– Ensure visual fidelity
– Encrypt and share PDF files more securely
– Use the standard for document archival and exchange
To upgrade and enhance your work productivity today, go to:
Adobe Acrobat Reader Upgrade Center
Start downloading the update right now and let us know what you think about it.
We’re working on making Adobe Acrobat Reader better all the time !
Copyright 2011 Adobe Systems Incorporated. All rights reserved.
Adobe Systems Incorporated
343 Preston Street
Ottawa, ON K1S 1N4
Canada”
I just had a feeling this wasn’t right so I’m glad I didn’t download anything.
Received this today: I was skeptical so I searched the web for info and found this site. BEWARE!
INTRODUCING UPGRADED ADOBE ACROBAT READER
Adobe is pleased to announce new version upgrades for Adobe Acrobat Reader.
hxxp://www.adobe-acrobat10-software.org
Advanced features include:
– Collaborate across borders
– Create rich, polished PDF files from any application that prints
– Ensure visual fidelity
– Encrypt and share PDF files more securely
– Use the standard for document archival and exchange
To upgrade and enhance your work productivity today, go to:
http://www.adobe-acrobat10-software.org
Start downloading the update right now and let us know what you think about it.
We’re working on making Adobe Acrobat Reader better all the time !
Copyright 2011 Adobe Systems Incorporated. All rights reserved.
Adobe Systems Incorporated
343 Preston Street
Ottawa, ON K1S 1N4
Canada
Also, web site hxxp://www.adobe-acrobat10-software.org/ (unknown) as to the safety level
Go to http://www.snopes.com/fraud/phishing/adobe.asp
for more information regarding the Adobe-acrobat 10 upgrade scam.
I received this e-mail on 25th November last year through my university.
Dear 37′,
Thank you for posting this kind of information and making it freely available online.
I do have one small request – could you please remove my name from the whois information and in comments? When my credit card details were stolen, the scammers used my stolen details _and_ my name to register the domains. I would love to see the rest in-tact as it is great information and advice, but the use of my name is only compounding the original credit card theft and not providing accurate information to your readers.
Many thanks and kind regards,
Shawn
Yep just got this email here from both email accounts I use with adobe seems they are getting the emails addresses from somewhere connected to adobe because it would be hard to come up with both my emails at once. good to find here just came through from a quick google on the address of this fake company
yes I received
INTRODUCING UPGRADED ADOBE ACROBAT READER 2012
From: “Adobe Systems Incorporated”
Reply-To: newsletter@acrobat-pdf-2012.com
I received one today from instant-acrobat-upgrade.com, which was registered in Oslo just today. They hacked into NorthernTools.com to send it. I’m a Northern Tools customer, but they don’t have my email address.
I’m still trying to figure out how the scammer got my special email that I use only for a website where I buy stock photos. Totally unrelated company. Just bizarre.