Google Can't Catch a Break: Google Talk Phishing Scam Spreading Rapidly

First Google has a Gmail outage, and now there's a phishing scam hitting Google Talk users. Apparently it is, or at least was, before word started getting out, moving fast.

The Google Talk IM would say the generic "check this out," with a TinyURL link to a site. The site in question is ViddyHo (the name alone should send up red flags). People have been reporting the URLs to TinyURL and the initial link has been shut down and the domain blacklisted (but there are other URL-shortening sites).

Phishing scams to get people to watch videos, whether of Britney or Paris naked or whatever have been popular for some time, but usually through email. Obviously if you've been snared by this particular scam you'd better change your password ASAP.

The motive for the scam is unclear. Just to get your contact information? A way to put malware on your system? Or, since studies have shown that many people use the same password for every single site they visit, ID theft?

Who knows? Time for a refresher course in anti-phishing behavior, perhaps.