Michael Jackson spam campaign

Spammers are using Michael Jackson’s death to gain personal information from surfers.

Just hours after the tragic news of the star's untimely end, many surfers have received emails which claim to have “vital information” about Jackson’s death.

Michael Jackson: Online tributes

If recipients respond to the message, hackers can harvest recipients’ email addresses and other details for use in identity fraud.

Even though the email does not contain any attachments, links or phone numbers, security firm Sophos has classified the messages as spam.

Graham Cluley, senior technology consultant at Sophos said: "The untimely death of the King of Pop, Michael Jackson, has sent shockwaves through the entire world - but unfortunately, this type of huge news story is also the perfect vehicle for spammers to snare vulnerable computer users."

"These spammers are relying on curious users to reply to their bogus claims - but if you receive one of these messages you just need to delete it."

The 50 year-old superstar was rushed to hospital after he was found not breathing and was pronounced dead shortly after arriving at the hospital. He was said to have suffered a cardiac arrest.

Another recent celebrity death announced was that of Charlie’s Angels star Farrah Fawcett, who died Thursday morning after finally losing her battle against cancer. This death has also sparked the use of these fraudulent emails.

Cluley said: "We've also discovered cybcercriminals taking advantage of the sad death of 70s TV icon Farrah Fawcett to spread fake anti-virus software, so users should certainly remain vigilant.

“The fact is that cybercriminals have no respect for taste and decency. The only thing they are interested in is making some money for themselves, and turning other computer users' lives into a misery,” he continued.