Phishing - phish for some fish
Date: May 26, 2004Source: Computer Crime Research Center
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Millions of Internet banks consumers are exposed to danger from constantly increasing scams related to fraudulently obtaining confidential information on a user, so-called "phishing". Only three British financial institutions lost 20 million pounds each due to scammers' activity in 2003. Overall number of computer crimes is increased by 600%.
"Phishing" was derived from an English word "fishing", a relatively new kind of scam, swindling out of confidential data from trustful and inattentive users -- clients of online auctions, online transfer/exchange services and online shops. Scammers use various tricks, often forcing users to expose their data, i.e. sending e-mail to confirm account subscription with a link to a site looking like famous resources.
Earlier such scammers targeted PayPal, eBay subscribers and also clients of Barclays, Lloyds TSB and NatWest banks. Yet another bank has joined this list recently -- an online bank Smile. A scammer, detained by police, swindled out of personal data from several men. Their bank accounts remained safe though.
Lately scammers, involved in "phishing", try to catch some fish -- trustful consumers of America Online, Microsoft and Paypal, sending thousands of e-mails on behalf of these companies.
Experts recommend that you, having received an e-mail offering to visit some site and to input your login/password, do not do it. According to expert forecasts the number of online-banking consumers will reach 84 million till 2007, and the probability to get hooked ("phished") increases thereafter.
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| 2005-09-02 02:34:52 - Good blog Misho |
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