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..OnlinE FrauD..

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by sabrodiesel2000 2 views

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It's really the latest form of e-mail scam, called "brand spoofing," "carding" or "Phishing."

The official-looking messages tell recipients that, because of technical problems, billing information and social security numbers for their accounts must be resubmitted. Scam artists recreate pages using information from legitimate Web sites in hopes of fooling consumers into providing their personal data.

"Phishing is a two time scam," FTC Chairman Timothy Muris said. "Phishers first steal a company's identity and then use it to victimize consumers by stealing their credit identities."

Difficult to catch
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The nation's third-largest Internet Service Provider Earthlink also has been targeted. And while the ISP said occurrences are still relatively rare, the financial impact on victims of such scams can be severe.

"These people know what they're doing," Earthlink's Chief Privacy Officer Les Seagraves said of the scams. "We've filed civil lawsuits. We've worked with the FBI and other law enforcement to track them down.

Spammers mask their identities by using a wide array of computer servers, opening and closing their operations quickly and working outside the United States.

But the FTC said scammers should beware, because the agency, working with the FBI and the Department of Justice Criminal Division's Computer Crimes, expects to crack down on the practice.

Pay back stolen cash
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If approved by the court, a California teen reprimanded Monday will be banned for life from sending spam and will have to pay a $3,500 fine, the FTC said. Because of his age, his name was not released and officials said it is unlikely he will face criminal charges.

"This is the FTC's first law enforcement action targeting phishing. It won't be the last," Muris said.

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by jackofalltech

I just don't understand how anyone living in today's culture and environment can still be fooled by such scams. I really think you should have to apply for a license to access the 'net and that there should be a competency test before you get said license.

Ralph

by djent

This would limit access to a small group of techies, counter to the whole concept of the internet. As we all know, the internet is largely comprised by inexperianced, naive, gullible and sometimes stupid users. An analogy to this concept would be requiring a "street savy proficiency" before someone could go to large gatherings like fairs or parades because the may be robbed or mugged. Poeple in a democracy must undure some risk and are responsible for some part of their own foolishness and mistakes. I do not condone the schemes or cons, they should be pursued and prosecuted, but then crooks have always preyed on the weak and gullible.

by generalist

If there are too many scams like this, then the Internet may be heading for destruction, at least as far as business is concerned.

Legitimate e-mails about legitimate business transactions might end up being ignored because they COULD be a scam.You would almost need to have some sort of token based certificate checking system on both e-mail and web transactions to be sure you aren't being scammed.

Furthermore, said tokens could be stolen or lost, thus compromising the system. So havingsome sort of biometric crosscheck may be needed in the long run.

And that could be compromised by cloning or other technologies.

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