Mark Nichols, a line of gift shop and considers itself experienced Internet. But like many other surf sites, it has deceived by an e-mail fraud.
A message was asked Nichols to submit his eBay password and other personal information on a website. The e-mail came shortly after Nichols’ credit card had expired, so that no suspicion on the wrong side.
“I thought, ‘You’re right, I have to go update my account”, and sure enough, I fell for him, “said Crosby, North Dakota man.
Given that these so-called anti-phishing fraud multiply companies sharpening technical tools for them. Only education, many are ok, is not enough.
Anti-phishing software is likely to be quickly added, Arsenal digital shields forged to prevent spam, viruses and hackers. The security companies are also building tools for use banks and merchants in the wings.
Phishing fraud for thousands of years, but in recent months become more numerous - and demanding.
Fraudeurs now copy and programming Web sites such as Citibank’s true, its new and fraudulent Web sites that the effect of an aura of authenticity.
Sign up Internet addresses, as true, subbing the letter “l” with the number “1″, for example. Some new ads to bring itself this will authenticity.
“What once a set of strings and is now recognized as something can be lucrative and has organized efforts,” said Bill Harris, President of PassMark Security LLC and former CEO of PayPal, a frequent target of phishing .
The Anti-Phishing Working Group, formed in October by industry and the criminal prosecution authorities, identified 282 new phishing scams in February, against 176 the previous month. More than 70 percent have been dragged into Eastern Europe or Asia, said David Jevans, the group of presidents.
19 years a man of Houston is now up to 15 years in prison after pleading guilty at the opening of bank accounts and purchases with information about phishing. In most cases, however, techniques and operate their locations abroad make them difficult to catch.
Jevans said no truly reliable figures on losses phishing, only a strip on the total turnover of fraud. The higher costs, he says, is consumer confidence: Banks might suffer if customers avoid online banking and insist on using more expensive tellers.
In Nichols’s Fall, he acknowledged his mistakes early enough so that its rapid password eBay. But scam artists can be costly to protect.
To defend, eBay, in February, a security feature to its Google toolbar for Microsoft Internet Explorer browser. A green light appears when users click on a site eBay, PayPal or their daughter. The light is red for known fraudulent Web sites. A warning also appears, at any time try to capture their users eBay, or PayPal passwords elsewhere.
Rob Chesnut, eBay’s Deputy General Counsel, he went to the business of technology because education was a difficult proposition.
“It is very easy for spoofers to create a page that looks like an eBay or PayPal, so you do not users can learn about the appearance of a page,” he said.