FBI warns about bogus websites collecting personal data

Dom · Jul 23, 2003, 03:59 AM

The FBI and US consumer organisations have issued a warning about a growing fraud scheme involving emails that lure people to fake websites to collect sensitive personal or financial data.

The scam involves email that links users to sites that are designed to look like legitimate sites and deceive consumers into revealing credit card or bank account numbers or other sensitive data.

The scam, which has developed in the past few months, has tricked customers of big retailers such as Best Buy, the internet payment site Paypal and EarthLink, a major Internet service provider.

Investigators term the fake websites "phisher" sites, saying they are simply a vehicle to steal information and probably money.

"This is the hottest new scam on the Internet," said Keith Lourdeau of the FBI's cybercrime division, speaking at a news conference yesterday.

Lourdeau said the FBI was investigating at least 600 complaints involving the "phisher" scam.

The FBI official added that the scam could be used for credit card fraud, bank fraud or identity theft, possibly even to create false identities for terrorist activity.

He said that in one case, the scam collected credit card numbers that were "sent abroad to criminals who used the stolen credit cards throughout Europe".

The email purports to be from the legitimate company, officials said, and indicate that the firm has lost some data and needs to verify the recipient's identity.

Some reports have linked the scam to organised crime, possibly in Russia.

But at least one scheme was hatched by a 17-year-old in the US, who used stolen credit card information for a shopping spree of several thousand dollars, said Mozelle Thompson, a member of the Federal Trade Commission.

Thompson said the agency, which can obtain civil penalties, was working with the FBI and other agencies on investigations.

"For those of you who engage in this, we are putting you on notice," he said.

"We will hunt you down and find you and prosecute you to the fullest extend of the law."

EarthLink organised yesterday's news conference after learning that spammers were luring its customers to a fake EarthLink website to collect personal data.

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Source: SMH

The_Neon_Cowboy · Jul 23, 2003, 01:30 PM

yet it took moths before they did anything anout it .... i reported the one to paypal ... as well as emails asking me to verify my account info .. cc # ss# passwords adresses acount #'s,.. everthing

so thier Beating around the bush made this a much larger scam

Jul 23, 2003, 03:59 AM	#1
Dom DriverHeaven Extreme Member Join Date: Jun 2002 Posts: 12,940 Rep Power: 0	FBI warns about bogus websites collecting personal data The FBI and US consumer organisations have issued a warning about a growing fraud scheme involving emails that lure people to fake websites to collect sensitive personal or financial data. The scam involves email that links users to sites that are designed to look like legitimate sites and deceive consumers into revealing credit card or bank account numbers or other sensitive data. The scam, which has developed in the past few months, has tricked customers of big retailers such as Best Buy, the internet payment site Paypal and EarthLink, a major Internet service provider. Investigators term the fake websites "phisher" sites, saying they are simply a vehicle to steal information and probably money. "This is the hottest new scam on the Internet," said Keith Lourdeau of the FBI's cybercrime division, speaking at a news conference yesterday. Lourdeau said the FBI was investigating at least 600 complaints involving the "phisher" scam. The FBI official added that the scam could be used for credit card fraud, bank fraud or identity theft, possibly even to create false identities for terrorist activity. He said that in one case, the scam collected credit card numbers that were "sent abroad to criminals who used the stolen credit cards throughout Europe". The email purports to be from the legitimate company, officials said, and indicate that the firm has lost some data and needs to verify the recipient's identity. Some reports have linked the scam to organised crime, possibly in Russia. But at least one scheme was hatched by a 17-year-old in the US, who used stolen credit card information for a shopping spree of several thousand dollars, said Mozelle Thompson, a member of the Federal Trade Commission. Thompson said the agency, which can obtain civil penalties, was working with the FBI and other agencies on investigations. "For those of you who engage in this, we are putting you on notice," he said. "We will hunt you down and find you and prosecute you to the fullest extend of the law." EarthLink organised yesterday's news conference after learning that spammers were luring its customers to a fake EarthLink website to collect personal data. __________________ Source: SMH

Jul 23, 2003, 01:30 PM	#2
The_Neon_Cowboy HardwareHeaven Extreme Member Join Date: Dec 2002 Location: U.S.A. Posts: 16,009 Rep Power: 92 System Specs	yet it took moths before they did anything anout it .... i reported the one to paypal ... as well as emails asking me to verify my account info .. cc # ss# passwords adresses acount #'s,.. everthing so thier Beating around the bush made this a much larger scam __________________