New tool enables sophisticated phishing scams

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The really sad part is

that some people are just not computer savvy enough to know NOT to follow links in emails sent from supposedly "legitimate" sites.

I got a phishing email from "eBay" the other day, that looked completely legit. The first thing that clued me off of course was that it was asking me to respond to "buying" an item that I had never bid on. I was supposed to follow the link to "contact" the seller and give "shipping information" since they had already received payment...sounds OK to the average Joe. It looks like just a case of mistaken identity. However, following any link on the email takes the unwary to a "sign in" page that looks like an actual eBay sign-in.

The second tip off for me was on this page where the URL listed was from a "e-bay" address. I didn't fall for it, but after showing it to my Dad, it became apparent that he would probably have fallen for it just because he would not have given it any thought.

Real-looking log in pages and emails can be very deceptive for some. Combine that with the threat of account suspension, legal action, free gifts, etc. Scams like these have been around since the first cavemen invented the concept of personal wealth, it's just that computers make it even easier to do. Now instead of targeting a few unlucky folks a day, scammers can target millions.

I agree though that the "beating" for scammers should be most severe indeed. The biggest problem is that cyber crime is global, making enforcement hard.

Posted by: wcb42ad   Posted on: 01/11/07 You are currently: a Guest | Members login | Terms of Use

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