Identity Thief Goes "Phishing" for Consumers’ Credit
Information
An identity thief who allegedly used hijacked corporate logos and deceptive spam to con
consumers out of credit card numbers and other financial data has agreed to settle Federal Trade Commission (FTC)
charges that his scam violated federal laws. The FTC alleged that the scam, called "phishing," worked like this:
posing as America Online, the con artist sent consumers e-mail messages claiming that there had been a problem
with the billing of their AOL account. The e-mail warned consumers that if they didn’t update their billing information,
they risked losing their AOL accounts and Internet access. The message directed consumers to click on a hyperlink
in the body of the e-mail to connect to the "AOL Billing Center." When consumers clicked on the link they landed
on a site that contained AOL’s logo, AOL’s type style, AOL’s colors, and links to real AOL Web pages. It appeared
to be AOL’s Billing Center. But it wasn’t. The defendant had hijacked AOL’s identity and was going to use it to steal
consumers’ identities, as well, the FTC alleged.
An FTC Consumer Alert,
"How Not to Get Hooked by a ‘Phishing’ Scam" warns consumers who receive e-mail that claims an account
will be shut down unless they reconfirm their billing information not to reply or click on the link in the e-mail.
Consumers should contact the company that supposedly sent the message using a telephone number or Web site
address they know to be genuine. Read more...
