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Online phishing scam leaves thousands fearing fraud
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Thousands of internet users have been left open to fraud after details of more than 20,000 email addresses and passwords were posted on an internet messageboard. Find out how to avoid being a victim of the latest phishing scam
Hackers have obtained thousands of email addresses and passwords for users of Gmail, Yahoo! Mail, AOL, Comcast, Hotmail and Earthlink after setting up fake websites and duping more than 20,000 users to part with personal information.
Google reacted to the attack by forcing password resets on affected accounts, while Yahoo! urged users to “take measures to secure their accounts whenever possible, including changing their passwords”.
Despite such measures users were left fearing the data could be used by fraudsters to access email accounts and steal personal information. However, police insist they haven’t received any reports of fraud resulting from these lists – yet.
Financial Fraud Action UK announced the latest fraud figures earlier this week (7 October 2009). The figures revealed that phone, internet and mail order fraud for credit and debit cards (card-not-present fraud) has fallen 18% from January to June this year – although this still amounts to a staggering £134m.
On the negative side, online banking fraud has increased by a whopping 55% during the same period, from £25m to £39m.
“These latest fraud figures are good news, but we know there is no room for complacency,” said head of fraud control, Katy Worobec. “While industry online security initiatives such as Verified by Visa and MasterCard SecureCode may be making their presence felt, the fraudsters are never going to shut up shop.”
This latest phishing attack on internet giants like Google and Hotmail has highlighted the need to keep personal details private. Our top tips for staying safe online could help you avoid becoming a victim of fraud.
Published 7 October 2009
