Microsoft goes after phishers

Author: Wil Harris
Published: 23rd November 2006
Comments (5) Stumble
Microsoft goes after phishers

Microsoft has initiated 129 lawsuits against phishers in the past eight months, the company has said.

Speaking at a conference on identify theft in Brussells this week, MS said that it was working closely with law enforcement agencies around the world, providing information, technology and expertise to agencies looking to hunt down and bring in phishers.

The efforts have already resulted in a jail term for one Turkish scammer, and settlements with others. Microsoft has also incorporated an anti-phishing filter into Internet Explorer 7, and is collaborating with Google to identify and stop online scamming.

Phishing is going to net scammers around £1.4bn this year, which is a gigantically high number for such an aggravating fraud.

Have you been a victim of phishing, or do you know someone who has? Are you fed up with dodgy eBay buyers? What are your opinions on Microsoft's anti-phishing efforts? Let us know your thoughts over in the forums.
Quote <A88> 23rd November 2006, 11:16
Good for them! Although I nearly had a heart attack when I read '...and is collaborating with Google'.

<A88>
Quote kenco_uk 23rd November 2006, 11:41
Quote:
Originally Posted by Wil Harris

Speaking at a conference on identify theft

'identify' wants to be 'identity'.

It's good that MS is working towards a solution with its Anti-Phishing filter built into IE7. Hopefully, less people will become affected by the scammers. The phishing sites behave and look exactly like their proper versions these days and with MS on their case, are we about to see the phishing sites become increasingly realistic in the way they seperate people from their money?
Quote DougEdey 23rd November 2006, 11:52
The problem with Phising emails is that people are gullible and if someone tells them something is not right with something important to them, i.e. money, they will attempt to sort it out.

I've taught my family how to recognize phishing emails, but unfortunately one of my sisters is being conned into a pyramid scheme and no matter how much I warn her she doesn't listen.
Quote Cthippo 23rd November 2006, 12:35
Quote:
Originally Posted by DougEdey
The problem with Phising emails is that people are gullible and if someone tells them something is not right with something important to them, i.e. money, they will attempt to sort it out.

I've taught my family how to recognize phishing emails, but unfortunately one of my sisters is being conned into a pyramid scheme and no matter how much I warn her she doesn't listen.

Yeah, I know somoene who lost about $15K in a 419 scam. Everyone told him it was a scam, but the green eyed monster had it's teeth well set in him. Sad part is, he wanted to get the 2 million or whatever was promised to use for a a charitable cause.
Quote r4tch3t 23rd November 2006, 23:25
A family friend had here trademe (NZ eBay) account stolen from fake e-mails. Ah the ignorant, why don't they listen.
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