{"id":328,"date":"2015-06-03T13:32:32","date_gmt":"2015-06-03T21:32:32","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.checkworks.com\/blog\/?p=328"},"modified":"2015-07-22T13:58:13","modified_gmt":"2015-07-22T21:58:13","slug":"phishing-for-dollars-internet-scamsters-gone-wild","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blog.checkworks.com\/index.php\/phishing-for-dollars-internet-scamsters-gone-wild\/","title":{"rendered":"Phishing for Dollars: Internet Scamsters Gone Wild"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"Hacker<\/a><\/p>\n

By M.J. Plaster<\/b><\/p>\n

Phishing for dollars\u2014it\u2019s an old game that predates the Internet, but it\u2019s more lucrative today thanks to the speed of Internet travel. Internet scams are a growth industry<\/a>, with innocent people losing $800,000,000 in one decade. The best way to beat the scamsters is to come to the game armed with knowledge, so let\u2019s get to it.<\/p>\n

Top Five Internet Scams<\/h2>\n

1. The 419 Scam<\/h3>\n

Named for the section of the Nigerian criminal code that deals with fraud, the 419 scam has more juice than the Energizer bunny. The details vary, but generally the email comes from an alleged Nigerian prince, princess, dignitary, etc., who wants to gift you several million dollars to help bring money into the U.S.<\/p>\n

The catch? You\u2019ll need to divulge banking information, make a \u2018small\u2019 payment and\/or make a trip to Africa on your dime to get the goods.<\/p>\n

The scam is so prevalent that several dedicated groups have gone on the offensive. The Wall Street Journal<\/i><\/a> reports that scambaiters<\/a> turn the tables by baiting the scamsters and \u201ceating up their time\u201d to keep them away from na\u00efve victims. While the counteroffensives make for hilarious reading, the scambaiters were born without the fear gene, the same gene that prompts you to delete the Nigerian scam email without answering it.<\/p>\n

2. Phishing Expeditions<\/h3>\n

I almost fell for this one when I opened an email that appeared to be from Comcast. Without thinking, I started to respond and verify some information. All of a sudden, the odd sentence structure and misspelled words set off my radar alerting me that English was not the sender\u2019s native tongue. I realized it was a phishing expedition for identity information, and I trashed my response just in the nick of time.<\/p>\n

Today, the scamsters have reached new depths\u2014they send emails that say your bill is overdue and you\u2019re going to be arrested if you don\u2019t pay immediately with a gift or debit card that can\u2019t be tracked. Comcast cannot arrest you for a bill in arrears. Bank, utility, and IRS email scams follow the same pattern.<\/p>\n

3. Microsoft\/Software Company Scams<\/h3>\n

If you run Windows, you might not suspect anything if Microsoft were to contact you about a problem with your computer, right? Wrong! Unless you have some relationship with the company or an employee or have made prior contact with a support team member, you won\u2019t receive a legitimate email from Microsoft<\/a>.<\/p>\n

The scam email alerts you to some grave computer danger and contains an attachment\u2014a program to allow a \u2018Microsoft technicians\u2019 to take control of your computer and \u2018fix\u2019 it. Once installed, the scamsters steal every piece of information they can get their hands on.<\/p>\n

A slight twist of the scam involves a keylogger attachment that, when clicked, installs a program to record and report to the sender every keystroke you make\u2014bank account information, Social Security numbers, passwords, etc.<\/p>\n

These two scams can appear to come from any software company\u2014and not just through email. You might receive a popup while browsing the Internet with similar instructions and a link to malware.<\/p>\n

4. Work From Home Scams<\/h3>\n

Talk about an equal opportunity employer\u2014this scam targets everyone\u2014college kids<\/a>, retirees, work-at-home moms and dads and the self-employed. The fraudsters use two methods\u2014push and pull: They will email you, or you will respond to an ad. Either way, the result is the same. There are two variations on the money chase:<\/p>\n