RSSMicrosoft Warns: Don't Be a 'Phool'
By Ed Oswald | Published March 31, 2005, 12:10 PM
Microsoft, with the help of the Federal Trade Commission and the National Consumers League, is using the backdrop of April Fools Day to warn computer users about the dangers of "phishing" scams. Microsoft also announced it has filed 117 lawsuits against alleged phishing site operators.
Phishing is the term for a scam that appears either as a pop-up or within an e-mail that attempts to steal a user's personal information. Very often these scams look like genuine e-mails from companies such as PayPal and eBay.
Aaron Kornblum, Internet Safety Enforcement attorney for Microsoft, said that companies need to work together in order to prevent the Internet from becoming overridden with phishing scams.
"Microsoft provides consumers with the information and technology that will help protect all of us from this pervasive and destructive threat, and has filed legal action today against some of these individuals," Kornblum said.
Last December, BetaNews talked to Kornblum about what Microsoft was doing on the legal end to curb spam.
As with previous suits the company has filed against spammers, the new cases are "John Doe" lawsuits, where the actual defendant is not known; however, the plaintiff has a "reasonable" period of time to find the identity of the defendant.
But in the end, the best line of defense starts with the consumer. "Computer users can stop phishers by not responding to an e-mail or pop-up that asks for personal information," said Lydia Parnes of the FTC's Bureau of Consumer Protection. "Just delete it."
Hopefully our internet will never be completely overrun with ads, but I guest if it does happen AD-AWARE and AVAST will always be there to protect our way and right to surf freely.
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|IMO, phishing schemes are bad, but the very idea of phishing brings up an interesting point... moron's shouldn't own computers (or anything else for that metter). I cite for this arguement the following points:
[1] - phishing schemes explot a person's ignorance. by this I mean, people who fall for these schemes are ignorant idiots. If you give out your personal infos to someone you dont know, you deserve what you get. How much effort does it take to look at a page, evaluate the validity of it and where it came from? if you are unsure - simply log into your account normally instead of through some link and if they need ytour personal info give it there.
[2] - People who dont know how to use a tool shouldnt be permitted to use it. would you let your clueless child use your circular saw (if you answered yes to this, here's your dunce cap /\ ). Would you permit someone who has no clue how to drive behind the wheel of a car? (another dunce cap /\ ). If you dont know how to use a computer then take classes before buying that new computer.
asnother thought - John Doe lawsuits should be illegal. thats like you or I going out and filing suit against the person or persons responsible for --- say... making a computer because they.. hmmm -- they are responsible for you getting Carpal Tunnel :) hey, step a w a y from the mouse pal :)
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|This is all well and good, but Microsoft and others have been targeting non-technical users since the early days of Windows. The computer has gone far beyond an esoteric tool for the propeller-beanie crowd and is now as common as the telephone.
Of course you should be educated in order to properly use such a sophisticated tool, but my car is very sophisticated too, and I don't really know how it works. I know simple maintenance procedures and common sense do's and don't's, but I couldn't describe all the systems in detail.
In this case, common sense and a little bit of education are imperative, but please don't "blame the victim". Phishers are a very contemptable breed of criminal and the fact that Microsoft (and hopefully others) is pursuing them vigorously will help us all.
I found the quote that companies must work "to prevent the Internet from becoming overridden with phishing scams" somewhat amusing as I think that has already happened. I see PayPal, e-Bay and banking phishing attacks on an almost daily basis, probably more if I dug into what my spam filters remove.
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|Don't be a phool.. Stay in skool!
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