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Ohio Bank Phishing Scam Offers New Security Mechanism
Btv Raj
Contributing Writer
2006-06-09
 Insider Reports RSS Feed
Security experts at MicroWorld Technologies inform that a new Ohio Bank Phishing mail in circulation tells users that the bank is introducing a new online security mechanism for which they need the confirmation from account holders.
The mails reads-"Due to recent fraudulent activities on some of Ohio Savings online accounts, we are launching a new security system to make Ohio savings online accounts more secure and safe. Before we can activate it, we will be checking all Ohio online Savings accounts to confirm the authenticity of the holder.
We will require a confirmation that your account has not been stolen or hacked. Your account has not been suspended or frozen.
To confirm your account status please login."
Once you click on this link, it takes you to a page that looks like an authentic Ohio Bank webpage in every sense, complete with active links and menu that connect you the original webpages of the bank. At the middle of the page, there's link that tells you- Click here to go to the online authentication form.
Now you are taken to the true face of the scam. The brazen form asks you to put in your User ID, Password, Card Number, Expiry Date and ATM PIN! Well, this scamster does not believe in stealing a few items and running away. Rather, he would go the whole hog and empty the coffer! To add to its credibility, there's a bold VeriSign logo staring at you from the middle of the webpage.
Phishing is the form of online Identity Theft using fake emails and spoof websites of reputed banks, Credit Card Companies, Online Stores, ISPs and every thing else that has a name and credibility attached to it. The hi-tech scam has claimed countless victims around the world already. With increased awareness among computer users about Phishing, one section of the phishers has already moved on to DNS redirecting Trojans or a method other wise called as Pharming. The other, more traditional group, is still relying on smarter Social Engineering schemes like the one we have just observed.
"Phishing started off with mails posing as a routine account authentication procedure from the bank," explained Govind Rammurthy, CEO, MicroWorld Technologies. "Soon it moved on to scarier ones which told users that their accounts have witnessed suspicious activity and if they don't verify the information, the accounts will be suspended. Then came mails that offered free tickets and coupons, which just required users to complete a small verification procedure. Now for the last few months a large number of scams like the one in question, are posing as security alerts and Phishing awareness campaigns themselves. At MicroWorld we call it Upside-down Innovation!"
"We need to see Phishing and Pharming in the broader spectrum of increasing online crimes with well-defined financial motives. You've got criminals hacking into large e-commerce websites, launching Denial of Service Attacks, conspiring international copyright infringements and extortion threats. All these indicate that cyber gangs are after the money of anyone who is directly or indirectly connected to the World Wide Web. The scenario positively underlines the need to secure your online interactions like never before!" said Govind Rammurthy.
MicroWorld
MicroWorld (www.mwti.net ) is the developer of the world's first Real-Time Anti-Virus and Content Security software eScan for desktops and servers. Its communication security software, MailScan is the first comprehensive e-mail scanner for your SMTP/POP3 Mail Server. MicroWorld Winsock Layer (MWL) is the revolutionary technology underlying these products, powering them to several certifications and awards by some of the most prestigious testing bodies, notable among them being Virus Bulletin, Checkmark, TUCOWS, Red Hat Ready, and Novell Ready. Combining their powerful scanner with MWL technology, MicroWorld solutions provide a Real-Time Proactive security for your systems. For network security of enterprises, eConceal Firewall is the latest powerful offering from MicroWorld.
To learn more, kindly visit http://www.mwti.net.
About the Author:
To learn more, kindly visit http://www.mwti.net.
Btv Raj is the Content Writer and Creative Visualizer, MicroWorld Technologies.
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