| Members of the hacker community throughout | | | | that anything illegal is happening. |
| that region now are adapting to take advantage | | | | Often, innocent work-at-home patrons get duped |
| of the latest phishing scams. As a natural | | | | into doing the dirty grunt work in an |
| transition is taking place, "phishing" is the term | | | | Internet-based scam. Known as "drops" or |
| applied to online schemes that attempt to lure | | | | "mules," these street-level soldiers are usually |
| people into giving up sensitive information, such as | | | | recruited online at job sites. This method of |
| passwords or credit card numbers, by | | | | recruitment is both very typical and very |
| masquerading as trustworthy sources. | | | | prevalent. |
| Pick any geographic region where there is an | | | | In one kind of criminal strategy that could be |
| absence of government and you will find the | | | | called "address laundering," recruited workers |
| perfect setting for cybercriminals to set up a | | | | receive packages of merchandise purchased |
| home base. For starters, look at Romania and the | | | | through phishing scams and forward those |
| states of the former Soviet Union where you will | | | | packages to the next location. They simply get |
| find a 10-to-15-year evolution of hacking activity. | | | | paid for handling the merchandise and don't know |
| As a place where that kind of activity is not | | | | they are doing something illegal. |
| pursued by local law enforcement, you will find a | | | | The mules are the bottom of the feeding chain in |
| growing community of hackers. What was once a | | | | cybercrime. They are recruited and handled by |
| ragtag collection of second-rate hackers has | | | | the next tier in the operation, the mule herders. |
| matured into a thriving community of | | | | These are the people who place ads in local |
| professional-class intrusion technicians. | | | | papers and on Web site job boards to recruit the |
| Sophisticated hackers have gravitated to Eastern | | | | mules. |
| Europe because in the absence of government | | | | As part of a phishing scam, the mule herders |
| control, it is easy for these hackers are getting | | | | distribute stolen account information to the mules, |
| organized more than ever. Poland, for example, | | | | who think that they are working with legitimate |
| has a network of hackers operating with runners | | | | banks. They are instructed by the mule herders |
| in the U.S. and they are starting to move to other | | | | to go online to complete various banking |
| markets. Fake auctions on eBay are becoming | | | | transactions. Another part of the scheme involves |
| one of the most prevalent scams for | | | | sending the mules to withdraw funds from money |
| cybercriminals from Eastern Europe. | | | | access centers and to deposit the money into |
| Members of the hacker community throughout | | | | other "company" bank accounts. |
| that region now are adapting to take advantage | | | | Law-enforcement agents cannot always trace the |
| of the latest phishing scams. As a natural | | | | illegal activity to the culprits. Even if some |
| transition is taking place, "phishing" is the term | | | | workers get suspicious, they do not know the |
| applied to online schemes that attempt to lure | | | | real identities of the herders who contact them |
| people into giving up sensitive information, such as | | | | via stolen phone cards and carefully camouflaged |
| passwords or credit card numbers, by | | | | e-mail addresses. |
| masquerading as trustworthy sources. | | | | As part of a very sophisticated operation, runners |
| A recent scam discovered by a security | | | | in local areas are recruited to pick up money and |
| investigations lured people to a phony bank site, | | | | relay it through Western Union and bank |
| using an email that directed account holders to | | | | machines. If law enforcement closes in on these |
| click a link to update their information. Failure to | | | | local underlings, the collared workers often have |
| comply, warned the message, would result in the | | | | no knowledge to trade with police. |
| account being frozen for security reasons. The | | | | To protect yourself, you need an Internet |
| operation seemed to be set up in Russia. To | | | | security team of experts making sure that you, |
| make matters worst for the unsuspecting | | | | your family, and your business computer are |
| consumer, the cybercriminals were running several | | | | always safe and secure. The best protection you |
| dynamic name servers so when one website was | | | | can have in today's rapidly changing world of |
| shut down, the operators simply routed | | | | cyber-attacks is to have expert support for all |
| consumers to other fake websites in Poland. | | | | your Internet security needs that will provide |
| Research shows a close connection between | | | | technical support without any hassles and without |
| phishing and crime syndicates. In an article titled | | | | charging you extra fees. It will become even |
| "Phishing: 21st Century Organized Crime," the | | | | more critical than it is today as time goes on. You |
| company outlined the process wherein information | | | | need to find your own personal team of experts |
| gained through online scams is sold and the profits | | | | to rely on. If you ever have a security problem, |
| routed to international cybercriminals. | | | | you will want to have a trusted expert you can |
| Tracking this criminal activity is difficult because, | | | | call for professional help, without any hassles and |
| as the information crosses international borders, it | | | | extra costs! |
| is often outside the jurisdiction of any single | | | | Because cybercriminals are becoming smarter and |
| nation's law-enforcement agencies. This confusion | | | | more sophisticated in their operations, they are |
| gives cybercriminals an added advantage, the | | | | real threats to your personal security and privacy. |
| report says, buying them time to organize, work | | | | Your money, your computer, your family, and |
| with "peer groups," and launch more sophisticated | | | | your business are all at risk. |
| attacks. | | | | These cybercriminals leave you with three choices |
| Internet crime is just like the criminal activity | | | | : |
| portrayed on the HBO series, The Sopranos, | | | | 1. Do nothing and hope their attacks, risks, and |
| because many of the attacks revolve around | | | | threats don’t occur on your computer. |
| extortion that must be paid to protect against | | | | 2. Do research and get training to protect |
| criminals trashing a company's business reputation. | | | | yourself, your family, and your business. |
| Family members operate on a | | | | 3. Get professional help to lockdown your system |
| need-to-know-the-boss basis. People control the | | | | from all their attacks, risks, and threats. |
| street-level soldiers, but a lot of the details are | | | | Remember: When you say "No!" to hackers and |
| hidden so successfully by those controlling the | | | | spyware, everyone wins! When you don't, we all |
| scams behind the scenes that sometimes people | | | | lose! |
| working on the frontlines might not even realize | | | | © MMVII, Etienne A. |