MS launches an assault on phishers

[MD-2389]

http://www.dailytech.com/article.aspx?newsid=1337

Microsoft is taking another serious swing at phishers

Microsoft yesterday announced it will begin more than 100 legal proceedings against alleged phishers in Africa, Europe, and the Middle East. The Global Phishing Enforcement Initiative is designed to target international phisphers, who are usually sending misleading URLs to users to try and get them to enter personal information such as bank account information, passwords and credit card details into a fake website. Phishers often use popular sites like Paypal, MSN, Amazon and Ebay to lure unsuspecting users into mistakenly entering personal data.

The campaign will target gangs that flood inboxes with unsolicited e-mails requesting bank account details, passwords, credit card details or other personal details that can be used for identity theft and fraud.

With some reports and polls claiming that the art of phishing is continuing to grow, perhaps this is the ideal time for Microsoft to launch another anti-phishing campaign. The company has already launched a barrage of lawsuits and shut down thousands of fraudulent web sites from around the world.

Good for them! About time they put all that money they rip consumers off of to some good.

[Paul]

And the phishers are getting good... almost got me a couple weeks ago with a good eBay scam!