Posted: 1/23/2004 11:42:43 AM EDT
|
********************************************** Just an FYI on a scam that is going on out there, so please be alert. Subject: Fraud Scam A friend of mine in the Houston area sent this as she experienced the fraud attempt described, twice, this week. Fortunately for her she is overly cautious since their family was a victim of identity theft several years ago. The narrative is from one of her friends in the same neighborhood. This is from a lady on my tennis team and happened in Kingwood last week. We all receive emails all the time regarding one scam or another; but last week I REALLY DID get scammed! Both VISA and MasterCard told me that this scam is currently being worked throughout the Midwest, with some variance as to the product or amount, and if you are called, just hang up. My husband was called on Wednesday from "VISA" and I was called in Thursday from "MasterCard". It worked like this: Person calling says, "This is Carl Patterson (any name) and I'm calling from the Security and Fraud department at VISA. My Badge number is 12460. Your card has been flagged for an unusual purchase pattern, and I'm calling to verify. This would be on your VISA card issued by 5/3 bank. Did you purchase an Anti-Telemarketing Device for $497.99 from a marketing company based in Arizona?" When you say "No", the caller continues with: "Then we will be issuing a credit to your account. This is a company we have been watching and the charges range from $297 to $497, just under the $500 purchase pattern that flags most cards. Before your next statement, the credit will be sent to: (gives you your address), is that correct?" You say, "Yes". The caller continues... "I will be starting a fraud investigation. If you have any questions, you should call the 800 number listed on your card 1-800-VISA and ask for Security. you will need to refer to this Control #". Then gives you a 6 digit number. "Do you need me to read it again?" Caller then says he "needs to verify you are in possession of your card. Turn the card over. There are 7 numbers; first 4 are 1234(whatever) the next 3 are the security numbers that verify you are in possession of the card. These are the numbers you use to make internet purchases to prove you have the card. Read me the 3 numbers." Then he says "That is correct. I just needed to verify that the card has not been lost or stolen, and that you still have your card. Do you have any other questions? Don't hesitate to call back if you do." You actually say very little, and they never ask for or tell you the card number. But after we were called on Wednesday, we called back within 20 minutes to ask a question. Are we glad we did! The REAL VISA security dept. told us it was a scam and in the last 15 minutes a new purchase of $497.99 WAS put on our card. Long story made short...we made a real fraud report and closed the VISA card and they are reissuing as a new number. What the scam wants is the 3 digit number! and that once the charge goes through, they keep charging every few days. By the time you get your statement, you think the credit is coming, and then its harder to actually file a fraud report. The real VISA reinforced that they will never ask for anything on the card (they already know). What makes this more remarkable is that on Thursday, I got a call from "Jason Richardson of MasterCard" with a word for word repeat of the VISA Scam. This time I didn't let him finish. I hung up. We filed a police report (as instructed by VISA), and they said they are taking several of these reports daily and to tell friends, relatives and coworkers. **************************************************************************** Keep a watch out for people standing near you at retail stores, restaurants, grocery stores, etc., who have a cell phone in hand. With the new camera cell phones, they can take a picture of your credit card, which gives them your name, number, and expiration date. Identification theft is one of the fastest growing scams today, and this is just another example of the means that are being used. So... be aware of your surroundings. **************************************************************************** Subject: Phishing Phishing is a technique used to gain personal information for purposes of identity theft, using fraudulent e-mail messages that appear to come from legitimate businesses. These authentic-looking messages are designed to fool recipients into divulging personal data such as account numbers and passwords, credit card numbers and Social Security numbers. |
|
**************************************************************************** Subject: Agriculture epidemics may hold clues to Net viruses Source: news.com.com Date Written: January 15, 2004 Some scientists are beginning to look for parallels between malware outbreaks and agricultural diseases, looking for common themes that might help combat the spread of computer viruses. In both computers and agriculture, a "monoculture," or reliance on a single species of plant/operating system can turn an outbreak into a disaster. "You only get epidemics when your target populations are alike enough that they can all get the same disease," says Dan Geer, chief scientist at information security firm Verdasys. Two microbiologists, in a letter to the Center for Disease Control publication "Emerging Infectious Diseases," cited similarities between biological and computer viruses. Once a worm has been transmitted, variants begin to emerge, as is the case with biological viruses. The National Science Foundation is awarding three universities with $750,000 to search for monoculture weak spots in the Internet, and to research methods of increasing diversity. Microsoft chief security strategist Scott Charney argues that the analogy between biological and computer diversity has limits. Unlike farm crops, a more diverse network environment means more complicated management. Mr. Geer believes better planning and interoperability can mitigate complexity issues. **************************************************************************** Subject: Hacking Inn Source: Fortune Date Written: January 19, 2004 To meet the demands of business travelers, many hotels are installing high-speed wired and wireless Internet access. This has turned hotels into hot spots for hacking, as executives converge in one spot, often with unprotected laptop computers. Simple tools, such as nmap and port scanners, allow an attacker to survey vulnerable machines on hotel networks. Windows computers often have services turned on by default, creating more nooks for an attacker to latch into. The author advises caution in using public networks. http://www.fortune.com/fortune/peterlewis/0,15704,575710,00.html **************************************************************************** Subject: 2003 Viruses Caused $55B Damage, Antivirus Firm Says Computer virus attacks cost global businesses an estimated $55 billion in damages in 2003, a sum that would rise this year, according to Trend Micro Inc., the world's third-largest antivirus software maker. http://www.computerworld.com/newsletter/0,4902,89138,00.html?nlid=VVR **************************************************************************** Subject: The Giant Wooden Horse Did It! Source: Security Focus Date Written: January 19, 2004 Defendants in cybercrime trials are arguing that Trojans implanted on their computers are responsible for the electronic evidence implicating them, raising legal questions on the use of electronic data. Evidence usually consists of logs collected from Internet service providers (ISPs), IP (Internet protocol) logs from victims of an attack, perhaps a chat session with the accused, and after a warrant is issued, forensic evidence from a computer's hard drive. However, a skilled hacker could deflect suspicion by breaking into someone else's computer and using it for an attack. This would account for the electronic evidence gathered. In the case of Julian Green, accused of possessing child pornography, the discovery of Trojans on his hard drive led to acquittal. Companies are reporting extortion cases in which hackers threaten to frame someone with child pornography unless the victim pays a fee. Such cases show how Trojans can make it difficult to prove guilt or innocence. http://www.securityfocus.com/columnists/208 |