New wave of 'spear-phishing' scams expected
Most of you know about phishing scams -- the fake email designed to look like urgent messages from banks, credit card companies and even the federal government.
But Internet security experts warn of a new wave of scams are known as spear-phishing. Instead of casting a broad net to snag whomever they can, the scammers come after you directly and the attacks are already on the rise.
"We're seeing an increase. More and more of it. And we're seeing it targeting people a lot more," said Rod Rasmussen, president and CTO of Internet Identity, a Tacoma-based Internet security firm
The company's Q1 report for 2011 shows a 12 percent increase in overall phishing scams between January and March of this year, compared to the same period last year. Most of the scammers are outside the U.S.
Unlike the old-school phishing scams that hit your inbox with fake email alerts from banks, and other businesses and address you simply as a " dear valued customer," spear-phishing scams are specific because scammers are using your specific information.
"So they can target you very carefully. They'll seem very real to you," Rasmussen said.
Investigators say massive security breaches back in April will only make it worse. Sony now confirms that hackers stole personal data from more than 24 and a half million PlayStation accounts last month. Weeks before that, a security breach at retail marketing firm Epsilon exposed the email accounts of millions of customers from major retailers and banks.
The state attorney general's office urges consumers to be on the look out.
"That means that, instead of getting an email from Wells Fargo when you don't have a Wells Fargo account, you're going to get an email from a business that you do do business with, and it's going to have your name on it," said Assistant Attorney General Jake Bernstein.
Internet security experts warn: the increased spear-phishing activity increases the odds that you or someone you know will take the bait.
"It didn't happen to you last time. It might not happen to you this time. But it could happen to you in the future and when it does, it's going to be seriously hard to fix your credit." Bernstein said.
For more information:
FTC Consumer Alert
Spear-phishing email scams
But Internet security experts warn of a new wave of scams are known as spear-phishing. Instead of casting a broad net to snag whomever they can, the scammers come after you directly and the attacks are already on the rise.
"We're seeing an increase. More and more of it. And we're seeing it targeting people a lot more," said Rod Rasmussen, president and CTO of Internet Identity, a Tacoma-based Internet security firm
The company's Q1 report for 2011 shows a 12 percent increase in overall phishing scams between January and March of this year, compared to the same period last year. Most of the scammers are outside the U.S.
Unlike the old-school phishing scams that hit your inbox with fake email alerts from banks, and other businesses and address you simply as a " dear valued customer," spear-phishing scams are specific because scammers are using your specific information.
"So they can target you very carefully. They'll seem very real to you," Rasmussen said.
Investigators say massive security breaches back in April will only make it worse. Sony now confirms that hackers stole personal data from more than 24 and a half million PlayStation accounts last month. Weeks before that, a security breach at retail marketing firm Epsilon exposed the email accounts of millions of customers from major retailers and banks.
The state attorney general's office urges consumers to be on the look out.
"That means that, instead of getting an email from Wells Fargo when you don't have a Wells Fargo account, you're going to get an email from a business that you do do business with, and it's going to have your name on it," said Assistant Attorney General Jake Bernstein.
Internet security experts warn: the increased spear-phishing activity increases the odds that you or someone you know will take the bait.
"It didn't happen to you last time. It might not happen to you this time. But it could happen to you in the future and when it does, it's going to be seriously hard to fix your credit." Bernstein said.
For more information:
FTC Consumer Alert
Spear-phishing email scams
