Phishing occurs
when a fraudster sends an email that contains a link to a
fraudulent website where users are asked to provide personal
account information. The email and website are usually disguised to
appear to recipients as though they are from a trusted service
provider, financial institution or online merchant.
It is a growing phenomenon. According to a recent report by the
Anti-Phishing Working Group (APWG), almost 50,000 phishing websites
were created last year – and more than 7,000 in December alone –
while a 2005 survey of personal computers by AOL and the National
Cyber Security Alliance found that one in every four home computer
users are hit by phishing attacks each month.
AOL has tried to deal with phishers before, through spam
blocking, lawsuits and by blocking access to suspected phishing
sites, but this is the first time that a phishing gang has been
targeted by the ISP.
The three actions, filed in the District Court for the Eastern
District of Virginia, allege that the gangs breached federal trade
mark and anti-spam legislation and Virginia’s groundbreaking new
anti-phishing statute, adopted in July 2005.
The three phishing gangs are believed to be based in the US,
Romania and Germany.
