Phishing Attacks
Number of New Phishing Reports Received
Month Reports
Received
October 2005 15,820
September 2005 13,562
August 2005 13,776
July 2005 14,135
June 2005 15,050
May 2005 14,987
April 2005 14,411
March 2005 12,883
February 2005 13,468
January 2005 12,845
December 2004 8,829
November 2004 8,975
October 2004 6,957

Source: The Anti-Phishing Working Group

Phishing for Dollars


Cybercriminals are coming up with increasingly clever ways to swindle cash. One method, called phishing, involves e-mails that look like they're from reputable outfits such as banks or government agencies. The messages are designed to coax sensitive information, such as Social Security numbers and account PINs, that can be used to defraud unsuspecting victims. The number of newly reported phishing campaigns climbed to 15,820 in October from 13,562 in September and 6,957 the same month a year earlier, according to the Anti-Phishing Working Group, an industry association that includes banks and technology vendors.

The number surged in October after three months of declines in part because phishers are getting smarter, says Dan Hubbard, senior director of security and research at software company Websense (WBSN), which is on the steering group of the anti-phishing group. New methods include targeting e-mails more efficiently and figuring out how to mass mail a larger pool of potential victims. "The main reason for the rise is because of the larger amounts of targets that (phishers are) going after," Hubbard says. "The more money that's available, the more sophisticated they get."

Phishing accounts for less than 10% of the identity theft crimes in the U.S., according to Javelin Strategy & Research. Javelin estimates that identity fraud ensnared around 9.3 million victims in 2004, causing $52.6 billion of losses in the U.S. Most cases of ID-theft stem from offline causes, including stolen mail and wallets, says Bruce Cundiff, a research analyst at Javelin. He says that the incidence of ID theft overall has been stable this year compared with 2004.


Posted: 12/5/05


Also see:

Phishing: Beware the Internal Revenue Scam

An ID-Theft Crackdown Gains Momentum

Invasion of the Stock Hackers

Hackers and Phishers and Frauds, Oh My!