Cyber Criminals Make Move to Social Networking Sites
While online scams have been largely relegated to e-mail over the years, con artists are now employing social-networking sites as the venues for their crimes, Business Week reports. Last year, according to the FBI and the National White Collar Crime Center, cyber criminals stole a total of $239 million, 21-percent more than the year prior. Of the cyber crime cases reported last year, those perpetrated on Web pages comprised nearly one-third, compared to a mere 16.5-percent in 2005.
The increasing popularity of social networking sites, which altogether claim over 689 million members, certainly helps to explain these statistics.
In some sense, the personal, light-hearted tone of sites like Facebook might make scams more convincing. Shawn Henry, the assistant director of the FBI's Cyber Investigations division, told Business Week, "There is an implied sense of trust, and there's not the sense that we can be physically harmed."
But, while profile pictures and a list of favorite books might make you feel more connected to a friend, they are also easily forged. With only a little bit of personal knowledge and access to a Flickr page, the most novice of networking site users can impersonate another individual, potentially gaining access to that individual's friends -- and their pocketbooks. There have been reports of scam artists posing as an individual's Facebook friend, only to then ask that individual to wire the scammer a sum of money. In at least one instance, the con artist went so far as to instant message the potential victim in an attempt to more fully assume the friend's identity.
While some experts suggest scrutinizing profiles and asking personal questions before engaging an alleged friend, we have a simpler rule: Don't transmit anything serious, let alone sensitive, over social networking sites. E-mail is problematic enough. For tips on avoiding ID Theft specifically, check out our brand-spanking-new video primer. [From: Business Week]
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 4)
Frank said 6:28AM on 12-03-2008
Would this QUALIFY ??
From: Miss Caroline Eto
Address:Plot 1660 koumassi
Abidjan Cote D'Ivoire
Dearest One, It's my pleasure to contact you for a business venture which I
am miss Caroline Eto the only Daugther of Mr.and Mrs.Eto, intend to
establish in your country. Though I have not met with you before but I
believe,one has to risk confiding in someone to succeed sometimes in life.
There is this huge amount of Nine million U.S dollars ($9,000,000.00) which
my late father deposited in a private finance company here in Abidjan
before he was assasinated by unknow persons. Now I have decided to invest
these money in your country or anywhere safe enough outside Africa for
security and political reasons.I want you to help us to transfer this fund
to your country for investment purposes on the followings below:
1). Telecommunication
2). Automobile manufacturing
3). Five star hotel If you you can be of an assistance to me I will like
you to tel me what you well take form me.of the total fund.
I await your soonest response. through my private email
caro_eto@yahoo.co.jp
Extend my warmest regards to your entire family. Thank you and God bless
you.
Sincerely,
Miss Caroline Eto.
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Fred said 7:00AM on 12-03-2008
I got a similar email just the other day, only it was from Nigeria. I just got rid of it.
Danni said 8:23AM on 12-03-2008
And to think, these things sound sooooo fake too and its unfortunate that some ppl fall for it
Glenda said 8:53AM on 12-03-2008
Frank, if it's to good to be true... it probably is.
Juanita said 10:14AM on 12-03-2008
Yes, this is one of the oldest scams on the market. Whenever these hit my mail box I simply hit the Scam button and move on. Sicne doin that, I don't get as many as I used to. In fact I might get one every 3, 4 or 6 months now. By all means you do the same. Otherwise your mail box will be full of them. Be sblessed and safe.
JeepFamily said 9:13AM on 12-03-2008
This is definately a fraudulent email. You need to send it to your internet company and report it. I know through AOL it's just spam@aol.com. and through yahoo it's spam@yahoo.com.
I receive emails like this all the time in my inbox. They all basically say the same thing but from different people and they change the wording a little.
Please do not give anyone information over the internet, phone, or email unless you have contacted the person/company yourself. also, NEVER send money to anyone. NEVER give out personal information they ask for such as Name, Address, Phone Number, or anything else. This information can be used to ruin your credit while the criminals are having fun with spending as much as they can.
I know ebay can be a scam also (not always but sometimes). I was looking at purchasing a vehicle and after Many emails to this person, I finally reported them to ebay. I guess someone had stolen this person's identity and was using their name and information. They were taking money from people and then never heard from again.
They refused to let us see the vehicle. Basically saying that they can ship it to use for a fee. The listing was only a few hours away so we figured just to go check it out to see if it was worth the "cheap" price they were asking. This person wanted us to send half the money through PayPal (which is not always covered as paypal states) and then enough to cover shipping.
Well after many harrassing emails about us delaying our decision because he would not let us see the vehicle, I reported him and then ebay reported them to the police.
Remember, if you don't know who emails are from, don't open or click on them. Better off to delete them. Also, never click on links in emails sent from online sources such as Ebay, PayPal, etc. because there are fraudulent emails out there and if you click on the link, it will look alot like the real site - except once you enter your information, you've been scammed and don't know it until it's too late.
Always type the site you want to go to right in your web browser.
I've seen some great advice about avoiding fraud emails / contacts.
Hope everyone has a wonderful day!
Dave said 11:00AM on 12-03-2008
This is a money laundering scam. There are several similar e-mails of this sort. Just delete them.
Ann said 10:20PM on 12-03-2008
I get different versions of this one all of the time. It's a total scam. I just get sick of them and delete them.
Jay said 11:41AM on 12-03-2008
I don't feel sorry for the people that get taken for these scams! They are completely obvious that they are scams. If you fall for these types of scams, then you deserve to get taken for everything you have.
Erika said 12:55PM on 12-03-2008
Yep, that's a scam email I get one like it almost every day! The safest bet is if it's not from someone you know, just delete it! And anything that has something about a foreign country and money in it is most definitely a scam. Don't fall for it :)
Scam Killer said 1:55PM on 12-03-2008
One very easy way to avoid getting scammed. EARN your money. You should not take free money from your family, much less strangers. Whatever happened to HONOR? Greed is not honor.
Jessica said 1:55PM on 12-03-2008
My dad recieved something exactly like this in the mail from an "attorney" and it was very professional. So it isn't just e-mails, some of them are going to old fashioned way as well... Don't worry, we shredded it immediately.
wayne said 7:01AM on 12-03-2008
Greed is what gets people taken !
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grant said 7:10AM on 12-03-2008
Don't send money to anyone who promises you thousands of dollars for doing nothing but cash a check for them. Its a scam.
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WALT said 7:25AM on 12-03-2008
does getting married to an on-line friend count as a scam???? LOL
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ROD said 1:23PM on 12-03-2008
Walt it very well could turn out that way !!!!!!
PreNup??
Thane said 7:13AM on 12-03-2008
Stupid is as stupid does.
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kilby said 7:18AM on 12-03-2008
They are now using the-FBI- in there scams. Saying stuff like we at the bureau approve of this message, we have scaned and found you are the recipient of said funds.
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kiria said 7:20AM on 12-03-2008
i get those e-mails in spam all the time. i just delete them.
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Anita said 7:42AM on 12-03-2008
To be safe, just delete any and all e-mails promising cash, jobs, lottery winnings and something for nothing. Use your head and don't ever answer or click on any links in the e-mail. Don't be gullible. Remember, there comes free.
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