Phishing in severe figures

The specialists of online brand monitoring NetNames was published its Quarterly Fraud Report and data are not encouraging. So, according to this report the number of phishing attacks has greatly increased this year. This can be judged by the sole fact that only in February 2008 customers of financial services customers were exposed to 60,000 phishing e-mails.

The statistics show that in the period between December 2007 and February 2008 the number of phishing attacks has risen for 70%. The report says that fraudsters focused on three banks whose customers are much more vulnerable than the other ones. However, not a single name was mentioned.

Returning to phishing e-mails mentioned above it should be said that exactly the customers of those three banks were targeted. The total number of e-mails in December was 77%, in January 79% and in February has already been 88%. There is direct evidence of phishing progress.

"Just as phishing seemed to have slipped off the consumer radar, online fraudsters have leapt on the chance to capitalise on this false sense of security and have increased their phishing activity drastically in the past few months. Consumers must be aware of this renewed and increasing threat and make sure they never give out personal details over e-mail," said Jonathan Robinson, chief operating officer of NetNames.

He also added that it was also crucial for the reputation of financial services organisations that they made their customers aware of these threats and helped protect them.

Aynny, reporter of Ecommerce Journal.com