Phishing Resources

For the past little while at work, many of us have been the target of "phishing" attacks whereby scammers recreate entire websites that look like legitimate businesses such as banks, E-Bay or Paypal.

The scammers send an e-mail message requesting the recipient send personal information such as an account number or password with the excuse that there was a computer malfunction and that the business wants to make sure you are who you claim to be.

Last week, I was able to see from the code that one attacker passing himself off as a bank actually originated from a school in the UK. I notified the bank in question as well as the police and the bank has informed me that the site was shut down.

Here are a few resources on "phishing":

• Phonebusters' Anti-Phishing page: Phonebusters is a national anti-fraud call centre jointly operated by the Ontario Provincial Police and the Royal Canadian Mounted Police
• Public Advisory - Phishing: An emerging trend in identity theft: Fact page from Public Safety and Emergency Preparedness Canada, with links to other resources in Canada and the United States
• RECOL - Reporting Economic Crime On-Line: an "integrated partnership between International, Federal and Provincial Law Enforcement agencies, as well as regulators and private commercial organizations", RECOL is an online service for consumers to complain about identity theft and other online crimes
• Fraud and Security - E-mail Fraud: Tips from the Canadian Bankers Association on how to identify and avoid phishing attacks
• Cut the Line on Phishing Scams: Tips from Visa Canada
• Protecting your personal information: a CBC News Online report
• Phishing for gold — don't take the bait: an article with an international perspective from the Globe and Mail's technology section including hints on how to spot a fake message or website