New and Diverse tactics of Internet Criminals

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Will you help your friends when they are in need and ask you for helps? I guess most of us would help them whenever we can and will try our very best to help them as they are our friends. It is a very common characteristic and value which most of the human has. Sadly, those Internet criminals out there see it as a weakness of human being and start to take advantage of it to swindle others’ money. Previously in our posts, we were talking about how scammers or criminals approach you with an identity of a stranger who you are not close to. However, the ways they approach their ‘preys’ is no longer the same.

On the 16th March 2010, CNN releases Internet fraud-related news in CNNMoney.com talking about the increasing of the Internet fraud cases and some new tactics used by criminals in committing Internet frauds. Nowadays, scammers become more and more savvy and cunning as they come out with new ways to commit crimes through Internet.

"We're seeing that the criminals are using new and diverse tactics to reach out to people," Kane said. "They'll take over your account and then use your identity to ask money from friends for an emergency. Instead of coming from a stranger, it's coming from someone who is supposedly your friend." said John Kane, manager of research for the Internal Crime Complaint Center.

Now, as you can see, even the criminals are reaching out to you through the social networking sites! Perhaps it is Facebook? Twitter? Flikr or Friendster? What is more scary is that they hack into your account and use your identity to pretend as you to cheat money from your friends in your friend list without you knowledge. In the same way, they can also hack into your friend’s account and pretend as your friend to ask for financial assistance.
Imagine this, if one day, your friend in facebook who claims that he or she is having an emergency which need RM5000. You are the ONLY person that she/he trusts, so in this critical time she can’t believe anyone but YOU to help her. What will you do? Will you help her? Sometimes, in this situation, we can’t think rationally, hence, the tendency of us helping our ‘friend’ is high.

Therefore, no matter how; the first thing you should do is to calm down and think what to do next after you receive such a message from your friend who asking for money. Then, call your friend to confirm that the message is sent by your friend. If your friend insisted that do not contact her through phone, then you should be skeptical. Anyway, you must get your friends clarify everything by themselves.
Besides, to avoid your account from being hacked and taken over, create a stronger password using alpha-numerical characters. Once you get to know that your account is being hacked, you should report the case to the social networking site host and then inform all your friends that your account is being hacked so that they will not be the victims of the hacker.

References: Aaron Smith, Nigerian prince still wants your money, CNNMoney.com [Online], Retrieved on 24th March 2010, URL: http://money.cnn.com/2010/03/16/news/economy/internet_fraud_fbi/index.htm

Nigerian Advance Fee Fraud( 419 Fraud)

Link to us: http://sn.im/v1ax7

Advance fee fraud is commonly known as where an investor is asked to pay money in advance before receiving any stocks, goods or warrants in order for the deal to go through. The fee can be on many forms either by commission, regulatory fee, or even tax. Advance fee scheme normally target investors who have already purchased their goods on unsecure web sites, or through a ‘Middle Man’ website that will collect information’s about your purchasing and requires you to pay an advance fee.

The most commonly advance fee fraud is the ‘Nigerian Advance Fee Fraud’. In this scheme there will be someone pretending to be a Nigerian officer, a civil servant or a business person who will email you informing individuals to help transfer money to a Nigerian Bank account reason being to help individuals and companies to earn mutual benefits, help move millions of dollars out from the country in exchange of a higher commission and profits. They will ask about your companies letter head, address, telephone number and will also strictly inform you not to inform any officials claiming its private and confidential between both parties. If you are not careful and respond to these scheme and blindly send them your companies’ letter head, bank account number they are able to rob the victim’s bank by taking money, swamping visas or even sell to other similar criminals.

This scheme has rise tremendously therefore the US government of The U.S Secret Service have came up with laws to combat these fraud by setting up a special task force dedicating to only Nigerian Advance Fee Frauds.

Therefore be careful while opening and responding to an email. Read the content of the email properly before signing up and agreeing to something. Of you are not too sure about the content and hesitating about the truthfulness of the content don’t ignore the email by not responding or simply by deleting it. Go with your instincts.

References: U.S Securities and Exchange Commission, “Advance Fee Fraud” Schemes, Modified on January 29, 2008.

URL: http://www.sec.gov/answers/nigeria.htm

References: United States Department of State Bureau of International Narcotics and Law and Enforcement Affairs, Nigerian Advance Fee Fraud,

URL: http://www.state.gov/www/regions/africa/naffpub.pdf

Poll Result

Link to us:http://sn.im/v1ak5

It’s time for us to reveal the poll result for the last week which is about a spyware. So this question we have asked last week “Do you know what the spyware is?” There are 3 options for this question but only one option is empty vote. The shop that is empty is option 1 that says “No. Don't know what that is and haven’t even heard about it before”. This 0% shows that there is none of them that don’t know what spy ware is. As we know most of the people nowadays should know about what spyware because people nowadays use to online browsing on internet, working, studying and we are often remind through email, by friends or family to be careful of spyware that attacks our computer system. Therefore, it is impossible none of them never even heard before what spyware is about.

Besides that based on the poll result, we could also see that up to 75% of the people chose option 3 where it indicates that they had heard about it before but don’t really know what it is. This shows that many people are aware of the existence of spyware but they did not take initiative to in detail searching the details about spyware. Therefore some of them only know Spyware is a type virus that attacks our computers or some only knows about it when their computers have problems however they did not know what the real meaning about it and how it affects as well as how the spyware manage get in our computer. It might because people nowadays are too busy with their work and daily routine so since this spyware is not even consider important in part of their life they will not spend time to know so detail about it. When their computers have problem they will just send to the computer technical shop to work it out.

Lastly, actually only a 25% of them really understand and know what is the meaning of spyware really is. This is where the participants choose 2nd option which is “Yes. I know about it and have it on my computer”. These people maybe the ones that really have high interest towards computer programs and details

Computer fraud

Link to us:http://sn.im/uxjxc

URL:http://computersafetytips.files.wordpress.com/2010/01/computer-fraud.jpg

Have you ever wondered why your boss knows that you had copied company’s top secret files and in the end getting you fired? Have you ever encountered a situation where your friends told you that you have been online during the day but actually you were not? Or have you ever found that a bank called you because you have transfer all your money to another account through online but actually you didn’t?

These situations above are very common in our daily life no matter you realize or not. Even if it never happens on you, I bet you have heard of this situation before. We must ‘thanks’ spyware for its help. Spyware is some kind of program that might send your personal information in your computer to another computer in extreme details, including your key strokes. Isn’t this illegal? Most of the time, you are the one who agreed, downloaded and installed into your computer. You didn’t? Spyware is just everywhere and approximately 90% of computers that use internet are infected by spyware. Some programs include spyware and most people just don’t even bother to go through the terms and conditions especially when it is free. You can’t do anything if it is your company’s computer because the computer belongs to them, not you but there are protocols for them in using spyware. So, don’t worry.

The disaster that might cause by spyware is can’t be predicted but can be described with a word, devastated. I believe computer had become an essential part in our life as we used it to store our information due to convenience. For hackers, it is just a gold mine. With the help of spyware, it just makes hacker’s life easier. All they need to do is just waiting for you to type in your personal information such as password and account number. Therefore they can gain access to your account and your life by just a few clicks. Spyware can destroy your data, bankrupt you in a second and duplicate your identification. Maybe one day you will find out that there is another person with your name, living your life, using your money and committing crime on your behalf.

When there is a problem, people will try to counteract the problem with a solution. With suitable anti-spyware program, most of the spyware will be detected immediately. It can detect and eliminate the incoming spyware before it can do any damages. As the technology is getting advanced, there isn’t any anti-spyware program which can filter and detect all the spyware available as there will always have a new spyware created to sneak into your computer. The best solution is constantly update your anti-spyware system and be extremely cautious with your internet surfing and program installation.
Good luck…

Chiw

Internet Laws

Link to us: http://sn.im/uw578

Internet fraud are cases are just rising as year goes by. Time after time there are innocent victims losing all they have as for this many acts have been implemented to combat this issue .There are many laws in the country that are created. Different country has different acts for different frauds. In Malaysia, there is a special department build by the government which is the Malaysian Communication And Multimedia Commission (SKMM) to over look, monitor, and to enforce the communications and multimedia laws in Malaysia. In the year 1998 the Malaysia Communications and Multimedia Commission act 1998(MCMCA) was created and implemented.

In Malaysia there’s is no laws solely for internet or regarding internet frauds but it is all categorized under SKMM. Any complaints will go directly to them. Consumer can lodge their complaints to them. they deal with all means of communication problems, from broadcasting, internet to postal services. Consumer can either lodge a complaint online where a consumer forum of Malaysia (CFM) is set up for consumers educating about their rights and also protecting the rights, consumer will be able to exchange view and have discussions about any related topic. CFM was established in 2001 as a society as a representation of all parties. In CFM there’s a Complaint Portal established (CoP)to help users lodged resolved complaints regarding their communications and multimedia services. Consumer can lodge their reports in two ways first by login in to CFM and sending a compliant through online or dialing up their consumer hotline to lodge a report.

Everyone should know the existence of this law and do not get fooled easily by all these irresponsible scammers trying their ways to get into your accounts stealing personal information’s and so on. Be careful and always educate yourself with basic consumer rights and tips and precautions to avoid from being scammed for your good.

References: The Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commissions

URL: http://www.skmm.gov.my/
References: Communications and Multimedia, Consumer Forum of Malaysia
URL: http://www.cfm.org.my/

Weekly Poll Result

Link to us: http://sn.im/uvff2

The poll result of last week is out! There are two draws and one empty vote among four options. The poll question sounds like this: Do you know about the techniques of Internet hacking? The option with the highest vote is ‘No. I do not know how to hack’; which has 64%. Apparently, most of the voters do not know about the techniques to hack but they know what Internet hacking is.

There are two options that have a draw- ‘Certainly. I’m good in Internet hacking’ and ‘Yes. I know some basic techniques in internet hacking’ where both of the options have 18% of votes. From the result, we can say that there are altogether 36% of voters who know about the techniques of hacking. Some is good in it whereas some of them just know a few basic hacking techniques.

On the other hand, none of the voters vote for the last option which is- ‘No. I do not know what hacking is’. It is a good a sign that shows that the readers of our blog or voters are aware of the Internet hacking and learn about it.

^^ErIcA^^

Fake Diploma and Degree cert on internet

Link to us: http://snipr.com/usqzu

URL: http://www.phonydiploma.com/Images/Product%20Images/Certificates/Any-Fake-Certificate.jpg

Life has change. Now it is even harder day by day to maintain or move on our life as the world now no matter anywhere you are is becoming more and more competitive. Each and anyone of us will wish to live in an up to date life so they work even want to work even harder than other people but when there is challenger they will hope to beat them up and become the best among the best so that they can get maximum benefits and rewards in life. For example, all parents from young will often send their children to tuition, classes like piano, ballet, and many more type follow by school too.

Children nowadays no longer like children in the pass 20 to 30 years behind. They now no longer have very excitement childhood like the children before. Since young they have already expose too many kinds of challengers and also heavy timetable and they are just so use to it. Therefore children lately have much more better result than before as this is a purpose for them to get an entry to enter high school, university and also work. Therefore many children and parents will force themselves to work for the best only.

Like now, many big companies or enterprise include government department also choose the best people to work for them. As now there are more and more people with good grades graduate from universities and also a holder of degree, master or PHD. However jobs are limited so this had make the qualifications become high and higher when they want to hired someone to work for them. In the past we only able to see the requirement need for a clerk maybe someone who had finish form 3 or form 5 which able to speak English and Malay for most but now the world had change even a general clerk must be someone who had finish their studies in secondary school with passes in their form 5 examinations and above. It will be best if there is someone who able to speak more than three general language like English, Malay and Mandarin with other alternatives like Indian language, Spanish, Japanese or Korean for those company who had business transaction with companies in other countries.

Due to all these reasons, for certain people who are slightly weaker than those people that manage to adapt to the world change so fast they will try to use other alternatives to get at least a work to survive in such competitive world advancement. The best way now is many people are using fake certificates which are not qualified by recognized university to get an entry to the company and many companies end up hired people who are not qualified to work with the job offered which end up brings the company business in danger. Those people are so desperate to get a job by using such method and don’t mind using money to get it as it will be definitely cheaper for them to do it and faster for them to complete the course compared to the original course.

Many cases had happen as there are many frauds create by some people to con the desperate victims who are having such difficulties and all these people that get con are people who had problems in life and also greedy that’s why this frauds can be effective to them. Sometime when we on computer and surf the internet we can see some pop up like “How to get a degree in three months time” or “How to get a degree for RM300” or even “Do you want to get a better life then join us”. Common sense a degree will need at least 3years to complete how would it be possible for it to complete in three months time? Although local university fees may be cheap but how can you complete a degree for only RM300? Besides that to get a better life, do you think we will have to have a degree? Even you have a degree it may not able to lead you in a better life right? All these are just so impossible but people use to believe it. As the greediness attitude in their heart had make them believe such impossible statement, articles and pop ups.

Remember that nothing comes easy if we don’t work hard to get it. Never ever try to think of short cuts as short cut may not be the best solution in life and it may lead you to certain type of crimes and this will be the killer of yourself in life. If this really happen you may not get any trust from anyone in any companies. Remember that good or bad information’s are easily being spread around with the advancement of technologies. It is impossible you will runaway in such problem and this will make your name and identity bad forever. Isn’t it not worth at all just because of some greediness you lose your whole life?

In this world there are also many types of ways to work out our life. Not everyone who study in the area like business, law or even medical only will get better life. If you are not able to study for areas of study then, work in another area which use or learn to do more handworks than theoretical studies for example like technician or mechanics. Although some they don’t offer certificates but you can work or do examples to prove to your boss or management in the companies. This can also make you work longer and work happily in life. When you like your job you will probably work harder and you will think it is easier for you compare to work hard and pressure yourselves in areas that do not suits you.

Therefore, we must always remember nothing comes easily. Do what we can by using our own ability not by using short cuts ways. If we will able to do so those frauds online will not able to attract us and when there are problems for sure they will not come out to admit and you will end up have to suffer for all these unnecessary pressures and problems. IT IS JUST SO NOT WORTH IT. ALWAYS think before YOU DO.

Reference:Eyal Ben Cohen, Accredibase Report exposes multi-billion dollar international fake diploma fraud, Newswire, [Online], Retrieved on 11 March 2010.
URL:http://www.mmdnewswire.com/fake-diploma-fraud-6729.html

Reference:Kristina,How to buy a right fake Degree, Articlesnatch, [Online], Retrieved on 12 March 2010.
URL:http://www.articlesnatch.com/Article/How-To-Buy-The-Right-Fake-Degree-/996744

Reference:Accredibase Report exposes international fake degree fraud, The home of UK recruitment news, [Online], Retrieved on 12March 2010.
URL:http://www.recnews.co.uk/index.php/2010/01/25/accredibase-report-exposes-international-fake-degree-fraud/

*Chiw*