Crime-Software Syndicates Specialize in Identity Fraud

In 2006, trade in unlawful financial information yielded greater financial rewards than selling drugs, said the Country Manager for Fortinet Australia, Charles Cote. He was delivering a speech at the Australian Media Connect Kickstart Conference that was held during second week of March and according to Pcauthority's publication on March 12, 2007. Cote held the view that professional hackers were establishing bodies of delegates who were specialized in crime software.

There is a direct link between the growth of cyber crime and the omnipresence of transactions through credit cards and online bank accounts. The cyber criminals aim to capture and steal the financial data. They do this by using virus-driven e-mails, which they send out efficiently enough and at rapid frequency.

There are various methods to obtain credit and bank account data each having its own proportions of risk, skill and expense. There are also networks of specialists in different fields who provide the resources needed for identity theft and other e-crime. Websites called 'carding forums' where cyber criminals come together readily provide user IDs and passwords.

During the fraudulent activity of carding, criminals employ a range of illegal methods to gather and re-sell financial information to third-party criminal gangs who exploit that data. Gangs involved in 'carding' are criminal specialists who collectively describe their gang's job with a unique slang word.

The cyber criminals don't work differently from each other. They are protagonists in different online crimes performing crucial, specialized functions.

There are a number of phishing tools that can be obtained at low costs. These include a scam message and a scam web page in any language, a new list of spam, a chosen bunch of php mailers to send out 100,000 spam mails over a period of six hours, a hijacked website to host the scam page briefly, and a stolen credit card needed to register a new domain name.

Law enforcement bodies are almost helpless to chase criminals outside their administration of justice. Moreover the size and volume of those crimes generally do not authorize extended action. Overall banks take care of their customers falling victim to identity theft.

Related article: Crime-Related Police Documents Leaked out Via P2P Program

» SPAMfighter News - 3/23/2007