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Topic: Will phishing, ID theft, etc. kill the internet? |
Tony Palmer
From:
St Augustine,FL
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Posted 21 Dec 2005 7:01 am |
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The scammers and phishers are getting more clever all the time.
It is getting so even very experienced computer users are "almost" getting tricked.
If you're reading this section, you're already ahead of the curve, but what about the thousands of new users who have email accounts and are bombarded with pleas for money, fake notices from ebay, paypal, the IRS, AOL, etc.
Will using the internet become so (financially) dangerous that it no longer can function? |
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John Bresler R.I.P.
From:
Thornton, Colorado
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Posted 21 Dec 2005 8:39 am
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I think that people need more education about internet fraud. I also believe that our legislatures need to step up to the plate and make some of these things real felonies with real jail time and heavy fines. The virus folks are a very sick group that need to be dealt with heavily. They cost the American consumer millions of dollars every year.
my $.02 worth.
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Ray Minich
From:
Bradford, Pa. Frozen Tundra
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Posted 21 Dec 2005 10:24 am
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It won't kill the internet or E-Business, but the easy simple non-encrypted non-verifyiable stuff will be always risky.
The bad guys will always be looking for a free $$ because no company can afford to fund the level of development, to make a hardened system, that will withstand the barrage of hacking hours that will be spent for free trying to break it. |
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Mark van Allen
From:
Watkinsville, Ga. USA
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Posted 21 Dec 2005 10:34 am
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I find myself trying to picture or imagine the person who spends all that time and energy to write the code that is trying to steal from, hack into, or just crash my computer world. I know people are proud of their hacking skills, and as vile as it is, I can somewhat understand the motivation for financial gain. But I'll never get just trying to ruin the work and hardware of someone you'll never meet. There's something seriously wrong with a growing segment of our society. I'm not sure punishments will cure the problem. Pretty dificult to legislate morality.
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Stop by the Steel Store at: www.markvanallen.com
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Gene Jones
From:
Oklahoma City, OK USA, (deceased)
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Posted 21 Dec 2005 12:09 pm
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Just a thought...but, it might be more beneficial to require a "test" before a newbie can use the internet....to preclude harm to himself and others.
The "test", which would result in a license to use the internet, would serve the same purpose as the test to drive an automobile, and that is...to eliminate harm to themselves or others.
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Tony Palmer
From:
St Augustine,FL
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Posted 21 Dec 2005 2:39 pm
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I got an email from an "artist" in England who is trying to sell his artwork in the USA but gets US Postal money orders for payment, which he has trouble cashing!
He'd like to make me a partner and collect 10% for each transaction!!
It's this kind of relentless $#!& that keeps coming every day, that sooner or later, will trap a newbie into parting with his money.
If there's enough of these scams successfully carried out, and not prosecuted, they will make anyone with an email address a potential victim.
Couple this with the constant threat of identity theft and I think the internet will become the playground exclusively of thieves, cheats and worse....
I think in a few years we will look back fondly to today when the internet was mostly "safe". |
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Dave Boothroyd
From:
Staffordshire Moorlands
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Posted 22 Dec 2005 12:22 am
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That's an easy one Tony,
Tell him to set up a Paypal account for his payments from the US - but say that you will need to know his user name and password.
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Cheers!
Dave
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Mark Vinbury
From:
N. Kingstown, Rhode Island, USA
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Posted 22 Dec 2005 12:31 am
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I just wonder how many of these phishing scams actualy catch any phish.You'd have to be very unaware to miss the warnings all over the Internet.You can't protect everyone from everything.
Maybe the Internet Providers need to be accountable when someone who doesn't have the where-with-all gets taken.If I'm not mistaken they make money from the phishers.
Maybe there should be a limit to the number of eMails you can send without being charged.
Seems like there must be some way to limit these mass mailings.
Oh ...and by the way........
We here at Safer Computing in AMerica
Insurance Co. are proud to offer SCAM Insurance. Email us today to sign up for automatic payment withdrawal.
For only $140 / month you'll be fully covered in the event of any unpleasant Internet experience.
And for those of you who prefer a "pro active" solution ----
We, and our associate, American Power Diversion can now offer you the latest edition of our already popular BACKFIRE software.
Now you can send a clear 10,000Volt message back through the line to anyone causing you or your family any concern.
[This message was edited by Mark Vinbury on 22 December 2005 at 06:21 AM.] |
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Ray Minich
From:
Bradford, Pa. Frozen Tundra
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Posted 22 Dec 2005 4:23 am
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Mark, I'm just gonna give Snoop Dog my credit card number so's I can get one of them "Girls Gone Wild" videos. Then I'll order some of those miracle pills that make things grow bigger, and put hair where it's not.
Try getting those (what then becomes) monthly charges removed from your credit card.[This message was edited by Ray Minich on 22 December 2005 at 04:24 AM.] |
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Mark Vinbury
From:
N. Kingstown, Rhode Island, USA
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Posted 22 Dec 2005 5:49 am
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Ray--Sounds like you need the----
-----AIeeeeeee!!! CHIHUAHUA ----- upgrade to our BACKFIRE Software.
Hangs in there and keeps Backfiring the 10,000Volts every month untill they cut that crap out.
[This message was edited by Mark Vinbury on 22 December 2005 at 06:23 AM.] |
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