funsec mailing list archives
ID theft set to double in Britain in next three years]
From: Randy Mueller <randallm () fidmail com>
Date: Fri, 03 Nov 2006 11:11:03 -0600
DrSolly!!!!! move to America!!! -------- Original Message --------Subject: Viruslist.com - News - ID theft set to double in Britain in next three years
Date: Wed, 1 Nov 2006 20:50:24 +0300 (MSK) From: news () kaspersky com To: vlnews_plain_en () list kaspersky com *ID theft set to double in Britain in next three years 1 Nov 2006* ***** Identity theft is quickly becoming an increasingly widespread and costly crime. A new report released in the United Kingdom has revealed that despite the number of victims in Britain already reaching 100,000, it is set to rise even further, with up to 200,000 victims of ID theft expected by 2010. Since the identity of each Briton on average could yield as much as GBP85,000 to ID thieves, such a massive jump in the number of victims is not surprising at all. This significant sum, which so attracts cybercriminals, is mostly made up of the average GBP14,000 on existing balances in peoples credit and debit cards and GBP60,000 that can be accessed via new credit lines. Criminals can make the rest by selling these identities (passports, driving licences etc.) and services that require counterfeit or stolen documents, such as sham marriages for immigration purposes. The ID theft industry in Britain is now worth GBP1.7 billion to criminals, and is all set to reach the GBP4 billion mark by 2010. One of the major means to harvest personal data for the new breed of criminals is the Internet, which allows cybercrooks to gather a lot of information, be it from trawling openly available sources or by using dedicated malware and scamming methods such as phishing. The new study has revealed that people still do not exercise the necessary caution when online, with 12 percent willing to disclose their bank details on the Internet, compared to only 2 percent in person. A similar situation, if not even more significant, occurs when people are asked to give out their home address. Some 70 percent of users would do that online, compared to only about 25 percent who are asked to do so on the phone. The Internet has become a huge information and private data drain, and more people are falling victims of crimes committed because they revealed too much about themselves online. With a culture of easy credits and a significant demand for fake documents, ID theft means easy pickings for cybercriminals, who increasingly can find all the information they need on the Internet and siphon off funds even without leaving the comfort of their own home. But if someone is willing to openly disclose his or her personal details online, not even a patched operating system, fully updated antivirus package and firewall may be able to help. *****
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Current thread:
- ID theft set to double in Britain in next three years] Randy Mueller (Nov 03)
- Re: ID theft set to double in Britain in next three years] David Lodge (Nov 03)
- Re: ID theft set to double in Britain in next three years] Drsolly (Nov 03)
- Re: ID theft set to double in Britain in next three years] Kevin McAleavey (Nov 03)
- RE: ID theft set to double in Britain in next three years] Randall M (Nov 05)
- Re: ID theft set to double in Britain in next three years] Drsolly (Nov 03)
- Re: ID theft set to double in Britain in next three years] David Lodge (Nov 03)