| Internet fraud is an ever-increasing form of criminal | | | | Credit Card Fraud is misappropriation, the crime of |
| offense. With more and more companies and | | | | using a credit card number by itself to make |
| individuals conducting business transactions over the | | | | purchases. |
| Internet, fraudulent solicitations and transactions using | | | | Users are tricked into disclosing their information either |
| chat rooms, websites, email, message boards, blogs, | | | | by providing it through a web form or by downloading |
| and more, have become widespread. Internet Fraud is | | | | and installing hostile computer software. User profiles |
| committed in several ways. The FBI and police | | | | and some forums can only be seen by registered |
| agencies worldwide have people assigned to combat | | | | members. These are forums that most online users |
| this type of fraud; according to figures from the FBI, | | | | should frequent. Stay away from forums that let any |
| U.S. Internet fraud is committed in several ways | | | | joker that comes by, jump in and possibly wreak |
| including email, websites, chat rooms and other online | | | | havoc. |
| forms of communication. Police agencies and the FBI | | | | Phishing attacks are frequently carried out through |
| have people assigned to fight this kind of fraud | | | | e-mails and instant messages, which appear to be |
| worldwide. | | | | from a trustworthy source such as a financial institution |
| Victims of escrow fraud are often shopping online for | | | | or an e-commerce Web site. But once the recipient |
| big-ticket items such as a used car when they come | | | | clicks on the embedded link, he or she will land on a |
| across a deal that is often too-good-to-be-true ? | | | | fraudulent Web site set up for the purpose of obtaining |
| When the buyer and seller make contact, the seller | | | | sensitive personal information such as user ID, |
| recommends using a specific third-party escrow | | | | password, and credit card and bank account |
| company in order to protect both of their interests. | | | | information. Phishing is a form of social engineering |
| Victims of identity theft can call the FTC's toll-free | | | | attack. |
| telephone number, 1-877-ID THEFT (438-4338), to | | | | But one of the most hideous frauds perpetrated on |
| report the crime and receive advice on what to do. | | | | the public is the Internet Marketing Guru who takes his |
| CRC counselors enter the victims' information about | | | | Paypal or Clickbank account, turns it into an editable |
| their experience into the Identity Theft Data | | | | document, changes his actual earning's numbers by |
| Clearinghouse, which immediately makes the | | | | inflating them....then returns the page back to it's |
| information available, through the Consumer Sentinel | | | | previous state and does a screen capture of the page |
| web site, to 174 participating domestic law | | | | with his new fake figures. All in effort to fool the |
| enforcement agencies. | | | | unsuspecting hopeful marketer, with whom the so |
| Credit/debit card fraud, computer fraud, confidence | | | | called Guru hopes to sell some worthless product. |
| fraud, and financial institutions fraud round out the top | | | | There is a video that shows how it is being done, for |
| seven categories of complaints referred to law | | | | those who may not believe this can actually happen. |
| enforcement during the year.? Credit Card Fraud | | | | The video is available at the site listed under the |
| charges may result from crimes such as, counterfeiting | | | | author's signature if you wish to go see it. The Blog |
| credit cards, using lost or stolen cards, and fraudulently | | | | post is entitled 'Giant Rip Off'. |
| acquiring credit cards through the mail. Another form of | | | | |