Who are the phishing scams likely to reel in? | Elements

Phishing trips: con-artists are angling for your personal information

If you are an internet junkie with a passion for online shopping, or just a frequent emailer, then you are more susceptible to email phishing according to the communications departments of four American universities.

Phishing is mediated through spam mail, the emails that fill inboxes, dodging the junk filter. The emails can contain the names of credible businesses, including banks, online shops, or even government institutions.

The emails are meant to provoke a response from the recipient. They play on fear or excitement; whatever they can inveigle the recipient into replying. Current events such a natural disasters are even used to appeal for a charitable donation, money that will most likely end up in the pocket of the scammer. People fall victim to such cons by giving out their personal information or credit card details.

This multi-centre study used an integrated information-processing model; a sample of people were presented with websites that looked to belong to financial and other online institutions. Some were real, others fake.

The participants were asked to identify the legitimate site and explain their rational for their decisions.

The increase in scam emails creeping into our inboxes is generally attributed to poor web security technologies.

Lead researcher Dr Arun Vishwanath of the University of Buffalo says the results indicate people skim read scam emails and make decisions based on simple prompts rooted within the message.

He says: ?Interestingly, urgency cues, i.e., threats and warnings, in the email stimulated increased information processing, short-circuiting the resources available for attending to other cues that could potentially help detect the deception. Our findings suggest that habitual patterns of media use combined with high levels of email load have a strong and significant influence on individuals? likelihood to be phished.?

Curiously the study also found that if you are a computer wiz kid you are no more protected than a novice. The key to protection is based on awareness of the threat and maintaining adequate spam blockers, which are crucial in the reduction of junk emails.

Security firm Trusteer, in another study of phishing, found that the threat is greater for mobile internet users. It was found that they were three times more likely so release private data compared to desktop users.

Mobile users are more often read emails as soon as they are received. Mickey Boodaei, chief executive officer at Trusteer says: ?One explanation could be that it?s harder to spot a phishing website on a mobile device than on a computer?.

The key to not getting hooked by the phishing scams appears to be simple, be vigilant with spam software and wary of official looking emails. Even the most proficient of users may be reeled in.

Image created by Stomchak

?

Other Elements articles in which you might be interested:

1. Hijackers can frame the innocent in Digital Economy Act

Source: http://www.elements-science.co.uk/2011/05/who-are-the-phishing-scams-likely-to-reel-in/

rascal flatts weather dallas higgs boson transgender simply hired alaska airlines the onion