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Catching the phishers: Government/banking taskforce targets online fraudsters 20 May 2004 Joint Media Release [Australian]
Minister for Communications, Information Technology and the Arts Minister for Justice and Customs The Australian Government is teaming up with Australia's finance industry to crack down on cyber-criminals using bogus emails to defraud online banking and finance customers. Specialist staff from Australia's major banks will be seconded to the Australian High Tech Crime Centre (AHTCC) to help investigate cases of "phishing," where online criminals use apparently legitimate emails to trick people into divulging passwords, credit card numbers and bank account details. Support for the Joint Banking and Finance Sector Investigation Team has also been provided by the Australian Bankers' Association (ABA), Mastercard, Visa International and the Credit Union Services Corporation Australia Limited (CUSCAL). The increasing use of Internet banking by business and consumers is providing a new potential avenue for high-tech fraud. This joint initiative between the AHTCC and the banking and finance sector is an important step in combating cyber-fraud and ensuring that the growing number of Australians who use Internet banking can continue to do so with confidence. The Government and the banking and finance sector will also explore ways to educate consumers about phishing. The Office of the Information Economy in the Department of Communications, Information Technology and the Arts has already prepared a background document on phishing for consumers. Phishing - Don't Take the Bait! contains practical advice on steps for consumers to protect themselves from phishing. In addition, a National Response Plan to fight cyber crime will provide a mechanism for financial institutions to report phishing incidents to the AHTCC and the Australian Computer Emergency Response Team (AusCERT) for analysis and investigation. This will enable police to swiftly contact the public, banks, telecommunications companies and Internet service providers to issue alerts on the potential threat. Today's announcement builds on the Government's tough approach to fighting email scammers by outlawing unsolicited email under the Spam Act. The AHTCC is also working with the Australian Communications Authority to attack the problem of spam - a common vehicle for delivering phishing emails. The AHTCC is hosted by the Australian Federal Police and was established last year to coordinate a national approach to fighting serious, complex and multi-jurisdictional high-tech crimes. High-tech crime, particularly directed at the business sector, is a threat to the Australian community and the economy. The Government is working on a multi-faceted approach to protect consumers and businesses from a broad and increasingly sophisticated range of illegal activity in this sector, including:
Media
inquiries: Background Paper - PhishingAustralians are increasingly using the Internet for shopping, banking and business transactions, with online access providing an easy and efficient avenue to resources and services. However, use of the Internet for fraudulent purposes is also growing. This includes the use of bogus emails to trick people into revealing personal information to enable the commission of a crime, or "phishing." "Phishing" is a technique used to gain personal information for the purposes of identity theft by using fraudulent e-mail messages that appear to come from legitimate businesses, commonly financial institutions. Phishers send authentic-looking messages are designed to lure recipients into divulging personal data such as account numbers, passwords and credit card numbers. These emails often copy legitimate logos and message formats and even include links to a website that is a convincing replica of the company's home page. Phishing emails often attempt to instil a feeling of urgency by claiming:
Australians can avoid phishing scams by being alert and employing sound practices for Internet use. These include:
More information Australian High Tech Crime Centre: http://www.ahtcc.gov.au © 2004, Commonwealth of Australia |