FI Fraud: FBI warns of new bank-raid scheme
The USA's Federal Bureau of Investigation has identified a form of internet bank raid that starts with a phone call. Then another, then another.... and while you are busy dealing with the constant ringing of your phone, the criminals are raiding your bank account.
The phone calls are set up by an automated dialler. The purpose is to tie up your phone line and to distract you while the criminals access your bank account, having obtained your details in a phishing scam or - worse - a trojan placed on your PC that has sent all manner of personal information to the criminals.
Using the information received, the criminals falsely represent themselves as the victim i.e. you. And then they are attacking bank or even on-line trading accounts, perhaps selling shares and then setting up a different bank account to remit the funds to.
If the bank or other institution tries to contact the actual victim, they can't get through because the automated dialler has tied up the line.
The first known case was that of a Florida dentist: his accounts were raided to the tune of USD400,000. Within the past three months, the FBI says, there has been a significant upsurge in this type of attack - particularly in the Eastern states.
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