Sophos warns of online crime wave

AN INTERNET security firm has warned British businesses to brace themselves for a new crime wave from do-it-yourself online fraud kits which are now available to be downloaded from the web.

Sophos sounded the alarm to businesses and consumers about this new line of 'phishing' tackle. Phishing is when fraudsters use random emails that direct recipients to what appear to be the websites of reputable financial institutions and ask them to reveal account details, passwords and Pins for cash machines.

In fact, these are spoof websites set up by criminals to steal banking details. Estimates are that businesses have had millions stolen in various phishing scams and the websites of Barclays, NatWest, Lloyds TSB, Halifax, Nationwide, Citibank and MBNA have been targeted.

Sophos says would-be fraudsters surfing the web can now get their hands on these kits, launch their own phishing attack and potentially defraud computer users of the contents of their bank accounts.