"Data scams have kicked into high gear as markets tumble," By Byron Acohido and Jon Swartz, USA TODAY, 1/30/2009. The article leads with the following..."
Cybercriminals have launched a massive new wave of Internet-based schemes to steal personal data and carry out financial scams in an effort to take advantage of the fear and confusion created by tumbling financial markets, security specialists say. The schemes — often involving online promotions touting fake computer virus protection, get-rich scams and funny or lurid videos — already were rising last fall when financial markets took a dive. With consumers around the world panicking, the number of scams on the Web soared. The number of malicious programs circulating on the Internet tripled to more than 31,000 a day in mid-September, coinciding with the sudden collapse of the U.S. financial sector, according to Panda Security, an Internet security firm. It wasn't a coincidence, says Ryan Sherstobitoff, chief corporate evangelist at Panda. "The criminal economy is closely interrelated with our own economy," he says. "Criminal organizations closely watch market performance and adapt as needed to ensure maximum profit."" Read the ful article at: http://www.usatoday.com/tech/news/computersecurity/2009-01-28-hackers-data-scams_N.htm
Any effective crime control strategy must accomdate the many technology changes that have arisen that have on their own unleveled the playing field of cat and mouse, cop and criminal.
