he advent of the Internet they are not from their bank, but
has been a huge boon to the from someone who wants to steal
banking industry. Long information from them.
concerned about the costs of
doing business, banks have An even worse problem is that of
quickly embraced the Internet as "pharming" where malicious code
a way of doing business with directs customers who are trying
their customers without having to to find a bank's Website to a
pay employees to handle the site that the criminals have set
transactions. The Internet is up that looks just like the real
open for business 24 hours a day one. This one, however, is only
and a "teller" is always on call there to steal information.
in the form of a fully automated
system. This has led to some customers
losing money, as the crooks have
Unfortunately, certain clever been able to infiltrate their
criminals have made the very bank accounts using the stolen
notion of online banking information. An even worse
inherently risky. Using a system outcome is that there is not a
known as "phishing", these bit more unease among all
unscrupulous types have sent out consumers about engaging in
millions of e-mail messages that financial transactions online.
appear to be from legitimate
banking institutions, asking There are a number of solutions
customers for personal in the works. Some of them
information, such as usernames, involve more detailed questions
passwords, credit card numbers of customers as the log in, so
and Social Security numbers. Many that their identities can be more
people have replied to these accurately confirmed and so that
messages without realizing that the customers can be assured that
they are at the right Website. devices to the public. Internet
The hardware solutions are more commerce is still in its youth,
effective, as they require that and these problems will
the customer use a physical eventually go away as the entire
device to connect, such as a card system becomes more
that displays a number that sophisticated. In the meantime,
changes once a minute that only customers who bank online should
the real bank's server knows. The make a habit of becoming more
problems with these solutions are cautions as they use the Web for
cost and the problem of financial purposes.
physically distributing the
About the Author:
"©Copyright 2006 by Retro Marketing. Charles Essmeier is the owner of Retro Marketing, a firm devoted to informational Websites, including http://www.End-Your-Debt.com, a site devoted to debt consolidation and credit counseling.
Source: www.isnare.com
