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A Look at Website Forgery

In this day and age one of the most common of the deceptive tools that is being used by a person who is intent on committing the crime of identity theft is what is known as phishing. From a technical and legal perspective, phishing is defined as: An attempt to criminally or fraudulently acquire sensitive information ? including user names, passwords, credit card information and so forth, by masquerading as a trustworthy entity that is in business or operation today. The attempt is made through the use of an electronic communication, through the use of email or instant messaging.

One of the most common methods of effecting a phishing scheme is through the use of what is know as website forgery. The fact is that this type of scheme is amazing in its simplicity but actually very sinister and, unfortunately, very effective.

Website forgery involves the creation of a website that appears to be that of a bona fide (and normally highly respected) enterprise that is in operation on the Internet today. In some instances these website forgeries are so well done that it can be very difficult to tell the difference from the fake and the real site.

By way of the phishing process, an email or instant message is sent to an unsuspecting person … a person just like you. The phishing email is designed to appear to be a bona fide communication from a reliable and reputable business or some other type of enterprise.

The phishing email will contain a link. That link is said to be to the website of the business or other type of enterprise that the phishing email supposedly was sent from. In fact, when a person clicks on the link, that individual is carried off to the fake or forged website. Once again, as was noted a moment ago in this article, the website forgery will look like the ?real thing.?

Upon arriving at the forged website, the consumer who has linked through to the site via the phishing email of instant message will be coerced or otherwise encourage to enter personal and financial information. For example, the forged website may be designed to look like that of a reliable and reputable merchant. The consumer at the site may think he or she is making a purchase. In reality, the consumer merely is giving his or her personal and financial information to a person who is intent on stealing that consumer’s identity.

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