Users of the eBay and PayPal websites are the targets of over 75% of phishing scam emails, warns security firm Sophos.
Typically, phishing emails lead victims to a fake website that looks identical to PayPal or eBay. Their objective never changes: to steal user information and passwords.
Sophos conducted a thorough examination of the total number of phishing emails disseminated in 2006. The results were startling: 54.3% attempted to steal information from PayPal users, while the rate for eBay was 20.9%.
It is easy to understand why PayPal and eBay are prime targets for phishers. PayPal is the world’s leading online payment tool, while eBay is a massive “marketplace.”
On eBay, users tend to be more careless with their sensitive information compared to when they access banking, credit, or other financial websites.
Ironically, both PayPal and eBay are members of the Anti-Phishing Working Group, an organization established to eliminate online fraud. This group has published numerous guidelines on how to detect phishing emails.
However, it seems that PayPal and eBay have become victims of their own popularity. “Phishers prefer PayPal and eBay because both sites are well-known, widely used, and frequently visited,” stated Graham Cluley, an analyst at Sophos. “Banks are also targeted by phishing attacks, but they cannot achieve the widespread recognition that PayPal and eBay have.”
E-commerce businesses have made significant efforts to educate and protect customers from various forms of fraudulent attacks, but the best solution is for users to safeguard their own information. “Always think before you click,” Cluley advises.
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