Phishing Explained

What is Computer Identity Theft?

Identity Theft resulting from Computer Fraud is a classification of criminal activity that entails the proliferation of fraudulent activity taking place through the facilitation of electronic, online, computational, or Internet-based settings. In certain cases, identity theft undertaken through the implementation of electronic systems has been classified as ‘Wire Fraud’, which results from the visible wiring and circuitry present in electronics. Regardless of its presence within a virtual setting, computer-based identity theft operations typically mirror the vast expanse of methodologies.

What is Electronic Identity Theft?

Electronic Identity Theft is defined criminal act of fraudulently obtaining the personal information belonging to another individual within the realm of a computer or electronic setting. Typically, upon unlawfully obtaining this type of electronic data, the individual facilitating electronic identity theft will undergo the process of assuming the identity of the victim; this theft of identity takes place without the expressed consent of the victim.

In many cases, an individual committing identity theft will utilize deceptive means – within an electronic or computational setting - in order to gain access to the personal and private information belonging to another individual; this process may be achieved through a variety of methods involving electronic data theft.

How Does Electronic Data and Identity Theft Take Place?

The illegal possession of information, data, or records belonging to another individual or entity through the illicit use of a computer, which may undertake methods involving the disbursement of unsecured and fraudulent programs or documentation not only with the intent defraud, but also to unethically obtain personal and private information in its electronic form.

Electronic identity Theft may include Spamming, Phishing, and the installation of Spyware. Subsequent to the facilitation of this method of intrusive and illegal entry into electronic databases housing personal records, the individual committing identity theft will typically pose as that individual, unlawfully acting in that person’s place in order to achieve economic gain through a variety of means.

Electronic Data Theft Profile: Phishing

The criminal activity known as Phishing is classified as a variety of fraud that exists within a digital, virtual, or computational setting. Phishing is the unlawful, unethical, and illegal methodology facilitated by individuals with the intention of soliciting private, personal, and privileged information from individuals unfamiliar, unsuspecting, or unaware of the Phishing operation taking place.

Phishing is facilitated as both a communicative and online crime in which individuals – colloquially known as ‘Phishers’ – will employ deceptive, fraudulent, and misrepresentative means of electronic communication. These types of communication will be unlawfully dispersed throughout the communicative channels existing within the vast realm of Internet to a multitude of email addresses.

How Does Phishing Identity Theft Work?

Phishing Communications can emulate forms used by recognizable companies, as well as communications unlawfully sent from a hijacked email account belonging to friend or acquaintance of the victim. Typically, these communications will engage victims to transmit classified details - which can include personal and financial information – back to the facilitator of this type of identity theft operation. A successful Phishing operation results in the attainment of personal and private information that can be used for illegal economic gain or exploitative measures:

Email-based Phishing Fraudulent Solicitation: Fraudulent email addresses emulating those of reputable companies and business will be created within a Phishing Scam in order to solicit financial or account information

Email-based Phishing Exploitative Pleas: Oftentimes, these emails will convey a message stating a dire or emergency situation in which the ‘assistance’ of the victim is required in lieu of negative recourse; these types of electronic identity theft methodologies are undertaken by preying upon the compassion latent within their victims – once personal or private information is attained, the perpetrators may engage in identity theft upon fraudulently utilizing the unlawfully-acquired information

Phishing is a criminal act of fraud involves the illegal and unlawful attempt of to attain restricted, unauthorized, and privileged information through means of fraudulent, communicative requests

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