Just got this story forwarded to me and figured with the possibility of Internet phishing attempts and scams being used to gather credit cards numbers, it would apply to those of always seeking to uncover something new on “the Tubes”.
It appears that credit card thieves are getting a generous streak. Don’t be fooled though, it’s not out of the goodwill in their hearts, it’s out of the need to test for legitimate card numbers being in their possession without drawing too much attention to themselves.
Carders attempting to verify that a stolen credit card is legitimate and active have begun donating money to charity. By attempting to pay small amounts of money to various charities, including well known charities such as the Red Cross, carders can determine if a stolen credit card is valid depending on the success or failure of the transaction.
Makes sense to me, and that’s just sad. How much do you worry about ID theft? Do you know how to look for phishing scams? Maybe I’ll do a follow-up post later the next time I get a phishing e-mail and show you what to look for to protect yourself.
Source: Scammers make friends with charities (Thanks Mike!)