Phishing is Determined to be Bad
AUSTIN, TX - Warning signs about phishing are seen everywhere, but what exactly does phishing mean when spelled with a P-H and why are people being told to avoid it? CSAM’s own Grady Orange went phishing to find out.
"Stealing someone’s password, username, credit card number, or other confidential information by pretending to be a trusted source is what phishing with a P-H is all about," informed Mr. X, CSAM's Internet search master (ISM).
Following Mr. X’s brief overview, Grady crafted a fake e-mail message claiming to be from a local bank. The message stated that, due to a recent security breach, all bank customers must immediately reply with their username, password, and credit card number to validate their identity. Since this was Grady’s first phishing attempt, the message was sent only to his mother.
Approximately one day later, Grady received the following reply to his phishing scam:
Dear Grady,
Why are you pretending to be my bank?
If you need to borrow money for mothballs, just ask for goodness sakes!
Anyways, here is my credit card number so you can place an order online for that one brand you like.
Strawberry Orange
XXXX XXXX XXXX XXXX
Ex. XX/XX
Love,
Mom
To complete the phishing experience, Grady attempted to sell his mother’s credit card credentials online. Four hours later he received his first response. Federal officials showed up at CSAM studios and took Grady into custody.
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