“Cyber security in the era of
web 2.0”
April 7, 2009,
Bucharest, Romania
By Albena Spasova
Agenda:
Advanced Fee Fraud
Work at home scheme
Victims and offenders
Challenges
Popular fraud schemes
Advanced fee fraud
Fraud on classified sites and
ecommerce
Marrying schemes
Counterfeits
Money laundering
Account Theft – Move the
Money
People are often hesitant to send money
cross-border
The criminals will use intermediaries to
collect the money (often unknowingly)
Following the money can be difficult
Business Opportunity/"Work-
at-Home" Schemes Online
Fraudulent schemes often use the Internet
to advertise business opportunities that will
allow individuals to earn thousands of
dollars a month in "work-at-home"
ventures. These schemes typically require
the individuals to pay anywhere from $35 to
several hundred dollars or more, but fail to
deliver the materials or information that
would be needed to make the work-at-home
opportunity a potentially viable business.
Business Opportunity/"Work-
at-Home" Schemes Online
U.S. job postings on Monster, CareerBuilder, and
even local classifieds (sites are VERY cooperative on
this issue)
Titled Shipping Agent, Accounts Manager, Shipping
Manager and other lofty titles
Applicants then receive illicit funds or packages to be
sent overseas
Their job applications are sometimes used to
facilitate Identity Theft
Multiple eCommerce sites are being targeted
Business Opportunity/"Work-at-
Home" Schemes Online
Latest Trends:
Use of
contract to aid
in facilitating ID
Theft
Targeting
Job Seekers
through email
Business Opportunity/"Work-at-
Home" Schemes Online
Difficult to detect until victim reports or buyer
reports non-delivery of goods. Any ideas?
Law enforcement priority? Arrest mules or are
they victims?
Simple case: Mule receives funds and sends via
Western Union
Difficult case: Mule receives funds and sends via
online payment system to another individual who
withdraws funds to bank sends to another account
within bank and then to another online payment
system account
Advanced Fee Fraud – new
challenges
Call from a Barrister in London
Affidavit
Death Certificate – to make it look
real
Stop Order – adds presure
Challenges
Where do you report the crime?
Will law enforcement investigate it?
Will you get your money back?
What should you do?
New Scheme:
Rob is an eBay power seller and lives in a
large city in the US. Rob saw a half page
ad in the main newspaper for his city that
said eBay sellers could earn extra income
by selling goods for a drop shipper. The
ad implied that sellers would become
employees of this company and included an
800 number to sign up. Rob called the 800
number and spoke to someone about
becoming a seller.
Challenges
Toll free number
You speak to a person
You sign a contract
Is the ad real?
Where do you report?
Obstacles for law enforcement in
detecting and tracking criminals
New challenges
Anonymity
Spoofing
Anonymity software
Proxy servers
Encryption
Location
Police! Open up!
Faceless victims
Example:
1. stealing one’s credit card details from
a hacking intrusion or manipulative
deception
2. “shoulder surfing” at an ATM for
discovering the PIN and then mugging them
for their credit card
Offenders
Motives
Hackers
Organized crime
Lower level criminals
Industrial spies and foreign governments
Terrorists
Employees
Sophisticated perpetrators
Eastern Europe
Problem with detection
Motives
Profit in way of other gain – competitive
advantage, obtaining information, service
theft, avoidance of payment for products
and services
Political
Curious mind
Malice
Mischief
Personal stimulation (feeling of power)
Contact information:
Albena Spasova
albaadvisors@gmail.com
Skype: albenaspasova
Cell: +32 473 111 721