Girl Geekette

Phishing has been around for years. Even when AOL was back in 2.0 and 2.5, you saw people using phishing scams (sometimes seen as < to represent a fish or a phish). The idea of a phishing scam is nothing more than social engineering. It is the idea of conning, or trying to get someone to divulge sensitive personal information by getting the person to beleive you are someone other than who you are.

Finally, someone is trying to do something about it. CNet News reports that Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger has signed a bill that will make it illegal for Phishers to try to scam or con for identity theft. For victims, they can file to recover $500,000 or the actual amount of damage - whichever is greater- for each violation.

This one will defiantly be interesting to watch. So many things will have to be taken into account so there are not innocent people being arrested and fined for this. Phishers can easily forge email address. If intereperated incorrectly, the headers of the email can be traced back incorrectly. (Viewing headers on an email is not normally done. This can be done differenty in different email clients. Headers are used into tracing back to the original person who sent it and where the email was sent from).

If the technology is there and the correct methods are used to trace back phishing scams to the people who do it, identity theft might be decreased. Only time will tell.

To see the full article, view it at the CNet News website