In late 2003, phishers registered dozens of domains that resembled legitimate sites such as eBay and PayPal. They used e-mail programs to send fraudulent e-mails to PayPal customers. These customers were directed to hacker sites and asked to update their credit card and other credentials.
Phishing e-mail using Paypal's name and redirecting to a fraudulent site
In early 2004, phishers enjoyed considerable success, particularly in attacking banking sites and their customers. Pop-up windows were used to obtain sensitive information from victims.
Years: 2004 2005
Between May 2004 and May 2005, around 1.2 million users in the USA suffered losses caused by phishing, for a total of around $929 million. Organizations lose around $2 billion a year to phishing.
Phishing is officially recognized as a fully organized part of the black market. Specialized software capable of processing phishing payments is appearing on a global scale, externalizing a huge risk. This software is used in phishing campaigns by organized criminal gangs.
Year: 2008
At the end of 2008, bitcoin and other crypto-currencies were launched. Transactions carried out using malware can now be secure and anonymous, changing the game for cybercriminals.
