FBI warns of malware targeting corporate bank accounts
Wednesday, November 4, 2009
A new report from the FBI cyber crime division said hackers have attempted theft of $100 million from online bank accounts, using sophisticated malware that steals bank account passwords.
The $100 million total attempted theft as of October 2009 has resulted in about $40 million of unrecovered losses, the Washingotn Post has reported, while the FBI is seeing "several new victim complaints and cases opened every week," the agency said in a warning published Tuesday.
The warning comes at a time when cybercriminals have created increasingly sophisticated malware that steals passwords when a victim visits their banking websites.
The FBI report warns banks and business owners to be alert to suspicious file transfer activity in online accounts set up by "money mules," people who have been hired through work-at-home scams to set up accounts and transfer funds for the criminal operation.
Another trick used by the scammers involves spear phishing scams that target individuals at their work email address, which has been taken from the company's own website. The email links to a phishing website for stealing account numbers and passwords.
Money mule transactions are typically in increments of less than $10,000 "to avoid currency transaction reporting," the FBI said.
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