AOL sues major “phishers”

America Online Inc. has filed three lawsuits against “several major phishing gangs” who trick users into revealing their online identities and other sensitive information, the technology website Vnunet.com reported.

The lawsuits seek US$ 18 mln in damages and mark the first time a major internet service provider has taken advantage of a July 2005 anti-phishing law.

AOL claims in the lawsuits that the phishing gangs victimised AOL and CompuServe members through emails that attempted to drive them to bogus websites that mimicked the appearance and feel of official AOL or CompuServe sites and other prominent internet sites.

The lawsuit claimed that the gangs designed hundreds of fake websites to mislead consumers. Once at the fake websites, AOL and CompuServe members were prompted to enter their screen names, passwords, billing and other financial information.

The phishers then used this information to traffic in stolen identities, compromise credit cards and steal the personal identities of unsuspecting internet users.