New Credit Card Scam

From Bruce Schneier.

“This one is clever. You receive a telephone call from someone purporting to be from your credit card company. They claim to be from something like the security and fraud department, and question you about a fake purchase for some amount close to $500.

When you say that the purchase wasn’t yours, they tell you that they’re tracking the fraudsters and that you will receive a credit. They tell you that the fraudsters are making fake purchases on cards for amounts just under $500, and that they’re on the case.

They know your account number. They know your name and address. They continue to spin the story, and eventually get you to reveal the three extra numbers on the back of your card.

That’s all they need. They then start charging your card for amounts just under $500. When you get your bill, you’re unlikely to call the credit card company because you already know that they’re on the case and that you’ll receive a credit.

It’s a really clever social engineering attack. They have to hit a lot of cards fast and then disappear, because otherwise they can be tracked, but I bet they’ve made a lot of money so far.”

FBI Exclusive: Old Moore may be a Terrorist!

Excerpt from FBI Information Bulletin No.102 dated December 24, 2003:

“ITEM II: POTENTIAL TERRORIST USE OF ALMANACS

Investigation has revealed that terrorist operatives may rely on almanacs to assist with target selection and pre-operational planning. Almanacs, available both in print and online, provide comprehensive information on a variety of topics, including government, geography, vital statistics, the economy, health matters, science and technology, weather trends, and tourism. Information commonly found in almanacs that may be exploited for terrorist use includes profiles of U.S. cities and states and information on geographic and structural features such as waterways, bridges, dams, reservoirs, tunnels, buildings, and landmarks. This information is often accompanied by photographs and maps.

The use of almanacs or maps may be the product of legitimate recreational or commercial activities; however, when combined with suspicious behavior or other information such as evidence of surveillance activities, these indicators may point to possible terrorist planning. The practice of researching potential targets is consistent with known methods of Al-Qaeda and other terrorist organizations that seek to maximize the likelihood of operational success through careful planning.

During the course of authorized searches, traffic stops, and other contacts, law enforcement officers should be alert to the potential terrorist use of almanacs for pre-operational activities. Indicators of the use of almanacs for this purpose may include suspicious notations concerning high-profile locations such as tall buildings or landmarks and references to specific dates. Agencies should report any suspected use of almanacs in this manner to their nearest FBI Joint Terrorism Task Force…”

If I put this in a novel people would think it far-fetched. Thanks to Cryptome for the link.

That Eolas suit — and its implications…

Eolas, a company with an intriguing name (‘eolas’ is Irish for ‘knowledge’) has successfully sued Microsoft for $521 million for infringing a patent Eolas holds on how plug-ins link into Internet Explorer (and browsers generally). Given that the patent applies to most browsers, people have been wondering what it might mean for them. Here’s a report which suggests that Eolas boss Michael Doyle (now there’s a good Irish name!) is a supporter of Open Source and is likely to be constructive. Phew!