Technique use in Identity Theft

I found out that this video link below is quite interesting that describe how Identity Theft is being done through phising.

Sample of Phising Technique

**phishing can be define as criminally fraudulent process of attempting to acquire sensitive information such as usernames, passwords and credit card details by masquerading as a trustworthy entity in an electronic communication. Communications purporting to be from popular web sites

It is considered serious also where Malaysian Communication And Multimedia Commission (MCMC) received 40-50 emails of phishing attempts on local bank in Malaysia every day. Maybank and CIMB become the target for phising of Identity Theft.

Phising of emails usually happened in banks for example Maybank and CIMB bank where phising email is sent to user to ask for activation of bank account. Once user, click on the web page and key in there username and password and click submit. The user information will be sent to syndicate gang to use the information for crime purpose without notice to user and bank. User will notice after the fraud happened and at the end have to pay for the fraud that is charge under the user name.

Because in cyber world, identity theft is hard to be detected and the fraud method can be changed from time to time. To avoid this from keep on happening to bank users, Maybank have to inform his customers regarding the identity theft that happened and have to remind bank customers not to trust any emails that claim to be Maybank. Maybank will not send email to their customers. These emails should be treated as spam.

From my opinion, identity theft is unavoidable to bank. But if always happened to the same bank, the bank customers will lose their trust to the bank and will slowly effect the bank reputation and image.
For more information about phising in Malaysia, please visit below url
Phising Emails

Identity Theft Awareness and Prevention

In my opinion, usually in Malaysia, we don't much aware much about the impacts of Identity Theft. We will be aware only if the cyber crime really happened among our friends or relatives. So it is important to aware and prevent identity theft before identity theft really happened to use.

After browsing this website Watch Out Identity Theft, I get to know more about identity theft and some basic tips to prevent identity theft from happening.

It is indeed serious of the identity theft in Malaysia where everyday the THE MALAYSIAN COMMUNICATIONS AND MULTIMEDIA COMMISSION (MCMC) received 30 -40 complaints about ID theft over internet. This mean everyday someone become a victims of identity theft.

Because of identity theft is hard to be trace so it is wise that we are aware of identity theft and know some techniques to prevent it.

I totally agree with the above articles that suggests, it is a good reference because we seldom think of identity theft can become a serious cyber crime and do not know ways to avoid it when it happened.

1. try not to disclose any of our personal informations in cyber world, if necessary don't disclose your full name
2. if possible limits yourself from using online transactions where you can buy the items in store
3. remove your computer cache frequently especially after finished online transactions
4. contact mail master if you suspect some one using your identity
5. inform bank if you suspect some one is using your account to do transactions
6. never respond or open mails with unknown source, the mail may contains virus or spam or software to capture your identity

If you suspect you have become a victim of identity theft, you must inform:
1.the police.
2. CyberSecurity Malaysia via Malaysian Computer Emergency Response Team (MyCERT) (Tel: 03-8992-6969, Fax: 03-8945-3442, e-mail: cyber999@cybersecurity.org.myor mycert@ mycert.org.my, SMS: 019-281-3801 (24 hours), Mobile phone: 019-266-5850 (24 hours).
3. the social networking website in which you signed up for, notice them and ask them to take down any parties involved.
4. If someone is using your identification card number to create credit or new accounts, contact the National Registration Department.
5. Inform your bank and close financial accounts that may have been compromised.

Impact of Identity Theft

One type of common cyber crime is identity theft. It can be found easily in newspaper.

**Identity theft is defined as a crime in which criminal obtains other people personal information for example ID and name to obtain credit, merchandise, and services using victim's name. In this case, victims have to pay the price for something that is not done by them. While the criminal is safe from the crime they done.

Usually the impact of the crime is bad. Victim of the crime will be declared bankrupt if they don't settle the bank loan, or the money they owe. An example of identity theft, please refer below link where a woman declared bankrupt because of identity theft and she have to pay bank loan for the car she didn't buy. 

Sample of Identity Theft Case

Through this sample case raises the questions is it safe to disclose our personal informations, in the cyber world, why the criminal is undetected and why victim have to pay for the fraud didnt done by them, is there any cyber law that can protect us from Identity Theft, is our CyberLaw sufficient towards Identity Theft..  

National Information Technology Council Malaysia

Through browsing google, I get to know of National Information Technology Council Malaysia. It is very useful Malaysia organization towards ICT which gives details about CyberLaws, .my domain registry, National ICT Policies and others National ICT matters.

Below is the brief introduction of NITC. Please refer NITC for more details.

**The National Information Technology Council of Malaysia (NITC MALAYSIA) is the country’s premier organization that strategically manages ICT in the interest of the nation. The Council functions as the primary advisor and consultant to the Government on matters pertaining to ICT in Malaysia’s national development.

Types of CyberCrime

CyberCrime have many types and the crime is increasing every days causing harms to victims. Any crime that involved using computer or network is a CyberCrime.

Types of CyberCrime
1. Hacking - mean illegal access into a computer system without the permission of the computer owner/user

2. Denial of Service Attack - mean floods the bandwidth of the victim’s network or fills his e-mail box with spam mail stopping of the services heiis entitled to access

3. Virus Dissemination - mean malicious software that attachesiitself to other software and do harm

4. Software Piracy - mean illegal copying of genuine programs

5. Credit Card Fraud - mean your credit card identity has been stolen for misuse, for example identity theft

6. Net Extortion - mean copying company private and confidential data

7. Phising -  mean a technique for pulling out company like bank private and confidential informations

8. Spoofing - mean a computer that pretend to have identity of another computer

9. Cyber Defamation - mean posts insulting matters on a website

10. Threatening - mean send threatening emails

11. Salami Attack - mean make a program that can deduct small amounts of money from other people bank accounts to his own bank account without being noticed

There will be a lots more new cybercrime from time to time.

What is CyberLaw ?

Because of existence of CyberCrime in cyber world, governments have to come out rules and laws to enforce CyberCrime. So it is called CyberLaw.

**CyberLaw can be defined as a term that summarize the legal issues related to use of communicative, transactional, and distributive aspects of networked information devices and technologies.

 In Malaysia, there is a few CyberLaws. For more details about the cyberlaws, please refer this web site NITC CyberLaw. Below listed the CyberLaws of Malaysia.

1. Digital Signature Act 1997 (Purpose: provides licensing and regulation of Certification Authorities (CA))

2. Computer Crime Act 1997 (Purpose: prohibits users to enter into computers and computer systems without authorization,  prohibits users to damage or alter data/information in computers or computer systems by planting viruses or other means, prohibits users to give passwords to people who are not authorized to receive it)

3. Telemedicine Act 1997 (Purpose: provides registered doctor may practise "telemedicine" but other healthcare providers like a medical assistant, nurse or midwife must first obtain a license to do so)

4. The Copyright Ammendment Act 1997 (Purpose: amends the Copyright Act 1987 to extend copyright law to the new and converged multimedia environment)

5. The Communications and Multimedia Act 1998 (Purpose: provides for a restructuring of the converged ICT industry)

6. The Eletronic Government Activities Act 2007 (Purpose: to facilitate the electronic delivery of government services to the public)

7. Personal Data Protection Bill 2009 (Purpose: to protect the privacy of the individual and ensure that people who collect data on individuals use that data only for the purpose specified during collection)

New CyberLaw will be added from time to time to suit the CyberCrime

What is CyberCrime?

Usually in our normal lives and activities, from our childhood begin, we will get to know and aware from our parents, teachers, friends, colleagues that certain acts is wrong and will be punish by the law if we done it. For example: if we go to a shop and take an item from a shop without paying it then it is a crime. If being caught, will be sentenced to jail or fined

**Crime can be defined as an act or evil act that break rules and laws govern by the legal systems of governments.

However, in cyber world, most of us didn't aware of what is cybercrime, is there any laws for cybercrime and what is the impact towards victims of cybercrime. For example: if i use my neighbors name and ID to do transactions online and ended up my neighbors have to pay for my transactions. Then it is a type of cybercrime that is called identity theft.  Before studying Cyberlaw class, I also not aware of the cybercrime, cyberlaw and impacts of cybercrime towards victims.

**CyberCrime can be defined as a crime act that is performed through using computers or Internet. as a medium.

Please Share Comments

To anyone who visited this blog, please give any comments, feedbacks or ideas regarding Cybercrime, Cyberlaw, and Identity Theft. Thank You.

Welcome to My Cyberlaw Identity Theft Blog

Hi, Everyone.
First of all would like to welcome and thank you for coming to my blog that will discuss about any issues and topics related to Cybercrime, Cyberlaw especially Identity Theft in Malaysia and around the world.
This is my first time creating a blog. Hopes that this blog will be interesting and provide meaningful comments.