Online Marketers Accused of Swindling Consumers in $450M Scheme

The Federal Trade Commission has filed a complaint against an online operation that allegedly raked in more than $450 million from consumers in the United States and overseas by luring them into “free” or “risk-free” offers, and then charging them for products and services they did not agree to buy.

“The defendants used the lure of a ‘free’ offer to open an illegal pipeline to consumers’…

Romanian Conman Pleads Guilty to Defrauding Online Bidders

A Romanian man has pleaded guilty to one count each of wire fraud and conspiracy for his role in moving and hiding the illegal proceeds of an international fraud that targeted Internet bidders.

Court documents say 33-year-old Adrian Ghighina of Bucharest, Romania, came to the United States in 2004 acting as a money mule in an online fraud conspiracy. Ghighina’s co-conspirators created fake online auctions for expensive…

Survey: Online Fraud, Privacy Violations Top Biggest Internet Fears

Worried about your job or going broke? If you live in the United States, chances are online privacy violations are bigger concerns than being unemployed or declaring bankruptcy, according to a new survey by Opera Software.

Americans worry more about having their online privacy violated (25 percent) than declaring bankruptcy (23 percent)…

Cyber Crime on the Rise in Spain

Authorities in Malaga, Spain, have reported that child pornography and fraud account for more than half of cyber crime, Euro Weekly reports.

Since its creation more than 18 months ago, the Computer Crime Service of Malaga Public Prosecutor’s Office has  investigated almost 500 crimes. More than half of cases were related to fraud and the possession or distribution of child pornography. The remaining cases involved mainly slander,…

Ebay Employees Targeted by Spear-Phishing Attack

Romanian authorities have arrested a man suspected of stealing more than $3 million through a series of computer crimes that included phishing attacks targeting eBay employees, The Register reports.

Liviu Mihail Concioiu allegedly masterminded two phishing attacks targeting eBay employees. Although it is unknown how many eBay workers fell for the ploy, a computer-forensics expert said it appears the alleged spear phisher bagged credentials for …

Woman Painted, Drugged Horses before Selling Them Online

A California woman has plead guilty to a federal fraud charge, admitting she used the Internet to defraud would-be buyers of horses from across the nation.

Prosecutors said Kenney offered horses for sale in online advertisements, making false claims of the horses’ breeds, pedigrees, abilities and temperaments. Kenney admitted to lying about the horses’ health, and that purchasers would be protected by a “money-back” satisfaction guarantee.

Kenney…