Phishing Emails Mimic Bank of America
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NONPROFIT ORGANIZATION U.S. POSTAGE SOLVE THE PUZZLE: STUDENT TO GIVE ‘wheel of forTUNe’ A SPIN PAGE 5 PAID BAYLOR UNIVERSITY ROUNDING UP CAMPUS NEWS SINCE 1900 THE BAYLOR LARIAT THURsdaY, SEPTEMBer 20, 2007 Phishing emails mimic Bank of America By Anita Pere being sent to Baylor e-mail of America’s. As prompted, requested the wire. Accord- ents, who collect informa- Staff writer addresses. Baylor e-mail she provided her full name, ing to Adkins, the withdraw- tion when Internet users users are seeing a number of address, phone number, al had not yet been posted to sign up for e-mail lists and Many online scammers fraudulent alerts mimicking social security number, the account and she will not prizes. Helpert said before are phishing for Baylor stu- Bank of America. mother’s maiden name, debit be responsible for the with- giving out an e-mail address dents. Scammers access legiti- card number and three-digit drawal. online, users should check Phishing is the practice of mate Web sites, such as Bank security code. Helpert said he thinks the site’s privacy policy to luring unsuspecting Inter- of America, and copy their “When I first responded to phishers are getting better ensure a lack of participa- net users to a fake Web site logos and format to replicate the e-mail, I thought ‘maybe at deception. E-mail could tion in processes like this. by using authentic-looking this information in e-mails. I shouldn’t have done that,’” be identified as suspicious Some personnel at Bank e-mail with the real organi- This easily tricks trusting she said. She wrote off her if riddled with grammati- of America gave other tips for zation’s logo, in an attempt Internet users. concern until Wednesday cal errors, but Helpert said protecting yourself online. to steal passwords, financial Mineral Wells junior when she routinely checked scammers are improving to “Fraudulent e-mail usu- or personal information, or Ashtyn Adkins received her account balance online. better fool potential victims. ally has an urgent appeal (…) introduce a virus attack. such an e-mail claiming to Western Union had wired He said e-mail addresses Bank of America and most Courtesy photo Baylor Police Lt. and be from Bank of America. out $309.40 from. Adkins are often purchased from banks won’t ask you to verify criminal investigations offi- She clicked on a link in the and personnel at Bank of information clearinghouses. information this way,” said Phishing e-mails replicate a legitimate banking compa- cer Kevin Helpert reported e-mail, bringing her to a America do not know where The clearinghouses gather nies e-mail format to trick users into revealing personal cases of fraudulent e-mails Web site resembling Bank the money was wired or who information from their cli- Please see PHISH, page 6 information. Web site promotes safe surfing Business Software Alliance informs of downloading risks By Kimi Willingham Reporter It’s easy. Just a little click of the computer mouse and any student is able to download movies, music and the newest software. However, downloading this “free” material comes with repercussions. According to research conducted by the Busi- ness Software Alliance, an organization dedicated to promoting a safe and legal digital world, more than half of the students who have downloaded illegal software off the Internet have experienced computer problems and viruses. Adam Brock, assistant coordinator of resi- dential technology, said that oftentimes students will come in with viruses or pop-up ad problems because of programs advertised as free on the Internet. David Poe/Lariat staff “A lot of viruses will download other viruses,” Anita Benedict, collections manager for the Mayborn Museum, stands at the dig site where currently 25 mammoths have been identified. According to Benedict, the site was first Brock said. He also said eventually the student’s discovered in 1978 by Waco residents Paul Barron and Eddie Bufkin. computer will host 10-12 infections, which causes the computer to function extremely slowly. Brock said the viruses and pop-up ads are money markets for the originators, who may Mammoth dig raises funds to go public receive up to 5 cents each time an ad appears on an individual’s computer screen. As an aid to college students, the alliance has By Star De La Cruz now-closed Strecker Museum. Since donated $100,000, the city of Waco Young added that it’s crucial for created a Web site geared toward educating and Staff writer then, there have been ongoing stud- and McLennan County each gave the money to be raised as soon as informing students of the risk involved in attain- ies at the location, and 25 mam- $100,000 and The Baylor-Waco possible because “the elements are ing unprotected material off the Internet. Mammoths once walked where moths have been identified. Foundation gave $125,000. working against us and we have got The Web site, www.B4UCopy.com, provides Baylor students do, and fundrais- Benedict said individual mam- A climate-controlled building is to get this done.” ample resources such as videos, in-depth research ers for a geological site in Cameron moths found in other places were expensive, Young said, but neces- The site is covered with a tent to and online quizzes to prepare students for mak- Park are working to make fossils killed by humans, but this site is sary for making the site available for prevent it from water damage, but it ing the proper decisions when faced with down- of the animals available for public important because what has been viewing and scientific display. The cannot be prevented from insects, loading harmful material. viewing. found is a family group of mam- money would also fund a visitor’s heat, cold or human destruction According to the alliance’s Web site, the U.S. “It’s a wonderful site to work with moths. center, which will have information, until a climate-controlled and software industry loses billions of dollars every it. You just don’t see places like this,” Gloria Young is the advisory parking, restrooms, security and all secure environment is built. year because of online software pirates. However, said Anita Benedict, collections board and fundraising chairwom- the other facilities needed to open Waco City Manager Larry Groth instead of highlighting the effect piracy has on the manager for the Mayborn Museum, an for the Waco Mammoth Foun- the site to the public. said the fundraising should be com- industry, the alliance draws attention to the risk of during an exclusive media tour of dation, which supports the Waco Young said the construction of plete in six months, and after that participating in this illegal action. the side Wednesday afternoon. Mammoth Site along with the city the site cannot begin until another the construction of the site will take One of the many resources on the B4UCopy Benedict said in 1978, Waco resi- of Waco and Baylor. $2 million is raised. eight to 10 months. The Waco Mam- Web site is a cyber safety video geared toward dents Paul Barron and Eddie Bufkin Young said they have received “We’re applying for grants for moth Site may be open within 18 college students. It emphasizes the dangers and discovered a bone sticking out of a number of donations. Congress- foundations and individuals. Our months, he said. consequences of software piracy and software the ground. Seeing that it wasn’t a man Chet Edwards helped get the next fundraising is a general public cow bone, they contacted Baylor’s federal grant of $200,000, Baylor drive,” she said. Please see DIG, page 6 Please see VIRUS, page 6 Measure to regulate length of combat tours in Iraq fails By Anne Flaherty sored by Sen. Jim Webb, D-Va., Most Army soldiers now lar war, would agree this time The Associated Press was seen as the Democrats’ best spend about 15 months in com- around to break party ranks. shot because of its pro-military bat with 12 months home. It had already attracted three WASHINGTON— Democrats’ premise. “In blocking this bipartisan dozen co-sponsors including efforts to challenge President “The idea of winning the bill, Republicans have once Republicans Chuck Hagel of Bush’s Iraq policies were dealt a war in Iraq is beginning to get a again demonstrated that they Nebraska, Olympia Snowe of demoralizing blow Wednesday second look,” said Sen. Lindsey are more committed to protect- Maine and Gordon Smith of in the Senate after they failed to Graham, R-S.C., who led oppo- ing the president than protecting Oregon. scrape together enough support sition to the bill alongside Sen. our troops,” said Senate Majority But momentum behind the for legislation that would have John McCain, R-Ariz. Leader Harry Reid, D-Nev. bill stalled Wednesday after Sen. guaranteed troops more time at Webb’s legislation would Wednesday’s vote was the John Warner, R-Va., announced home. have required that troops spend second time in as many months he decided the consequences The 56-44 vote — four votes as much time at home training that Webb’s bill was sidetracked. would be disastrous. Warner, short of reaching the 60 needed with their units as they spend In July, a similar measure also a former longtime chairman of to advance — all but guaranteed deployed in Iraq or Afghanistan. fell four votes short of advanc- the Armed Services Committee, that Democrats would be unable Members of the National Guard ing. had voted in favor of the mea- to muster the votes to pass or Reserve would be guaranteed Democrats said they were sure in July but said he changed The Associated Press tough anti-war legislation by three years at home before being hopeful additional Republicans, year’s end.