Phishing attacks on US linked to Chinese bank

0 Comments | AFP, March, 2006

WASHINGTON (AFP) — A series of fake e-mails designed to lure US bank customers to give up sensitive personal and account information have been linked to an Internet site assigned to a state-owned Chinese bank, security experts said.

The e-mails circulating in recent days offer customers of Chase Manhattan Bank a 20 dollar "reward" for filling out on online survey, according to security firms that monitor such schemes.

The schemes are the latest variety of frauds known as "phishing," or luring users to fake websites to divulge personal or financial account information that can be used by hackers or for simple theft.

Experts at the British security firm Netcraft said the users responding to the fake Chase e-mails first detected Saturday were "directed to sites...