muckshifter
09-01-04, 06:05 PM
Online shoppers are being warned to look out for fraudulent websites dressed up as a real business.
The warning comes after a number of consumers were ripped off by Unlockedphones-uk.com, which claimed to sell mobile phones at knock-down prices. The site, which has now been closed, took consumers’ money but failed to deliver the goods.
Unlockedphones-uk.com gave a genuine address and conned people by faking the usual hallmarks of reliable online trading. It carried fake VeriSign and TRUSTe shopping site certificates, which had been copied from Yahoo website.
It also displayed the golden padlock icon that indicates a website uses a secure connection and had ‘https:’ at the beginning of its address … another sign of a secure site.
Steve Roylance of security specialist company Comodo, explained: “People can fake the certificates, logos, icons and the http address. They can also buy genuine certificates from resellers who carry out limited checks.”
A ‘customer’ had to cancel all his credit cards after ordering from the fake site. “The site looked genuine, the address was genuine and when I clicked to buy a phone, the page came up as a secure page. I am meant to be able to trust this but now I don’t” he said.
Detective sergeant Steve Santorelli of Scotland Yard, who is heading up the investigation into Unlockedphones-uk.com warned people to always be wary of unrealistic prices: “If it looks to good to be true, then it is” he said.
How to spot a phoney retail website
Online shoppers should always double-click on the padlock icon that appears in the web browser for a secure site … if nothing shows up it is a fake. If a window appears, read the details and look for the issuer and subject. An error message will appear if the security certificate does not belong to the site shown.
Tools are available to help check a website’s credentials. Comodo has released free software called “Trusttoolbar” and “VerificationEngine” to help consumers verify websites. Running VerificationEngine lets you verify that the site you are visiting can be trusted.
www.trusttoolbar.com
www.vengine.com
The warning comes after a number of consumers were ripped off by Unlockedphones-uk.com, which claimed to sell mobile phones at knock-down prices. The site, which has now been closed, took consumers’ money but failed to deliver the goods.
Unlockedphones-uk.com gave a genuine address and conned people by faking the usual hallmarks of reliable online trading. It carried fake VeriSign and TRUSTe shopping site certificates, which had been copied from Yahoo website.
It also displayed the golden padlock icon that indicates a website uses a secure connection and had ‘https:’ at the beginning of its address … another sign of a secure site.
Steve Roylance of security specialist company Comodo, explained: “People can fake the certificates, logos, icons and the http address. They can also buy genuine certificates from resellers who carry out limited checks.”
A ‘customer’ had to cancel all his credit cards after ordering from the fake site. “The site looked genuine, the address was genuine and when I clicked to buy a phone, the page came up as a secure page. I am meant to be able to trust this but now I don’t” he said.
Detective sergeant Steve Santorelli of Scotland Yard, who is heading up the investigation into Unlockedphones-uk.com warned people to always be wary of unrealistic prices: “If it looks to good to be true, then it is” he said.
How to spot a phoney retail website
Online shoppers should always double-click on the padlock icon that appears in the web browser for a secure site … if nothing shows up it is a fake. If a window appears, read the details and look for the issuer and subject. An error message will appear if the security certificate does not belong to the site shown.
Tools are available to help check a website’s credentials. Comodo has released free software called “Trusttoolbar” and “VerificationEngine” to help consumers verify websites. Running VerificationEngine lets you verify that the site you are visiting can be trusted.
www.trusttoolbar.com
www.vengine.com