What Happens when Victims Report Phishing Websites?
There is much hue and cry about awareness on internet scam prevention and reporting of fake mails and websites to the concerned authorities. However, many victims, even in this informed era are in the dark on what happens when they report phishing websites. Closing down or elimination of phishing websites cannot happen overnight. This is because of the vastness of the internet and the absence of a universal protocol to solve cybercrime. In this context, the following steps are undertaken, soon as victims report phishing websites:
The role of internet service providers when people report phishing websites
Since phishing originated in many cases by sending phishing emails to people often containing misleading information or the links to a phishing websites, victims prefer to report phishing websites to email service providers like Google, Yahoo and Hotmail and the following steps are taken:
● If customer traffic has been diverted using spoofing methods, misrepresenting the email service providers, systematic investigation is carried out in locating where these mails have originated from.
● Data security measures in email services such as password uniqueness checker, data encryption and spam protection mechanics are enhanced.
● The complaints are forwarded to various law enforcers and consumer protection boards.
● In addition to email service providers, victims also report phishing websites to internet service providers for prompt action.
What to banks and financial institutions do on receiving complaints?
A majority of attempts to report phishing websites also include complaints to financial institutions. This is because phishing websites promote identity theft which is directly connected to financial fraud. The banks, upon receiving complaints,
● As a first and foremost safety and damage control measure, places an immediate freeze on all financial transactional instruments like internet banking and cards linked to the account.
● Urge customers to place fraud alerts on their personal credit reports.
● Stop all standing instructions and pending wire transfer requests till further clarity is received.
When victims report phishing websites to cyber police
This step is primary and is imperative to institute legal proceedings for losses suffered due to accessing phishing websites. A police report is mandatory to process the complaints on any platform, by the victims. The police department, upon receiving these complaints:
● Requires victims to submit different forms in the prescribed format along with an affidavit if needed.
● Proof of all communications (emails, details of phone calls, letters received, and photographs) shared with the scammer on phishing websites.
● Details of bank accounts that have been shared on the phishing websites.
● All other details that are connected to the case are required to be submitted when victims report phishing websites to the police.
● It is the responsibility of the affected persons to get a report acknowledging the receipt of complaint, within the specified time frame.
● Commencement of systematic investigation by coordinating with cybercrime prevention agencies, banks, credit rating companies and digital forensic experts.
Deploying the services of specialized task forces and collaboration with different government bodies like the IRS, the postal department and payment processing organizations so that the efforts undertaken by victims to report phishing websites end in recovery of funds lost.