Poker Players Targeted by Phishing Attempts

Internet security watchdog, Websense Security Labs, issued a warning this week to Party Poker customers regarding a series of phishing attacks via e-mail.

Users have received fake e-mails that appear to be from Party Poker, issuing an outdated warning about the UIGEA. It then asks people to update their usernames by clicking on a link which directs them to a site that looks like Party Poker’s account login screen. Of course, like any phishing attack, it is a fake site designed to harvest poker account information from unsuspecting players. The criminals who set up the phishing site would then use that info to login to the victims’ accounts and drain their bankrolls.

The main part of the e-mail message reads as follows:

[i]Party Poker news!!!

Dear poker player,
Information for US and all over the World based customers on the passing of the 'Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act of 2006. On September 30, 2006, the United States Congress passed The Safe Port Act.

That measure also contained certain provisions known as the ‘Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act of 2006’. On October 2, 2006, Party Gaming made an announcement regarding the impact the act would have on business when, as expected, it is signed into law.

Please update your username:

[/i]

Fortunately, it is fairly easy to detect that this e-mail did not really come from Party Poker. First off, nothing in it makes sense. The information enclosed is several months old and the grammar is poor. Second, Party typical address players either by first name or by screen name in e-mails, not simply as “poker player,” a sign that the sender of the e-mail does not have any sort of relationship with the recipient. Finally, no online poker room would request that somebody update their username because of the UIGEA.

Clues such as these can be used to ferret out future phishing attempts, as well. If something just does not seem right, go directly to the company’s website or call for information. Do not click on a link in the e-mail, as it will take you to a phony site. If you do really need to update your account information, just open your web browser, go directly to the company’s home page, and login from there.

Originally published 5:02 PM Friday, February 23, 2007