From Iovation: “Why is it so easy to bypass checks?”
Scott Olson, marketing for Iovation, who makes online fraud detection systems, explains how fraudsters get around background checks.
I recently spoke with ConsumerAffairs.com reporter, Joe S. Enoch, about a Nigerian scam targeting online dating sites where the victim lost well over $10,000. One of his questions was why online dating sites don’t simply do background checks on their users? This is a fair question, but highlights the fact that people really don’t understand the shortcomings of identity based fraud and abuse management systems in the online world. …
Why is it so easy to bypass checks? Because validating online identity information is so costly and complicated, and obtaining or manufacturing false identity information is so cheap and easy. Many have even clamored for legislation of online communities to include checks for pedophiles. This may prove to be helpful at catching a few unsophisticated users, but as long as bypassing these checks is as simple as providing false information this isn’t a great use of time or money.
Read the rest of his post, dated 25 July 2008
Categories: eHarmonipedia