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1.  

   A Thought about this ...

   

   Anonymous Coward, Jul 13th, 2004 @ 7:55am

   
   

   Mike,
   Maybe I am simplifying this, but it ( the new law ) may be because it is hard to prosecute phishers because the victim willing gave up their information.
   
   With a law in place, judges can prosecute.
   
   Of course, I would have assumed that phishing was illegal by the very nature of it being fraudulent.

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2.  

   is it?

   

   Griffon, Jul 13th, 2004 @ 11:27am

   
   

   I'm not sure that it is illegal to setup a look alike site and ask folks for information. Until they do something with that information they are gaining information under false pretenses but I can't think of a law that specifically violates. Hopefully this will make it easier to get the scammers without punching to many more wholes in our tattered and bruised privacy protections.

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3.  

   No Subject Given

   

   Grizzly, Jul 13th, 2004 @ 7:25pm

   
   

   Another example of the government making laws but not enforcing them

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4.  

   Re: A Thought about this ...

   

   Anonymous Coward, Jul 14th, 2004 @ 7:07am

   
   

   I'm not 100% sure about US law, but most European systems consider fraud to be just that: someone using tricks or deceit to manipulate you into giving up your property because you are led to believe you will receive something worthwile in return. If you didn't give it up willingly, it would be theft instead of fraud.
   
   It seems likely US law is largely the same.

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5.  

   AntiPhishing Bill

   

   Dave, Jul 15th, 2004 @ 11:07am

   
   

   Phishing, via fake websites and email, was not specifically illegal prior to this bill. In order to prosecute a Phisher, you had to show actual financial fraud via use of the stolen information, or possession of a large number of credit card numbers, etc. Prosecutions had to be under the somewhat obscure category of "Access Device Fraud" or mail fraud or interstate wire fraud. Your other recourse would be trademark infringement.
   
   With the new bill, Phishing itself is specifically illegal. You don't have to prove financial losses.
   
   

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6.  

   Anti-phishing law

   

   Ashley, Mar 9th, 2006 @ 9:13pm

   
   

   the actual act of phishing is currently not illegal with exception of the states, such as california, that have recently enacted these statutes. phishing is fradulently obtaining a persons infomation. the actions these phishers take with the information is illegal, such as wire fraud and identity theft, but obtaining the info is perfectly legal, for now.

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