Terrorists ‘target bank details in email scam’

INTERNATIONAL terrorists, including groups linked to al-Qaida, are suspected of being involved in email scams similar to one targeting AIB customers, it was claimed yesterday.

The terrorists and Eastern European criminals even send people to college to become experts in computers, according to one industry expert.

The scam, known as ‘phishing’, involves bogus emails that appear to be from a legitimate organisation, bank, credit card company or online retailer, asking for personal and financial information such as birth dates, personal access and PIN codes. The information is used for identity theft.