Jeffrey Brett Goodin has been sent a strong message by a California jury: phishing does not pay. Goodin has the dubious distinction of being the first person convicted under 2003’s CAN-SPAM Act for operating a sophisticated "phishing" scheme designed to mislead Internet users into turning over personal details and account information.
Goodin, age 45, was arrested last year for preying on AOL users. His scheme involved sending AOL customers fraudulent email messages claiming to be from AOL’s billing department. Users were urged to "update" their account and billing information—including their credit card details—or risk losing service. The messages directed victims to enter their personal information and account details on Web pages Goodin controlled; Goodin and others later used the account details to make unauthorized charges on AOL user’s accounts. Goodin sent his phishing messages via compromised Earthlink accounts.
