Extortion by computer and internet

Extortion isn't new. But cyber criminals are taking advantage of high-tech developments to squeeze money out of individuals and organizations. Learn how to prevent a variety of threats and the steps to take if your entity is hit.

It's just like any other Monday for Bob, the president of a credit card processing center for online businesses. He makes the half-hour commute into work, fills his favorite coffee mug to the brim, and sits down at his computer to catch up on e-mail. He sees one with an unfamiliar sender's name and a subject line that reads, "Your Customer's Information." Bob knows to be cautious of e-mails received from unknown sources but he can't help himself and opens the message. He's bewildered as he stares at a list of business names he recognizes as his customers. Also on the e-mail are unknown names, 16-digit numbers, and separate three-digit numbers. He doesn't realize it yet but what he's looking at is a list of people who had made purchases, their credit card numbers, and the corresponding business names that had submitted their transactions for processing over the weekend. He reads the instructions: "Send $50,000 in 6 equal wire transfers or this will be sent to all your customers." The empty mug dangles from Bob's fingers while the carpet bleeds brown.