Phishing Question

Joe Wood · 29 Jan 2008, 13:33

geeze, I just got this from a person using my Contact Form on this page.
http://woodsshop.com/contact_us.htm

Here's what he said-
"You may have absolutely no knowledge of this so I am mentioning it only for your information and not as an accusation of any kind. When I originally tried to use your web mail system, I got a warning from my proprietary antivirus program that your website was being used for phishing. The fault may be in my program, or it may be the case and you are completely unaware of it."

I contacted my web person and he doesn't really even know what phishing is. I don't really know either except that it's an attempt to steal information.
"The act of sending an e-mail to a user falsely claiming to be an established legitimate enterprise in an attempt to scam the user into surrendering private information that will be used for identity theft. The e-mail directs the user to visit a Web site where they are asked to update personal information, such as passwords and credit card, social security, and bank account numbers, that the legitimate organization already has. The Web site, however, is bogus and set up only to steal the user’s information."

Anyway, I really doubt it's my website (probably his AV program) but you never know these days! What in the heck can I do to check in to this?

Joe Wood · 29 Jan 2008, 13:34

I wrote back and asked him when he got the message and here's what he said..

The warning was from Norton Semantics (sp?) and it came in the form of a pop up with as little shield symbol, and a description of what it took to be the problem just as I opened the contact site. It was something to the effect that credit card or other personal information may be being collected for an alternate use. I’ve never seen this particular notice before, and I’ve never had a problem with my personal information being pirated, but I have had a lot of unsolicited junk mail.

My webperson thought it might be that PayPal link on my Contact page (just a wild guess on his part though) so I went ahead and took out the link, didn't need it there anyway.

Krisidious · 29 Jan 2008, 13:34

what the person is trying to tell you is that Norton AntiVirus is a Virus! it takes over your computer and you'll never get rid of it...

I looked your page over... I found no scripts or errors...

what has most likely happened is someone is on a blackball list... sites that are accosiated with spamming or phishing are blackballed by larger companies... and sometimes a server is blackballed for hosting these sites... you may be on a server that has been blackballed... or perhaps you used some linktrading software, if you have it will spam search engines for links, this can get your .com banned or blackballed..

some call it a spam or phishing blacklist...

really I wouldn't worry about it, if your search engine rankings are staying put or climbing, and you're getting traffic, then don't worry about it...

Krisidious · 29 Jan 2008, 13:35

I wanted to add... I liked your work alot... really nice stuff...

and your site was very well built... I had a look at the coding... of course something I might have done differently, but everything was very well done. and even used some background scipts to help pre load images which is a nice little feature...

anyway nice site...

Joe Wood · 29 Jan 2008, 13:35

Thanks man, my new webperson has been cleaning up the coding and such (I have no clue about it myself) and he's been adding other things, like coding for Google Search.

you know, I had a big issue with that blackball issue you mentioned, my site wasn't reachable from the whole of Austraia because of the Server I was on. The AU Homeland Security had banned the whole domain I think it was. I finally traced down what was happening and had my host change the server. Maybe this issue is resurfacing ..

Think I should contact Norton about this? Get my site unblackballed maybe?

Krisidious · 29 Jan 2008, 13:36

I doubt that it is actually Norton's list, they most liekly subscribe to some list, who ever is on it they warn you about.

I would suggest asking the person to recreate the error and screenshot it. by hitting printscreen on the keyboard and paste command in any picture editor.

and since you've only gotten one e-mail about it, I would just "let sleeping dogs lay" concentrating on quality content and quality related recipricol links will do you much more benifit with the energy wasted researching this too much.

wait till you have more complaints at least two...

I'd love to see some of your work in our gallery...

monsterzero · 29 Jan 2008, 13:37

Your web host might have be marked on a blacklist somewhere. And as you have experienced some providers use these lists to protect their customers, hence you have been blocked.

Most phishing scams spoof (faking their origins) domains, hosts, emails in their attempt to do their dirty work. Unfortunately, that can put innocent people and hosts on those lists. Telling your provider about these problems is a step in the right direction, you pay them to provide you with a service, and if they cannot protect/manage their systems from phishing you are not getting what you paid for. Even if the service is free, it's time out of your day to deal with these issues. If you depend on them for email, you may not be getting important email from people/customers.

Just FYI.

Joe Wood · 29 Jan 2008, 13:38

OK, it's not my client's Av program giving that warning, but Microsoft's Anti phishing filter! Somehow someone's done something to my Contact Us Page, or reported my Contact Us Page to Microsoft as a phishing site!

Could someone use Internet Explorer, go to my Home Page, then click on my Contact Us page (top right of my web pages) http://woodsshop.com/ and see if you get the same message?

Here's what my client last said-
It happens every time I hit the contact us button. There’s a spot on Microsoft’s Phishing website for you to challenge this unnecessary warning. If I were you I’d immediately contact them and get them to take your URL off their list. Here’s the link that will take you there: https://phishingfilter.microsoft.com/fe ... act_us.htm

Perhaps you can think of someone with computer savvy out there that might be deliberately trying to harm you or your business. In their FAQs Microsoft says they check complaints over carefully before posting a warning, but obviously they didn’t check closely enough this time. Once a warning has been posted It leaves the website owner in the position of having to prove a negative.

so, I went to that link, and challenged the phishing label I've now got on my site. Guess I'll just have to wait to hear what MS says.

I'm not a happy kid right now! I have no idea who could be doing this to me. Does anyone know anything about this phishing filter issue from MS?

Krisidious · 29 Jan 2008, 13:38

I didn't see anything in the code...

but one of your competitors may have done it...

Krisidious · 29 Jan 2008, 13:39

can you give me a link to the list that you appear on?

Joe Wood · 29 Jan 2008, 13:40

The only link I have is that one in my last reply Kris.

What could one of my competitors have done, reported me as a phishing site? MS says they thoroughly check all reports and if it's only one person making a false report it doesn't seem like MS would be so quick to bann me.

Krisidious · 29 Jan 2008, 13:41

I can't say for sure... is that link one you got from your client? and is it a real client? one that has done business with you or a prospective client?

anyway... yes competitors do that... google has something similar where you vote on sites and competitors vote against one another...

I don't have the new IE7 but from what I gather there is a button on it, that you can send MS a note reporting the site as a phishing website.

and perhaps microsoft sees asking certain questions as phishing...

let's have a look at what the deem that qualifies as a phishing site... because really that's just collecting information from people.

Joe Wood · 29 Jan 2008, 13:42

He's a a prospective client, inquiring about one of my azumaya plans. That link was in the popup he got when he tried to click on my Contact Us page button. Here it is again
https://phishingfilter.microsoft.com/fe ... act_us.htm

here's a page that discusses the phishing https://phishingfilter.microsoft.com/faq.aspx

I've contacted my Host about this too. Maybe one of their other sites is on the same server as mine or whatever and got banned for phishing.

I have been getting other email inquirys from my Contact Us page in the last week or so.

Joe Wood · 29 Jan 2008, 13:43

Well check this out, a quick reply from MS

Thank you for contacting us about: http://www.woodsshop.com/contact_us.htm .

We have reviewed the information you provided regarding this website and removed the incorrect designation. We thank you for bringing this matter to our attention.

Please note that although we have removed the incorrect designation, it may take up to 24 hours for you to see this change reflected.

In the event that the incorrect designation persists beyond 24 hours from the receipt of this e-mail message, please let us know by replying directly to this message. Please do not reply unless the problem persists.

Thank you,
Microsoft Phishing Filter Support

I'd still like to find out what (or who) started this whole mess. I also wonder how I can check to see if it happens again. I guess I need to get that IE 7 toolbar, but I sure don't want to get IE 7 with all the problems I hear about it.

Krisidious · 29 Jan 2008, 13:43

I'm interested too, but I don't want it either..

Joe Wood · 29 Jan 2008, 13:44

When I first mentioned this problem with my webperson, he made a wild guess that it might be because of the PayPal link on my Contact Us page. I didn't really need that link (if someone wants to make a purchase they go thru my Cart) so I took it out.

I've been researching this MS phishing filter thing. Check this out, especially paragraph 5. Not sure if it was the cause but glad I removed that PayPal link.
http://www.designyourownweb.com/blog/20 ... l-of-crap/

Krisidious · 29 Jan 2008, 13:45

ok now I have to check for my site... how do I do that? I don't have IE7 and it won't install on my retro OS...

anyone care to check for me...

I say you call a lawyer and get a check from MS... this sounds like total crap...

Gaieus · 29 Jan 2008, 13:46

Actually the site gave me the phishing MS info in Firefox, too. So you may try it with Firefox (but at home I'll try your website with IE7 then).

Krisidious · 29 Jan 2008, 13:47

what's firefox? isn't that a movie from the 80's that some burnt out hippy beatnik starred in? oh no... that was FoxFire

Daniel · 29 Jan 2008, 13:47

I've got IE7 with the antiphishing filters set on automatic - didn't know it until this thread.
No warnings on your website, Kris