Chris Skinner's blog

Shaping the future of finance

Crime

If you’re going to phish, do it in English

I just got this email from ibank.secure@abbey.co.uk: This is to inform you that your Abbey National Bank Secure Messages Center has1 new alert. To access your Abbey National personalized Secure Messages Center, click on the image below: Account Reference: (0x3d.0x38.0x4e.0xcf) Please do not reply to this email. This mailbox is not monitored and you will…

Every credit and debit card has been breached

I cannot believe, when we’re all absorbed by the inauguration of a new President in the world’s largest economy, that Heartland Payments Systems had the lack of heart to release news that malware on their systems had been recording every payment made through their network to an external source. Heartland Payment Systems chose to release…

Every credit and debit card has been breached

I cannot believe, when we’re all absorbed by the inauguration of a new President in the world’s largest economy, that Heartland Payments Systems had the lack of heart to release news that malware on their systems had been recording every payment made through their network to an external source. Heartland Payment Systems chose to release…

You’re invited to PayPal’s 10th Birthday Party

With 2009 starting on a bit of a downbeat note, after the crisis of 2008, the Financial Services Club thought: what should we do to cheer everyone up? You guessed it, we decided to throw a party. But what's the point of starting the New Year with a party if you're not celebrating anything, so…

You’re invited to PayPal’s 10th Birthday Party

With 2009 starting on a bit of a downbeat note, after the crisis of 2008, the Financial Services Club thought: what should we do to cheer everyone up? You guessed it, we decided to throw a party. But what's the point of starting the New Year with a party if you're not celebrating anything, so…

You’re invited to PayPal’s 10th Birthday Party

With 2009 starting on a bit of a downbeat note, after the crisis of 2008, the Financial Services Club thought: what should we do to cheer everyone up? You guessed it, we decided to throw a party. But what's the point of starting the New Year with a party if you're not celebrating anything, so…

You’re nicked, but don’t feel cut up about it

In a classic story of police being caught out, they recently rushed to a branch of PNC Bank in Montgomery, New Jersey, USA, to respond to an alarm that had been tripped at the bank branch. On arrival, they looked through the branch window and spotted the robber inside, loitering with intent. "This is the…

You’re nicked, but don’t feel cut up about it

In a classic story of police being caught out, they recently rushed to a branch of PNC Bank in Montgomery, New Jersey, USA, to respond to an alarm that had been tripped at the bank branch. On arrival, they looked through the branch window and spotted the robber inside, loitering with intent. "This is the…

Is this the biggest fraud ever?

Breaking news today of the arrest of Bernard Madoff in the USA for defrauding investors of $50 billion … $50,000,000,000 … in a ponzi scheme.  Ponzi schemes are like pyramid sales, where you pay the top of the pyramid loads from the investments of people further down the chain, and Madoff was running the best…

Is this the biggest fraud ever?

Breaking news today of the arrest of Bernard Madoff in the USA for defrauding investors of $50 billion … $50,000,000,000 … in a ponzi scheme.  Ponzi schemes are like pyramid sales, where you pay the top of the pyramid loads from the investments of people further down the chain, and Madoff was running the best…