A free iPhone is hard to pass on - especially an iPhone 5.

Chances are if you are reading this blog then you already know the obvious giveaway. There is no iPhone 5. But folks snared by online phishing scams are typically not so technically savvy.

PCWorld reports scammers posing as market researchers are again targeting gullible dreamers with promises of the mythical device.

The iPad is also commonly used as bait, and as we head into the holiday season, expect even more scam spam with other gadgets like Amazon's new Kindle Fire tablet.

Yes common sense should prevail, and the age old adage if it is too good to be true generally holds. PCWorld shares a number of clues to help. Share them with friends and family who may be susceptible.
 

State Attorney General Roy Cooper issued a warning to North Carolina consumers regarding a phishing scam that has drained $100,000 from victims.

Scammers send potential victims a text claiming their card has been deactivated. Cooper warns, "If you get one of these phony texts, don’t respond."

Victims report the texts say, "GATEWAY BANK ALERT: Your CARD starting with 4138** has been DEACTIVATED."

The message includes a phone number to call. Victims who call the number are asked to provide their debit card number, expiration date and PIN. This information makes it possible for scammers to make new debit cards.

As many as 10 different telephone numbers have been used in the phishing scam. Some include area codes from N.C and Virginia.

Debit card holders who have responded to the texts should contact Gateway Bank immediately at 1-800-523-4175 to block their cards.

You can read the full statement from the NCDOJ.

Documents:

Duke is warning employees about a recent phishing expedition appearing in their work email in-boxes.

Some Duke employees have recently reported receiving warnings of a "Scheduled Service Maintenance" and asks for an ID, password and server info.

Don't do it. The email, which looks to be coming from "help@oit.duke.edu,", is bogus.

If you get a suspicious email, Duke asks that you send it to help@duke.edu.

If you have a UNC-Chapel Hill e-mail address, beware.

The university is warning its faculty, students and staff of a phishing scam going on now. 

It attempts to snare your password and other personal info by impersonating "UNC Webmail" and prompting you to unlock your account.

Don't do it!

Here's more info.

LOS ANGELES (AP) – The FBI is arresting dozens of people in the United States and overseas to crack an identity theft ring that victimized thousands of people.

Laura Eimiller, an FBI spokeswoman in Los Angeles, says agents are making arrests Wednesday morning in Southern California, Nevada, North Carolina and overseas.

She says about 100 arrests are expected, many in the Los Angeles area.

Eimiller says an indictment accuses the suspects of running a “phishing” scheme. They allegedly used computer intrusion and fraud to obtain personal information that allowed them to withdraw money from bank accounts.

In “phishing,” people answering an e-mail are directed to a bogus Web site where they are asked to update personal information, such as passwords and account numbers.

There are no arrests being made in the Triangle, said Charlotte FBI spokeswoman Amy Thoreson. There are nine being made today in the state, but Thoreson said she could not divulge where they are taking place.

From The Associated Press, staff reports

An e-mail hoax fooled at least a few people with N.C. State e-mail accounts last week.

E-mail
scammers on a "phishing" expedition sent phony messages to 800 NCSU
e-mail accounts with the subject line "Mandatory Security Update: July
2009." It claimed to a help desk directive asking users to sign in with
their name and password.

In reality, it was a "phisher," which is someone who sends messages
trying to fool e-mailers into divulging passwords and other personal
information.

Just a handful of people fell for it, and no personal information was lost, according to an IT official at NCSU. 

The Chronicle of Higher Education has the story here. You may need a password to access it.

And here's the warning NCSU issued related to the hoax.