Phishing mongers and posers

The role played by mongers and posers in phishing attacks while stealing customers' personal identity data and financial account credentials is discussed. The essential requirements of effective phishing need to present itself to an appropriate target-of-opportunity, satisfy the reasonableness condition, and cause the unwary to suspend any disbelief. Phish mongers deploy phish scams in such a way that they stand a measurable chance of success against a reasonably intelligent and enlightened end user. They design web sites to trick recipients into divulging financial data such as credit card numbers, account usernames, passwords, and social security numbers. Phising is economically motivated by mongers, that are ultimately born by the customers.