The US and the Romanian authorities charged a total number of 38 persons, more than a half based in Romania, all of them being suspected of running an advanced scheme affecting thousands of people from all over the world. The international crime ring was mostly based on phishing attacks but according to security company Sophos, the members also sent SMS spam to mobile phones. "We're confirming that you've signed up for our service. You will be charged $2 per day unless you cancel your order on this URL," the SMS message read. No less than 1.3 million phishing emails were sent during an attack, Sophos explains.

The scheme was very well organized as the Romanians were especially focused on sending phishing emails and lure potential victims on a special phishing website. As usual, the phishing pages asked visitors to enter their private details, such as bank accounts and credit card numbers. After the data were collected, the information was redirected through the web to the other members of the gang based in the United States. Using the details, the phishers created new cards which were then tested at the local ATMs but no money was stolen. After a certain period of time, the phishers withdrew all the money in the accounts, Sophos informs.

According to various reports, the crime ring had members from numerous countries including Romania, United States, Vietnam, Pakistan and Cambodia.

"This was a highly-organized scheme using the internet to steal money from individuals and financial institutions across continents," said Graham Cluley, senior technology consultant for Sophos. "The authorities in the USA and Romania should be applauded for their investigation, which hopefully will result in the dismantling of a major cybercrime ring. Meanwhile, this story carries an important message to consumers and businesses alike to have a proper defense in place against phishing attacks, and to never let your guard down when it comes to protecting yourself against Internet criminals."