The first recorded use of the word phishing was in 1996, but an article written in 1987 addresses phishing problems, so, its believed to have started in the mid, late 80s.

The first real phishing attacks were on AOL,obviously, and was believed to be mostly associated with the "warez community', a name bearing their "language" Leetspeak [ l33tsp43k h4x0r ] they were originally mostly software pirates, then they branched out, lucky us.

AOL brought in new security measures in 1995, this software "prevented using fake, algorithmically generated credit card numbers to open accounts" so the awesome l33tsp34krs started phishing for legitimate AOL accounts, and generally fucking with AOL.

After the h4x0rs got bored with AOL, they started going after the banks, the first well known attempt was E-gold, in june 2001. and of course after the Sept 11 attacks, they sent bank users a "post 9/11 id check" because they are soulless baby killers. These attacks were both unsuccessful, but showed that they were starting to figure out how to take it to a dangerous level [ real O.G. h4x0rs, that is ]

They have even gone as far as impersonating the IRS, and going after bank members, phishing for "owed taxes". that's when we get into "Spear Phishing" which is, targeted attacks on big wigs, such as CEO's of major corporations, these spear phishing attacks are called "whaling" clever, clever h4x0rs....

oh, and I liked this one, so much I had to quote it word for word," Almost half of phishing thefts in 2006 were committed by groups operating through the Russian Business Network based in St. Petersburg."

ill add more here later tonight when I feel like it.

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heres everything i wrote above in "Hacker Elite Speak"

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