Pump-n-dump for fun & profit: an in-depth look into stock spam and brokerage account compromise operations
Dmitri Alperovitch, Dr Paul Judge, Dr Sven Krasser, Dr Phyllis Schneck Secure Computing
Dane VandenBerg US National Cyber-Forensics and Training Alliance
Text and image-based spam containing 'hot tips' about stocks traded on the Pink Sheets or Over the Counter Bulletin
Board (OTCBB) trading exchanges has risen sharply in recent years, comprising as much as 30-40% of all spam worldwide
on an average day.
In this research study, we will provide the results of in-depth analysis of the correlation between messaging
traffic volumes for spam promoting specific stock symbols and the trading activity for those stocks on the bulletin
board exchanges. With investigative access to restricted trading information, we are able to provide an exclusive
detailed look at exactly how organized criminal networks are profiting from this scheme, profile the owners and
companies whose stocks are being promoted, and present data quantifying the number of victims those criminal
networks are able to entice on a daily basis.
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This month's VB100 test saw some major changes and a radical overhaul of the VB100 test methodology - for the first time allowing products to use their 'cloud' look-up systems. John Hawes has all the details.