Following investigative work undertaken by Microsoft, national police forces and Interpol, Microsoft announced that by the end of June 2006 it will have initiated legal actions on more than 100 cases in Europe, the Middle East and Africa (EMEA) against suspects of committing online fraud.
The first 53 legal actions to be brought under the Global Phishing Enforcement Initiative (GPEI) in Europe, the Middle East and Africa today include legal actions against alleged phishers in Turkey, France, Spain, Morocco, the UK, Germany, Austria, Egypt and Sweden.
They will be followed by at least 51 more cases throughout Europe, the Middle East and Africa against people who have allegedly created phoney websites to lure people into sharing their personal data, such as e-mail and passwords, credit card numbers, or bank account information.
Legal proceedings will include formal complaints, action in courts and settlements against serious criminals engaged in phishing crime.
"This is specific action against people that we have identified as being behind phishing sites," said Jerry Fishenden, national technology officer for Microsoft UK.
The launch of the initiative is the latest move in Microsoft's long-term commitment to address phishing and other forms of cyber-crime by working with law enforcement and industry partners.
Microsoft has led the take-down of 4,744 phishing sites worldwide, and in the US last spring it filed 117 phishing lawsuits.
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