Editing Spyware (section)

===Identity theft and fraud===
In one case, spyware has been closely associated with [[identity theft]].<ref>Ecker, Clint (2005). ''[https://arstechnica.com/news.ars/post/20050805-5175.html Massive spyware-based identity theft ring uncovered] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080916224826/http://arstechnica.com/news.ars/post/20050805-5175.html |date=September 16, 2008 }}''. Ars Technica, August 5, 2005.</ref> In August 2005, researchers from security software firm Sunbelt Software suspected the creators of the common CoolWebSearch spyware had used it to transmit "[[Internet chat room|chat sessions]], [[user name]]s, [[password]]s, bank information, etc.";<ref>Eckelberry, Alex. [http://sunbeltblog.blogspot.com/2005/08/massive-identity-theft-ring.html "Massive identity theft ring"] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110511143508/http://sunbeltblog.blogspot.com/2005/08/massive-identity-theft-ring.html |date=May 11, 2011 }}, ''SunbeltBLOG,'' August 4, 2005.</ref> however it turned out that "it actually (was) its own sophisticated criminal little trojan that's independent of CWS."<ref>{{cite web|last1=Alex|first1=Eckelberry|title=Identity Theft? What to do?|url=http://sunbeltblog.eckelberry.com/identity-theft-what-to-do/|website=The Legacy Sunbelt Software Blog|language=en|date=9 August 2005|access-date=March 19, 2018|archive-date=March 19, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180319151308/http://sunbeltblog.eckelberry.com/identity-theft-what-to-do/|url-status=live}}</ref> This case was investigated by the [[Federal Bureau of Investigation|FBI]].

The [[Federal Trade Commission]] estimates that 27.3&nbsp;million Americans have been victims of identity theft, and that financial losses from identity theft totaled nearly $48&nbsp;billion for businesses and financial institutions and at least $5&nbsp;billion in out-of-pocket expenses for individuals.<ref>[http://www.ftc.gov/opa/2003/09/idtheft.htm FTC Releases Survey of Identity Theft in U.S. 27.3 Million Victims in Past 5 Years, Billions in Losses for Businesses and Consumers] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080518105037/http://www.ftc.gov/opa/2003/09/idtheft.htm |date=May 18, 2008 }}. Federal Trade Commission, September 3, 2003.</ref>