EarthLink, one of the nation's leading Internet service providers (ISP), today launched the next generation of its anti-phisher site application, ScamBlocker(TM). As part of its free, browser-based toolbar, this feature provides real-time, comprehensive protection from online fraud and identity theft. EarthLink is the first and only major ISP to develop and openly distribute a free phisher- blocking feature to all Internet users.

Phisher sites are online scams that trick consumers into giving spammers and other criminals personal information by mimicking legitimate Web sites. According to the market research firm Gartner, approximately 2.78 million Americans have been conned into divulging sensitive financial or personal information, such as credit card numbers or billing addresses, by filling in a form on a phisher site.

"As professional criminals threaten to rob personal information by mimicking online retailers and corporate Web sites, EarthLink's ScamBlocker enables consumers to evaluate the safety level of every site they visit -- helping to protect them from online fraud," said Matt Cobb, EarthLink's vice president of core applications.

Along with real-time fraud detection and analysis, including fraudulent Web site alert graphics that rate the safety level of each Web site, the new ScamBlocker application includes an actively managed white list, called EarthLink Accepted, and an identity theft protection portal, powered by Experian, where consumers can register for a free credit report, subscribe to a full credit-monitoring product or purchase a more detailed credit report.

EarthLink has also added a RSS (Really Simple Syndication) news feed to its toolbar that enables consumers to easily view news across different categories such as business, entertainment or sports. Other features already found in the EarthLink toolbar include a search engine, powered by Google(TM), as well as EarthLink's Pop-Up Blocker(SM), which prevents advertising windows from appearing in the customer's main browser window. Rounding out the feature set is EarthLink's SpyAudit, which runs an analyzed audit report that details all the spyware programs residing on a consumer's personal computer.

Phisher site URLs are distributed to consumers as junk email; and while ScamBlocker blocks users from accessing fraudulent Web sites, it does not stop them from receiving the spam message. EarthLink Dial-Up and High Speed access subscribers are further protected from these scams by EarthLink's spamBlocker, an anti-spam feature that blocks virtually 100 percent of all junk email from their inboxes.

Along with innovative technical solutions, EarthLink has a long history of fighting spam through legal action, legislative support and consumer education. EarthLink has filed and won lawsuits that have stopped spammers from generating millions of spam emails on the Internet.