Entrepreneur warns of cybercrime threat

The growth of cybercrime was the focus for the latest in a series of public lectures at the University of Wolverhampton.

Tom Illube, who was one of the founders of on-line bank Egg, exposed some of the chilling tactics employed by hackers to steal personal identities and dupe unwitting victims to part with their cash as part of the Leading Lights lecture series.

The series features some of the University’s honorary graduates, who come from a range of diverse sectors.

Mr Illube is now Managing Director (Consumer Markets) for credit referencing specialists Callcredit. He was made a Doctor of Technology by the University of Wolverhampton in 2005.

He said: “Cybercrime has become a career choice for an increasing number of highly-educated young people who dismiss more conventional employment options. It is relentless, highly-organised, slick and extremely manipulative.

“Cyber criminals go to great lengths to seem plausible and build up trust, targeting single men and women through online dating sites, for example.”

In the lecture, held at the University’s City Campus on Thursday May 17th 2012, he urged people to think carefully about the level of personal detail they revealed on social networking sites and stressed that installing anti-virus software was a must.

Two more lectures are due to take place as part of the series between June and September.

These will be:

• Jean Irvine, Commissioner with Equality and Human Rights Commission- Sex and Power: The Impact of Glass Ceilings on Women in the Workplace on June 14th 2012
• Mark Palmer, marketing consultant and non-executive director with Green and Black’s- The Global Power of Marketing to Drive Changes in Behaviour and Buying Habits on September 25th 2012

All lectures take place at either the University’s city campus or Wolverhampton Science Park. Admission is free but places are limited. All attendees must book their place by visiting www.wlv.ac.uk/leadinglights where full details are available.

ENDS

Picture Caption: Tom Illube.

For more information please contact James Allen in the Media Relations Office on 01902 322003