DoJ Charges Rhode Island Woman in Phishing Scheme Against Politicians

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The Department of Justice (DoJ) has charged a woman in Rhode Island in a phishing campaign against candidates for political office and related associates that impersonated various individuals–including campaign workers and the Microsoft security team—in an attempt to trick victims into providing account credentials.
 
The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Massachusetts has charged Diana Lebeau, 21, of Cranston, R.I.,  with “attempted unauthorized access to a protected computer,” according to a press release from the DoJ.
The charge relates to a phishing campaign Lebeau allegedly mounted beginning in January 2020 against about 22 campaign staffers for an unnamed candidate for political office, as well as another political candidate—also not identified–and related associates, according to the DoJ. Assistant U.S. Attorney Seth Kosto is prosecuting the case.

The campaign came in two phases with various targets, with Lebeau allegedly using a typical phishing tactic of taking the identity of trusted associates of the victims to try to trick them into complying with the messages’ request for credentials, authorities said. She even impersonated one of the candidates in an attempt to steal credentials, they said.

Read more: DoJ Charges Rhode Island Woman in Phishing Scheme Against Politicians | Threatpost