Both Microsoft and rival browser developer Mozilla have included anti-phishing functions in their latest browsers which warn users when they try to visit suspect sites. However, neither browser can claim to be foolproof in this regard.

A surprisingly high number of the phishers targeted by Microsoft have turned out to be young people who have had civil suits lodged against them, while the rest have been criminal investigations, one of which resulted in a two and a half year jail sentence against a man in Turkey.{moscomment}