...I think the term should be 'phisherman'.

This dud or dude got off easy. Ten years in the slammer would be more reasonable.

There's a difference between idle misguided curiousity and mooching through an already insecure system, and deliberately targetting and emptying bank accounts on purpose.

If you can't see the difference, feel free to publish your bank account details - remember to include the CVV just so we know you're still in possession of the card.

The other disparity is that McKinnon is accused of "costing" the US Gov hundreds of thousands of pounds to fix their *already* broken security - he isn't responsible for breaking it, he just used it while it was already broken.

The guy "phishing" meanwhile has caused real, and possibly irreparable damage to his marks' finances.