Anti-Phishing Resources: Protecting yourself from online scams.
Don't get hooked on the phishing bait!
(fish�ing) (n.) The act of sending bulk e-mail messages to thousands of Internet users falsely claiming to be an established legitimate business, corporation, financial institution or popular retailer,� in an attempt to deceive the user into surrendering private information that will be used for identity theft. The e-mail directs the user to visit an official looking Web site where they are asked to update personal information, such as passwords and credit card numbers, Social Security Number, bank account numbers and account details. The Web site, however, is bogus and set up with the sole purpose of
stealing the user's information.
These spoofed e-mail messages usually contain a message that frightens or excites users urging them to take immediate action by clicking an obscure URL. The message may state that there is a problem with your account, they have detected fraud in your legitimate account or some other false sense of emergency. As many as 5% of the users receiving these bogus messages respond by clicking the link in the message and giving up their financial data, credit card numbers, Social Security Numbers, account logins and passwords in a form on a fraudulent but official looking Web site.� The unsuspecting users almost immediately become victims of identity theft.
How To Protect Yourself Against Phishing Scams
Never click a link supplied by a third party. Use your bookmarks or a typed URL instead. If you receive an urgent message from your bank or credit card company, open a new browser window and click a bookmark or type the URL in yourself.
Be sure that the URL that you visit is a secure site before typing in any information. All secure sites begin with "https://" and not "http://".
Always review financial statements (bank, credit card, investment� transactions, etc.) so you may detect any unauthorized charges or withdrawals as soon as possible.
Make sure your operating system, browser, firewall, virus software and spyware software are always updated.
Report phishing and spoof email to: reportphishing@antiphishing.com, spam@uce.gov, and cut and paste the message with full headers (not forward) the e-mail to the company that is being spoofed.
Contact your local police or other law enforcement. They may not be able to investigate the situation but they can take a report and provide you with a case number. You may need that later if anything else happens.
Always logout and close your browser after an visiting a secure site.
Shred unwanted preapproved credit offers, credit card access checks, bank statements, cancelled checks, debit card details, utility bills,� insurance forms and expired charge cards.
Tools to protect yourself:
Ad-Aware is a spyware removal tool that can be downloaded at http://www.lavasoftusa.com/software/adaware/
AVG is a free anti-virus program that can be downloaded at http://www.grisoft.com/
Spybot-Search and Destroy is a free spyware removal tool available at http://spybot.eon.net.au/en/download/index.html
Windows Updates are found at http://windowsupdate.microsoft.com
ZoneAlarm is a free firewall that can be downloaded at http://www.zonelabs.com/
The consequences of accidentally handing over all of your personal information to an online con artist are severe. It can take years to recover from something as devistating as identity theft and many never fully recover. It is extremely important that you take the necessary steps to protect yourself, your personal information and your computer.
The consequences of accidentally handing over all of your personal information to an online con artist are severe. It can take years to recover from something as devistating as identity theft and many never fully recover. It is extremely important that you take the necessary steps to protect yourself, your personal information and your computer.
Published by Julie Posey
Julie Posey is a freelance writer from Kansas. She is best known across the country for as an expert in the field of child molestation and sexual predator investigations. Posey has many other interests t... View profile
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1 Comments
Post a CommentIt is sad that this scam works so well but hopefully people will learn to protect themselves and their identities.