Have You Been Hooked by Internet Phishers

It is a common occurrence to turn on the news or go to your favorite online news source and hear about another Internet email fraud. An email fraud is a fraudulent email that appears to be from a legitimate Internet address with a questionable request, which is usually for personal information. This personal information can include bank accounts and credit card information.

The most common form of phishing is emails pretending to be from legitimate banks, organizations or government agencies. The sender then requests you to send or "confirm" your personal information using illogical reasons such as your account is going to be closed or your information was lost due to a computer error. They also will say they are from the fraud departments of well known companies and as for verification of your information because they think you may have been a victim of identity theft which is exactly what you will be if you reply.

The people behind phishing are fraud artists. They send out millions of emails in the hope that even a few people will respond. Anyone with an email address can be a victim of this fraud. Your email address can be made public on the Internet by posting in forums, newsgroups, or on a website. They can be gathered by spiders, which are programs that scan websites. The spiders search the Internet and grab as many email addresses as they can.

There are many things you can do to prevent being a victim of Internet phishing. Here are a few suggestions:

· Avoid clicking on links in emails that ask for personal information. Their links usually send you to a phony website that appears to be the website of a well-known company. Once there they will ask you for your personal information.

· Never enter your personal information in a pop-up screen. You may be led to a real company or agency website. Where the pop-up screen created by the scammer opens and asks you for your personal information.

· Protect your computer. Make sure you have Spam filters; anti-virus, anti-spy ware and firewall are all installed and updated. These will decrease if not eliminate possible approaches by scammers.

· Keep an eye out for "Pharming." This is one of the latest versions of online theft. A virus or other malicious program is secretly planted in your computer and hijacks your browser. When you type in the legitimate address of a website you are taken to a fake copy of the website without knowing it. While there, any information you enter is snatched.

If you are a victim, you should immediately notify the company or agency that the phishers are impersonating. You should also report the problem to law enforcement. This can be done through the National Fraud Information Center / Internet fraud Watch. You can contact them at www.fraud.org or call 800-876-7060. Any information you give could prevent someone else from being a victim.