What Is An Email Phishing Scam?
An email phishing scam is an email that on first glance appears to come from a company or bank which attempts to fraudulently acquire personal information such as usernames, passwords and credit related information to then use in further identity theft scams. Ebay, PayPal and many banks that offer online banking facilities are just some of those commonly targeted.
A phishing email may contain content stating that your are required to update or verify your data by clicking on a link and entering your username and password. Such scams are often supported by fake spoof websites and victims are therefore fooled into thinking they are clicking onto a genuine website.
If you receive a suspicious email in your inbox do not click on any of the links it contains or moreover fall into the trap of believing the content, despite the authentic appearance of the email.
Many companies such as PayPal and online banks ask you to forward the scam email on to them by submitting it to their customer services or help and support link.
If you feel you have submitted your details upon the request of a phishing scam i.e. your user name and any passwords you should act immediately by logging on to the relevant accounts and changing your details. This will stop fraudsters from further accessing your account, based on the information you have sent them, and committing further identity fraud activities. Check any bank statements regularly and contact any financial institutions you feel necessary in order to make them aware that some form of criminal act may have taken place. Most banks and financial companies will offer further help and advice in such situations.
Fraudsters behind phishing scams generally send out fake emails to randomly generated email addresses or access online companies such as Ebay looking for user names. From then on they will send out messages hoping a response might just contain a link to your personal email address. They may also search the web for any valid addresses they can use and swap such information with other fraudsters. Those who are members of an internet forum or have published something online are also at risk from having their email address appearing somewhere in a 'contact member' link. You are then likely to be added to a list of potential victims about to receive a scam email.
It is important to remember that banks and other financial institutions NEVER ask for personal data by email. Therefore should you receive an email asking for such information, you can be 99% sure that it is a scam.
To determine whether an email message is fraudulent look out for some of the common characteristics that phishers use to hook in their victims.
"Verify your account" - It is highly important that you are aware and that you remember that businesses NEVER ask you to send your login names, passwords or any other personal data via email. NEVER give out your banking information or credit card number even if the email is asking for confirmation.
"If you do not respond within 48 hours your account will be closed" - Again this message is fraudulent as it provokes a sense of urgency hoping that you will react straight away without having had time to think. Similar content may say that you need to confirm your personal information as your account may have been compromised.
"Dear Valued Customer" - Remember that thousands of phishing emails are usually sent out in bulk and therefore do not contain your first or last name.
"Click the link below to gain access to your account" - It is important that you DO NOT click on any of the links contained within a scam email. HTML formatted messages can contain links or forms that can be filled out the exact same way you would fill out a form on an official website. The links in a phishing email that you are urged to click on may contain all or part of a genuine company's name. They are often masked, meaning that the link you see does not take you to that address but to that of a phony website. By simply resting your mouse pointer over the link it reveals the real web address and often there is a string of cryptic numbers which looks nothing like the company's web address. Take this to be a highly suspicious sign.
How you can protect yourself:
- Check regularly for the latest product and services that can help protect and warn you of online scams
- Install the Microsoft Phishing Filter by using Internet Explorer 7 or Windows Live Toolbar. Phishing Filter will help protect you from Web fraud and the risks of identity theft by either warning or blocking you from reported phishing websites
- Install an up-to-date Antivirus and Antispyware software. Various phishing email scams contain malicious and unwanted software which can track your activities and even slow down the performance of your computer.
If you feel you've been a victim of a phishing scam and would like to report a phony email, you can visit Bank Safe Online
Published on October 16, 2007
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