Don't Fall Victim To Phishing Identity Thieves
hidden installation of "key logging" devices that can record everything you type, including user passwords and account information, and have the data sent automatically to the identity thief or be harvested later.
Instead, contact the business by telephone or reach the company's genuine web site by typing in the company's URL address into your browser. These scams often are difficult to detect because they can come from anywhere in the world and shut down quickly. Report suspected cases at www.ifccfbi.gov, the federal Internet Fraud Complaint Center.
The scam is commonly called "brand spoofing" or "phishing" because the spam mail sent uses familiar or legitimate-sounding names of companies to trick consumers into disclosing confidential personal information. The e-mail may use all or part of a legitimate company's name, and the hyperlink may closely resemble its web site.
Small and large companies have been spoofed, such as Bank of America, Best Buy, PayPal and First Union Bank. In an Earthlink.net spoof, the spam mail used an URL like www.earthlinkservice.com. According to security experts, these types of computer attacks are on the rise because scammers are taking up the tactics, tools and techniques of virus writers and spammers .
Here are some basic rules to follow to avoid falling victim to this scam:
When in doubt, throw the e-mail out.
Never give out personal information by e-mail.
Don't trust e-mail headers. They can be faked.
Never fill out a form in an e-mail message. You never know who will get it.
Never trust the link in an e-mail message. Scam artists are getting sophisticated and are able to have their web site mirror a legitimate business web site.
Don't trust e-mail messages on the status of your account. Always go directly to a company's web site to access your account information.
Don't respond to messages that come with an embedded link and a sense of urgency about your account being closed, temporarily suspended or fee being charged if you don't respond.
By---The California Attorney General's Office
Instead, contact the business by telephone or reach the company's genuine web site by typing in the company's URL address into your browser. These scams often are difficult to detect because they can come from anywhere in the world and shut down quickly. Report suspected cases at www.ifccfbi.gov, the federal Internet Fraud Complaint Center.
The scam is commonly called "brand spoofing" or "phishing" because the spam mail sent uses familiar or legitimate-sounding names of companies to trick consumers into disclosing confidential personal information. The e-mail may use all or part of a legitimate company's name, and the hyperlink may closely resemble its web site.
Small and large companies have been spoofed, such as Bank of America, Best Buy, PayPal and First Union Bank. In an Earthlink.net spoof, the spam mail used an URL like www.earthlinkservice.com. According to security experts, these types of computer attacks are on the rise because scammers are taking up the tactics, tools and techniques of virus writers and spammers .
Here are some basic rules to follow to avoid falling victim to this scam:
When in doubt, throw the e-mail out.
Never give out personal information by e-mail.
Don't trust e-mail headers. They can be faked.
Never fill out a form in an e-mail message. You never know who will get it.
Never trust the link in an e-mail message. Scam artists are getting sophisticated and are able to have their web site mirror a legitimate business web site.
Don't trust e-mail messages on the status of your account. Always go directly to a company's web site to access your account information.
Don't respond to messages that come with an embedded link and a sense of urgency about your account being closed, temporarily suspended or fee being charged if you don't respond.
By---The California Attorney General's Office
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