WINDOWS PHISHING SCAMS - 5
WAYS TO PROTECT YOURSELF
 Just when you thought it was safe to go back
into your inbox, there's a new form of e-mail fraud on the horizon: phishing. Phishing
scams are more than just unsolicited and annoying spam—they could lead to the theft
of your credit card numbers, passwords, account information, or other personal
information.
What is Phishing?
Phishing is a type of deception designed to steal your identity. In a phishing scam, a
malicious person tries to get information like credit card numbers, passwords, account
information, or other personal information from you by convincing you to give it to them
under false pretenses. Phishing schemes usually come via spam e-mail or pop-up windows.
How does Phishing Work?
A phishing scam begins with a malicious user who sends out millions of fraudulent e-mail
messages that appear to come from popular Web sites or from sites that you trust, like
your bank or credit card company. The e-mail messages, and the Web sites they often send
you to, look official enough that they deceive many people into believing that they're
legitimate. Believing that these e-mails are legitimate, unsuspecting people too often
respond to the e-mail's requests for their credit card numbers, passwords, account
information, or other personal information.
A scam artist might put a link in a fake e-mail that appears to go to the legitimate
Web site, but actually takes you to a scam site or even a pop-up window that looks exactly
like the official site. These copies are often called spoofed Web sites. Once you're at
one of these spoofed sites or pop-up windows you might unwittingly enter even more
personal information that will be transmitted directly to the person who created the
spoofed site. That person can then use this information to purchase goods, apply for a new
credit card, or steal your identity.
5 Ways to help protect yourself from Phishing
Just as they do in the physical world, scam artists will continue to develop new and more
sinister ways to trick you online. But following these five steps can help you protect
your personal information.
- Never respond to requests for personal information via e-mail or in a pop-up window. If
in doubt, call the institution that claims to be the sender of the e-mail or pop-up
window.
- Visit Web sites by typing the URL into your address bar.
- Check to make sure the Web site is using encryption.
- Routinely review your credit card and bank statements.
- Report suspected abuses of your personal information to the proper authorities.
For complete details on avoiding Phishing scams CLICK HERE |
Many of you may remember reading about our Tech
Support Team Member Pat, leaving our ranks last January, for the ranks of the U.S.
Military. Pat has been serving our country at various training bases across the country
over the past year, and is scheduled to be deployed to Iraq in 6 months. 