| |
| |
|
Security Information |
|
|
|
Phishing: A Scary Way of Life
The Federal Bureau of Investigation has identified "phishing" as the "hottest and most troubling new scam on the Internet." What is Phishing? Phishing is a scam initiated via e-mail. Messages are "fishing" for personal and financial information. Most often, e-mails appear to be from reputable companies (internet service providers, telephone companies, etc), banks, and other financial organizations. The e-mail message often gives a story of the bank needing to update its personal information database or a financial institution claiming your personal data had been lost. Who Phishes? Hackers and Scammers looking for personal and financial information use phishing as an effective method of gathering information. Phishers imitate legitimate companies in e-mails to entice people to share passwords or credit-card numbers. Recent victims include: ? Bank of America History of Phishing The term phishing comes from the fact that Internet scammers are using increasingly sophisticated lures as they "fish" for users' financial information and password data. The most common ploy is to copy the Web page code from a major site - such as AOL - and use that code to set up a replica page that appears to be part of the company's site. (This is why phishing is also called spoofing.) A fake e-mail is sent out with a link to this page, which solicits the user's credit card data or password. When the form is submitted, it sends the data to the scammer while leaving the user on the company's site so they don't suspect a thing. Avoid Phishing Fortunately, common sense can save you from giving away your personal information. For example, be aware for the company requesting information. I have received e-mails from banks I have never had business with. Know that your bank or ISP will never ask for your information out of the blue. Banks do not update their databases and misplace information. Tips To Avoid Phishing ? If you receive an unexpected e-mail saying your account will be shut down unless you confirm your billing information, do not reply or click any links in the e-mail body. ? Look for words misspelled or other grammatical mistakes. ? Before submitting financial information through a Web site, look for the "lock" icon on the browser's status bar. It means your information is secure during transmission. ? If you are uncertain about the information, contact the company through an address or telephone number you know to be genuine. ? If you unknowingly supplied personal or financial information, contact your bank and credit card company immediately. ? Suspicious e-mail can be forwarded to uce@ftc.gov, and complaints should be filed with the state attorney general's office or through the FTC at www.ftc.gov. S. Nestor writes for StormFront Development Group, a pioneer in Internet Marketing. Contact him at snestor@stormfrontdevelopment.com
MORE RESOURCES:
Security - Google News |
|
|
|
RELATED ARTICLES
A Personal Experience with Identity Theft Some months ago, before there was much publicity regarding phishing and identity theft, I became a victim.My first inkling that I'd been scammed came from a telephone call from my bank asking if I had been to Italy or Roumania. Dont be a Dork - Protect Yourself There are folks out there who use their powers for evil, not good. Let's not give them the opportunity to sneak into our lives and wreak havoc. 5 Simple Steps to Protect your Digital Downloads A couple of days ago, I was searching for a popular eBook online. Now I'm not going to tell you the name of this eBook for reasons you'll understand in the next few minutes. Anti-Spyware Protection: Behind How-To Tips There is no doubt that "how-to articles" have become a separate genre. One can find such an article about almost anything; there are even some entitled "How to Write a How-To Article". Backup and Save your business! There you are busily typing away on your PC or your Laptop, and all of a sudden the strangest thing happens. The screen goes black, extinquished like a candle in the wind. The Top Twelve Threats No Computer User Should Ignore The internet is undoubtedly a fantastic resource for families and offers a rich vein of educational content.However, there are potential dangers - welcome to the seedy world of viruses, spam, trojans, pornography, spyware and other nasties. With the Rise of Internet Crimes, Users are Turning to High-Tech "PI's" for Solutions High-tech private investigators are becoming the answer for many Internet users who have been victimized online. The use of e-mail by that unethical element lurking in cyberspace rings all too common these days. Top Five Online Scams The top five online scams on the Internet hit nearly ten million people last year according to an FBI report in December 2004. That figure doubled from 2003 to 2004 and people are continuing to fall for these email and identity theft scams. Cybercriminals Trick: Targeted Trojan-Containing Emails Threats we ordinary Web users face online leave us no choice but learn. Haven't you noticed how many new things you learned lately? We are much better informed about malicious programs than just a year ago. Phishing - A High Tech Identity Theft With A Low Tech Solution Have you ever got an email asking you to confirm your account information from a bank or a company that you have never done business with? The email looks official and it even has a link that appears to take you to the company's website. The email you have received is actually from an identity thief. Behavior to Stay Safer Online 1. Importance of a Virus Scanner: A Antivirus program can help to prevent you from becoming infected with a Virus or Trojan. Phishing, Fraudulent, and Malicious Websites Whether we like it or not, we are all living in the Information Age. We have nothing left but adapt to rapidly developing information technology, no matter who we are and what we do for living. Dont Miss Information Because of Misinformation It has been said that with the wealth of information, freely available, the Internet has the ability to make you smarter, faster, than any other medium on the planet. Of course with an equal amount of mis-information, it also has the ability to make you dumber, faster, than any other medium on the planet. The One Critical Piece Of Free Software Thats Been Overlooked Can You Prevent Spyware, Worms, Trojans, Viruses, .. If You Steal It, They May Come! Business on the internet is getting down right shameless. This week, my email box was literally filled with hype, overly inflated promises, phish mail, scams, ezines I did not order, and about 14 viagra gimmicks. Whats All This I Hear About Firewalls? At this point, if you've got the whole "turning the computer on" thing down; you are ready to learn about firewalls. Whether you use your computer for business or pleasure, it is important to have a firewall. Mail Forwarding - Why Would You Do It? First of all we need to get some terms stated. I have been in the business for just over two years and there is still some confusion over the topic. Breaking Into Your PC: News... You'd better learn news from media, not from emails, security experts warn us users again.Numerous emails with "breaking news" in subject lines are appearing in users' inboxes. Firewalls: What They Are And Why You MUST Have One! A firewall is a system or gateway that prevents unauthorized access to your computer or private network. It is usually the first line of defense in protecting your private information or data. New Mass Mailing Spamming Internet Trojan for the Windows Platform May. 16th 2005 - MicroWorld has reported the discovery of Troj/Sober-Q, which is a mass mailing spamming internet Trojan for the Windows platform.
|
| home | site map |
| © 2006 |
