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What is Phishing?
Phishing is an attempt, using fraudulent means (e-mail, website pop-ups, text messages or voice mails) to get you to divulge sensitive financial information such as credit card numbers, account numbers, user names, passwords, or social security numbers. Phishing differs from virus or worm attacks in that e-mail, message or pop-up itself is innocuous, and cannot grab your personal information from your system without your knowing it. Instead, phishing relies on old-fashioned con artist tricks to get you to give up the information voluntarily. This information is used to steal your identity and run up bills in your name.
How does it work?
Generally the e-mail, text message, voice mail or pop-up will be cleverly crafted to appear like it came from a financial institution, regulatory agency or other online company, such as PayPal or eBay that you trust. It will ask you to verify account information or direct you to a website that fakes the look of the company's website. Often times these fakes are very good. Any information you enter will be sent to the perpetrators of the fraud.
How do I protect myself?
The best protection against phishing scams is to be cautious in how you share sensitive financial or personal information. Be skeptical of anything that asks for personal information. Anti-SPAM filters block many phishing e-mails, and pop-up blockers can limit the number of pop-ups you get, but no technology can prevent you from falling for the con. Legitimate businesses are very aware of phishing, and do not send e-mails requesting sensitive information. Do not respond to the message or follow any of the links. If you think the request might be genuine, confirm it either by calling the company directly at a number you know, or go directly to the company's website by typing a known address in the browser window. When evaluating a message requesting personal information, try to imagine it as an unsolicited telephone call. If you wouldn't give that information over the telephone to an unknown caller, don't give it out in response to an unsolicited e-mail or text message
What should I do if I've given out information to Phishers?
What you do will depend on what type of information you have given
out. For more information, including how you can report this crime,
go to http://www.cybercrime.gov or http://www.ic3.gov.
How can I learn more?
There are a number of sites on the web that provide information about phishing.
The Anti-Phishing working group has excellent information relating to many different types of attacks on their Consumer Advice web page, at http://www.antiphishing.org/consumer_recs2.htm.
For additional information about how to identify fraudulent emails and protect yourself go to this FTC consumer alert address, at http://onguardonline.gov/phishing.html.
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