FRAUD ALERT
Don’t Get Phished
Simple precautions can help prevent phishing scams from getting your personal information.
Protect Yourself Against Fraud
Internet “phishing” scams are one of the fastest growing frauds today. Phishing usually involves a fake e-mail message that looks legitimate, using another company’s logo and graphics in an attempt to make e-mail recipients think that a legitimate company is contacting them for information. They are typically looking for social security numbers, Bank or credit card account numbers, or the 3 digit code from the back of a credit card.
Many financial institutions, government agencies, retailers and credit card companies have seen their Web site graphics used by con artists intent on tricking consumers into giving out personal financial information. Although these web sites look official, they are only meant to capture information from unsuspecting individuals. This page is designed to help fight back against this form of fraud with a few tips and contact information.
Take some simple precautions:
- Never respond
to an unsolicited e-mail or phone call that asks you
to verify information the company or financial institution should already
have. Know who you are dealing with.
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Report anything suspicious to the proper authorities. Alert the company, government agency, or financial institution identified in the e-mail or phone conversation immediately through a web site or phone number you know is legitimate.
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You can also contact the Internet Crime Complaint Center at www.ifccfbi.gov – a partnership between the FBI and the National White Collar Crime Center – if you think you received a phishing e-mail or have been directed to a “phishy-looking” web site.
- Never click
on a link within the e-mail or site they refer you to.
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If you are asked to verify your account number or password, either via e-mail or phone call, never do so unless you have initiated the action (e-mail or phone call).
Stop, Look and Call
The Department of Justice advises e-mail users to “stop, look and call” if they receive a suspicious e-mail.
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Stop – resist the urge to immediately respond to any suspicious e-mail, no matter how urgent or exaggerated the claims.
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Look – Read through the e-mail several times and ask yourself why this information would be requested. Remember, any company or financial institution you currently do business with would probably already have this information.
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Call – Telephone the organization identified, using a phone number you know is legitimate. If necessary, look up the number in the phone book or call the phone company’s information number, 1411.
If you’ve been “phished”:
If you believe that you provided sensitive financial information through a phishing scam, or phone con artist, you should:
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Immediately contact your financial institution.
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Contact the three major credit bureaus and request that a fraud alert be placed on your credit report. The credit bureaus and numbers are: Equifax 1-800-525-6285; Experian 1-888-397-3742; and Trans Union 1-800-680-7289.
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File a complaint with the Federal Trade Commission at www.ftc.gov or 1-877-382-4357.
Remember:
If you contact your financial institution, they may ask for information about you or your accounts to verify to whom they are releasing account information, but they normally would not contact you for that information.
Always be sure that you know who you are talking to on the internet and the phone. Do not be afraid to ask questions and make notes of names. You may even ask for a phone number to call them back with the information they are requesting. You can then verify that number. When in doubt, hang up or delete the e-mail.
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