Phishing scams
Beware of email messages purporting to come from banks, credit card companies or other financial institutions that ask you to update your personal or account information. Suspect a phishing scam and do not respond to such messages, do not follow their instructions, and DO NOT CLICK ON LINKS in such messages!
What is phishing
"Phishing" is the practice of sending fraudulent email that trys to trick you into giving away personal information by directing you to an official looking Web site to "update" or "validate" your credit card numbers, bank account information, passwords, or other sensitive information. If you provide the information as requested, it will quickly be used to withdraw money from your accounts, make charges on your credit card, or steal your identity.
Phishing email may come addressed specifically to you and may have all the characteristics of a legitimate message, including familiar corporate logos and well written text, so it can be hard to tell that the message is fraudulent. The following articles explain what phishing scams are and how to avoid being fooled.
- Phishing scams: 5 ways to help protect your identity - Microsoft
- Consumer Advice: What To Do If You've Given Out Your Personal Financial Information - Anti-Phishing Working Group
- How Not to Get Hooked by a 'Phishing' Scam - FTC
Protect your computer
Clicking on a link in a phishing message risks having your computer infected with a virus. Just viewing the page can be enough to become infected. Proper management of your computer helps protects you against such hidden attacks. For more information on how to protect your computer, see Every Computer Needs Management
