Avoiding Phishing Scams Online

What is Phishing?

As more people use the internet each day, unscrupulous individuals find devious ways to steal your hard earned cash. One of today’s most popular methods is called Phishing. Pronounced like “fishing”, these scams work in a similar manor. The thief dangles some attractive bait in front of you in hopes that you take a bite. If you do, then he has you on his hook and simply reels you in, along with your bank or credit card account data.

How Does it Work?

Phishing is often done via a fake website and an email message. The thief copies a real website of a financial institution. It can often look exactly like the real thing. He then sends out emails which act as the bait. The goal is to get you to the fake website and enter some personal information. It may be your real banks login name and password or other personal data like name, address, social security number or credit card numbers. Any type of information that they need to steal your money may be used. The scam is when you enter the data, which then becomes available for the thief to use.

Show me an Example:

You receive an email that says there is a problem with your bank account. In order to resolve the non-existent problem, the email asks you to click on a link and log into your back account. The link takes you to a website that looks just like your banks, but it’s not. Another common tactic is for the email to indicate that a large transaction has occurred, either a deposit or withdrawal, tempting you to want to see what it was. The thief’s can be cleaver, but there are ways to protect yourself.

How to Stay Safe:

First, always be wary of an email that asks you to click on a link. If it is from your bank, you can call them, or go directly to their website from your browsers favorites or bookmarks, not an email link. Second, look at the Uniform Resource Locator or URL in your browsers address bar. If it contains numbers or names other that what you expect, use caution. Third, Phishing emails often have poor grammar or spelling errors. Always be cautious of a business email with these tell-tale signs. Finally, be extra cautious of emails that contain threats. Financial institutions are not likely to close your account unless you log in today.

Conclusion:

Always use extra caution when responding to emails that don’t sound just right. Taking a little extra time can save you big in the end. Don’t nibble at the bait offered up by Phishing scams.