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Phishing For Your Identity
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| Tuesday, January 6, 2009 |
Who has not received an email directing them to visit a familiar website where they are asked to update their personal information? The website needs you to check or update your passwords, credit card numbers, social security number, or even your bank account number. You recognize the company name as one you've dealt in the past. So you click on the practice, "I" and to provide all the information they have requested. Unfortunately, you find much later that the site is false. It was created for the sole purpose of stealing your personal information. You, my friend, just "phished."
Phishing (pronounced as "fishing") is defined as the act of sending an e-mail to a recipient falsely claiming to have an established, legitimate businesses. The intention of the attacker is in the fraud from the sale of their beneficiaries in private information, and ultimately steal your identity.
It is not easy as you think about an e-mail phishing for information. At first glance, the e-mail resemble May, it is a legitimate business. The "From" field of e-mail are in May Com address of the company mentioned in the e-mail. The clickable link even appears to take you to the company's site, when in fact it is a fake Web site designed to replicate the legitimate site.
Many of these people are professional criminals. They spent much time in the creation of e-mails that appear genuine. Users need to review all emails requesting personal information carefully. When reviewing your email remember that the "From Field" can be easily changed by the sender. Although it looks like May, he was born into one. Com you do business, looks can be deceiving. Keep in mind that the phisher will all try to have their email as legitimate as possible. They will even copy logos or images from the official site to use in their emails. Finally, they want to include a clickable link that the recipient can follow to update their information.
A good way to verify the legitimacy of this link is at the point with your mouse. Next, look at the bottom left of your computer screen. The Web site address to which you are directed to show you. This is a quick and easy way to check if you are directed to a legitimate site.
Finally, follow the golden rule. Never, ever, click on the links in the text of the e-mail, and always delete the e-mail immediately. Once you have deleted the e-mail, empty the trash from your mailbox as well. If you are really concerned that you are missing an important opinion concerning one of your accounts, then type the site URL in your browser. At least you can be sure that you are, in fact, be directed to the real and legitimate. |
posted by neptunus @ 8:08 PM
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