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In some cases it goes even further… some of these phishers are installing spyware on your computer to monitor your online activities. So… should you leave
online world for good? Not necessarily.
These are a few things you can do to protect yourself from these scammers:
1. Do not respond to any e-mail that asks for personal information from you, such as account number, credit card number, user names, passwords, etc. If you suspect that e-mail, indeed, be legitimate, contact your bank or institution to verify this.
2. When in doubt, visit Anti-Phishing Working Group for an update of latest scams, and tips to avoid becoming a victim. The website’s URL is www.antiphishing.org
3. Websites like www.Paypal.com, www.citibank.com, and www.ebay.com, offer security tips and tell you what information they’d never ask for in an e-mail.
4. Get anti-virus software and keep it up-to-date.
5. If you suspect you have received a fraudulent e-mail, do not click on any links within it, and forward it to FTC at uce@FTC.gov
Finally, if you suspect you’ve been a victim of this fraud, get a copy of your credit report immediately to check for unusual activity. If you discover that you’ve been a victim of identity theft, close your account at once and…
- Call Credit Bureau. - File a police report. - Call FTC ID theft hotline at (877)IDTHEFT. - Alert other financial institutions where you have accounts.
According to Anti-Phishing Working Group, phishers send millions of e-mails a day, getting about 5% response. Even with this low response, it is estimated that about 150,000 Americans have fallen prey to these scams since May of 2004. Get informed. Do not become a victim yourself.
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