Thanks for your immediate attention. YourISP security

When you visit site it shows a username and password prompt. You enter your username and password, which sends you to an "incorrect password - try again" screen. You hit "continue" button, which places you on REAL ISP site. Now when you enter your username and password, you are, of course, logged in. You are greatly relieved to find that your account data has not been changed and think nothing else of issue. Of course, you just gave your username and password to a hacker!

And that's all that social engineering is about - gaining your trust, getting your vital data, and abusing that data.

How do you protect against this? Be aware that it exists and don't respond to these kind of things. If someone asks you for your password, then tell them to buzz off. Nobody needs to know your password for any reason. Let me repeat: DO NOT GIVE OUT YOUR PASSWORD TO ANYONE FOR ANY REASON. THERE IS NOT A VALID REASON FOR ANYONE TO NEED IT. If person who asked really works where he says he works, then believe he, he can ALREADY get to your account. Why on earth would he be asking you for your username and password?

If you think email or whatever might be accurate, then call ISP or navigate to their site yourself (don't use anything from email or letter that your received - use menu's and screens provided by ISP). For example, say you get a letter from your ISP saying to change your password immediately. It has a phone number and URL. Throw letter away without reading either. Now, find your ISP phone number and URL yourself - perhaps in your browser help menu or in manual or letter that arrived when you signed on. This bypasses anything that might be wrong in letter or email that you received.

If you do suspect that you've received a social engineering attack, be sure that you notify your ISP, MIS department or whoever needs to know. The only way this kind of criminal can be caught is if crime is reported quickly and accurately.

Here is an actual email that I believe is part of this terrible scam. I must assure you I did not answer this email. Telephone: 228084460

Dear Sir,

I am Akunor Rawlings, a cousin of former president of Federal Republic of Ghana, Jerry Rawlings, and I also held an appointment during his 10yrs in office as General Manager in charge of Ministry of Solid Mineral such as Gold, Diamond, Bauxites etc.

During this 10yrs tenure, I managed to secure a large quantity of Gold and Diamond secretly before he handed over power to his successor Mr. John Kuffour. When he took over power, information got to me that new president is aware of this large deposit of Gold and Diamond that is in my possession, and because of this, I have to look for a way to dispose it.

To this end, I contacted a friend of mine in a neighboring Country Federal Republic of Togo, who helped me to sell Gold and Diamond for a total of $18.5Million (Eighteen Million, Five Hundred United States Dollars), which is now deposited in a security company in Lome, Togo.

Because of my relationship as cousin of former president of Federal Republic of Ghana, Jerry Rawlings, my Togolese friend suggested that we should move this entire fund Overseas to avoid being traced by present Ghanaian president.

However, I am now asking you to be my partner in this transaction. Therefore, if you are interested, kindly contact me through my e-mail address or call me on my telephone number in Togo: 228084460 so that we can discuss on modalities for a smooth transfer of entire fund into your nominated bank account Overseas.

For your participation, I will offer you 15% of entire fund but which is subject to negotiation.

Meanwhile, I am looking forward to hearing from you so as to plan on next line of action to execute this mutual beneficial transaction.

Yours sincerely,

Akunor Rawlings.