Protect Yourself from Online Scams
Your Security, Our Priority Video
07/21/10 -- Microsoft Lottery Faud
There have been calls from people around the country saying that they have received an e-mail telling them they have won the “Microsoft Lottery”.
Instead, the crooks access the victims accounts and steal their money.
There have been several cell phone text messages reported that state some type of alert prompting a call. These messages have been coming to our customers as well as non-customers.
The message then requests that recipients call a phone number or go to a website. Responding to this will take you to a voice mail system or website that asks you for credit card and other information that can be used to steal your identity.
If you see a message like this on your cell phone do not reply by texting, and do not call the phone number listed.
If you believe you've been scammed, file your complaint at ftc.gov, and then visit the FTC's Identity Theft website at consumer.gov/idtheft.
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When you hear the term phishing your first thought might be "fishing" a relaxing sport many enjoy today. Unfortunately this type of "phishing" it is not a relaxing sport for anyone.
Webopedia defines "phishing" as the act of sending an e-mail to a user falsely claiming to be an established legitimate enterprise in an attempt to scam the user into surrendering private information that will be used for identity theft.
The email directs the user to visit a Web site where they are asked to update personal information, such as passwords and credit card, social security, and bank account numbers, that the legitimate organization already has.
The Web site however, is bogus and set up only to steal the user’s information. Because it is relatively simple to make a Web site look like a legitimate organizations site by mimicking the HTML code, the scam counts on people being tricked into thinking they were actually being contacted by a legitimate company and are subsequently going to a bogus site to update their account information.
By spamming large groups of people, the "phisher" counts on the e-mail being read by a percentage of people who actually have listed credit card numbers with the company they are portraying.
The best way to protect yourself from this type of scam is to never give out personal information by email or phone if you have not initiated the request.
It is unfortunate that we have to be concerned with issues such as these but your best defense is that of knowledge. Listed below are some additional Web sites you can visit for more information on "phishing" and who to contact for reporting suspected phishers.
Home of the Anti-Phishing Working Group
www.antiphishing.org
How Not To Get Hooked By A Phishing Scam
www.ftc.gov/bcp/conline/pubs/alerts/phishingalrt.htm
Better Business Bureau Phishing Phacts
www.bbb.org/phishing/
Department of Justice’s Web Resources On Identity Theft and Identity Fraud
www.usdoj.gov/criminal/fraud/idtheft.html
Where Do Customers Go For HELP?
If a customer suspects they have given information to a phishers, it is important for them to act immediately. For information on how a customer can put a "fraud alert" on their files at the credit reporting bureaus, and for other advise for ID theft victims, contact the Federal Trade Commission’s ID Theft Clearinghouse at:
www.consumer.gov/idtheft or call 1-877-438-4338
Where Do Customers Go For HELP?
Report any phishing ATTEMPTS by contacting the National Fraud Information Center/Internet Fraud Watch. Alert the company the phisher was impersonating, and their local law enforcement agency.
www.fraud.org or call 1-800-876-7060
