Internet / Cell Phone Phishing

From the Central County Precinct First Quarter Newsletter:

Most well known and established websites have secure methods for their customers to purchase products using a credit card, but there are thousands of other sites that may not be as reliable.

Make sure you only provide personal information on websites that you trust completely. Similarly, never give out credit card numbers, account numbers or other important details on the phone. A person who claims they are calling from an online store or bank to ask you for information to complete a transaction or verify any activity may actually be a hacker who has obtained your private data.

Phishing is one of the most common methods of identity theft. The concept is simple: a thief will send you a message telling you to log on to a well known website or respond for an important reason. It may be to confirm or deny a transaction, to review a private message, or some other call to action. A convenient link is provided for you to click on to be taken directly to the log in page. Once you arrive, you type in your name and password like always. The problem is that the site you just logged on to is a fake. It is a page designed to look exactly like the real thing, but it is under the control of the criminals who created it. Now they have your log in information and can use it to get your credit card numbers and other private details from the genuine website. You have just been phished.

Stay alert to the new and devious tactics thieves may use to steal not only your belongings, but also your identity. Destroy personal documents before recycling, make sure you only log in to the home page of any website and don't let criminals steal your good name.

The best way to avoid becoming a phishing scam victim is to use your best judgment. No financial institution with any sense will email you and ask you to input all of your sensitive information. In fact, most institutions are informing customers, “We will never ask you for your personal information via phone or email."

Let’s all work together to prevent phishing scams. If you receive a suspicious email, report it. You can send it to the U.S. Federal Trade Commission at spam@uce.gov or you can just click the “Report as Junk” (or similar) button on your email program.