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Be suspicious of any email with urgent requests for personal financial information! |
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phishers typically include upsetting or exciting (but false) statements in their emails to get people to react immediately |
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they typically ask for information such as usernames, passwords, credit card numbers, social security numbers, etc. |
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phisher emails are typically NOT personalized, while valid messages from your bank or e-commerce company generally are |
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| 2. |
Don’t use the links in an email to get to any web page if you suspect the message might not be authentic. Instead, call the company on the telephone, or log onto the website directly by typing in the web address in your browser. |
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Avoid filling out forms in email messages that ask for personal financial information. |
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you should only communicate personal information (such as credit card numbers, social security numbers, or account information) over the telephone or via a secure website. When submitting credit card or other sensitive information via your web browser, always ensure that you’re using a secure website. |
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Regularly log into your online accounts – don’t leave it for as long as a month before you check each account. |
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Regularly check your bank, credit and debit card statements to ensure that all transactions are legitimate. If anything is suspicious, contact your financial institution and all card issuers. |
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Always report ‘phishing’ or ‘spoofed’ e-mails to the following groups: |
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forward the email to the Federal Trade Commission at spam@uce.gov. |
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forward the email to the “abuse” email address at the company that is being spoofed (e.g. “spoof@ebay.com”). |
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when forwarding spoofed messages, always include the entire original email with its original header information intact. |
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notify the Internet Fraud Complaint Center of the FBI by filing a complaint on their website: www.ifccfbi.gov. |
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Additional Links |
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