Protect yourselves from "phishing"
According to a new report from Gartner Research, Inc., "phishing" attacks against online consumers have become so widespread that an estimated 57 million Americans have received fraudulent emails and 1.98 million may have fallen victim to the subsequent scams, resulting in approximately $1.2 billion in direct costs to U.S. banks and credit card issuers.*
Phishing (which is hacker slang for using false e-mails or Web sites to extract personal information, such as Social Security or credit card numbers, from unsuspecting online consumers) is gaining momentum at an alarming rate worldwide.
Please follow these tips from the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) to avoid becoming the latest victim of a phishing attack:
> If you get an email or pop-up message that asks for personal or financial information, do not reply or click on the link in the message. Legitimate companies don’t ask for this information via email.
> Never email personal or financial information. Email is not a secure method of transmitting such information.
> Review credit card and bank account statements as soon as you receive them to determine whether any unauthorized charges appear.
> Use anti-virus software and keep it up to date. Some phishing emails contain software that can harm your computer or track your activities on the Internet without your knowledge.
> Be cautious about opening any attachment or downloading any files from emails you receive, regardless of who appears to have sent them.
> Report suspicious activity to the FTC. If you believe you’ve been scammed, file your complaint at www.ftc.gov
