Phishing is a type of online fraud where the perpetrators attempt to
acquire personal, financial, and/or other account information (such as
user IDs, passwords, credit card numbers, PINs, etc.) from
unsuspecting victims. This type of fraud is typically initiated by
sending an unsolicited but official-looking email claiming to be from
a reputable company, such as a bank, a credit card firm, or an online
establishment. The fraudulent email usually contains an urgent message
that tries to lure the recipient into providing sensitive information.
To avoid being victimized by phishing scams, below are several useful
tips:
Do not respond to emails asking for any personal or financial
information.
Legitimate companies will never ask you to verify or provide any
confidential information in an unsolicited email.
Be cautious when clicking on links within a suspicious email.
Most phishing emails contain a link that leads to an official-looking
web page which requires the recipient to log in or enter some personal
information. Though the web page may contain official logos and look
exactly the same as the legitimate company's web site, any information
submitted via these spoofed web page(s) will be sent to the
perpetrators of the scam.
If you have any doubt regarding the authenticity of a web site you
have been directed to in an email, we strongly recommend that you open
a new browser and type the known URL of the company in the browser
yourself, or call the company directly via telephone.
Never log in or enter private information in a pop-up window.
Clicking on links within phishing emails may direct your browser to a
legitimate web site while, at the same time, opening another pop-up
window wherein you are asked to enter your information. This makes it
appear like the pop-up window is part of the legitimate site when, in
reality, it is not.
(Note: Yahoo! offers a Pop-Up blocker in our free Yahoo! Toolbar that
blocks most unwanted pop-up windows from appearing.)
Be alert for suspicious emails.
It is easy to forge an email and make it appear like a legitimate
company sent it. When dealing with emails that pertain to information
that is sensitive in nature, it is best to err on the side of caution.
Below are a few signs indicative of phishing emails:
Urgent account notifications that are not addressed to you personally
but which require action on your part relating to your account(s).
Customer notifications that contain incorrect spelling or poor
grammar.
Account/billing email notifications from credit card firms or other
financial institutions that do not reference the last few digits of
your account number, or that contain no specific details pertaining to
your account/billing information or activity.
Account notifications that are delivered to your Bulk Mail folder.
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