Quote:
Originally Posted by thinthinker
PayPal and eBay are both good sources of SPAM emails, but also watch for banks. Last week I got one from a bank I didn't recognize and one with MY bank's logo on it.....Both were SPAM...
When in doubt....and be in doubt often.....call someone and doublecheck!!!!
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What you're referring to is known as "phishing" in the industry. These emails are not eminating from eBay/PayPal or the bank in question.
The number one rule of phishing safety is simple:
NEVER click on links you receive in unsolicited e-mail.
Here are some additional tips you can use:
* Never open any unsolicited e-mail in your email accounts — delete them!
* Never give out your personal or financial information in a transaction you did not initiate.
* Check your credit report annually.
* Guard you PIN from being seen when you are completing a transaction at an ATM or in a store. Never write it down.
* Protect your passwords. Never write them down or enter them online unless you initiate the transaction.
* At home, use spam blockers, firewalls and virus protection software. Keep them updated.
Find out web addresses you want to enter from a trusted source, for example from a billing statement or by calling the company.
Then, type in the address yourself.
What kinds of information do phishers want?
Personal data: names, social security numbers, street addresses, telephone numbers, mother's maiden name, etc.
Financial data: bank account numbers, credit card numbers, passwords, PINS
Phishers will try and trick you into providing as much information as possible. They use this information to steal your identity or your money.
How do they do it?
Phishing is one of the fastest growing crimes on the net.
Phishers create realistic but phony version of things you’re used to seeing on your computer screen such as:
* e-mails
* pop-up windows
* web sites
Visa's Canadian website has a great article titled “
Cut the Line on Phishing Scams" which includes detailed examples of what phish look like.
Phishers are always trying to come up with new tricks in addition to e-mail and web site fraud, such as:
Screen Grabbing - This form of phishing takes a picture of your screen instead of trying to trick you into sending information. It is programmed to take the picture just when you are entering sensitive data.
IRC and Instant Messaging - Internet Relay Chat (IRC) and Instant Messaging (IM) use graphics, URL’s, and multimedia. It will not be hard for phishers to adapt their phishing techniques to attack them. (this is one of the reasons that I personally do not use IM).
JPEG Phishing - Phishers can hide attacks in JPEG graphics, although, so far, the user must first save the graphic and open it from within Windows Explorer.
Small Fry - Those most often targeted are new users just beginning to shop or bank online. Gartner reported that of the 4 million consumers who encountered fraud last year when opening a new online account, approximately half said they also received a phishing e-mail.
Some solutions: In the past year, eBay and Google have both launched toolbars. I highly recommend that if you use eBay at ALL, that you download the eBay toolbar - it can help spot any phishing/bogus websites or emails pretending to be from eBay or PayPal (which of course is an eBay company).
If you use a Visa card to perform online transactions, sign up for Verified by Visa - which provides you with an additional wall of protection when shopping at sites which are signed up in the program (more are being signed up every day). If you go to the Visa link above, the page also has a link to find out more about Verified by Visa.
Oh and when you do get a phish email - send it as an attachment to the company site that is being spoofed - generally it's eBay or Paypal -
[email protected] and
[email protected] - Visa's is
[email protected] - for other financial institutions check their websites.