Identity Theft Protection – All About Phishing
You’ve just received an e-mail from your bank warning you that someone tried to withdraw money from your account. To retain access to your account, the message instructs you to go to the bank’s web site and verify your personal information. There’s even a convenient link right inside the e-mail that will take you directly to the bank’s login page. Surprised (and maybe a little scared), you click the link, go to the web site, and verify your name, date of birth, and Social Security number. Now everything’s fixed, right?
Wrong. You just gave your personal information to an identity thief.
The scam known as “phishing” has been around for decades, but it has really flourished on the Internet. Phishing got its name because of the technique involved: an identity thief puts out “bait” (in the previous example, a legitimate-looking e-mail and web site) in the hopes of hooking their victim’s personal information. Most phishing e-mails impersonate financial or government services. Online giants such as Ebay and PayPal are frequent targets of such attacks. The majority of phishing attempts fail, but there are just enough big catches to keep phishers in business.
Phishing can also be carried out over the phone. Sometimes thieves leave a voicemail asking victims to call back and verify personal details. Like phishing e-mails, these calls seem official. The callers might claim to be bank officials or agents of the IRS. When victims dial the number provided, they are greeted by an automated phone system where they can punch in their personal details and account information. Once they’ve “verified” the information, the thieves who carried out the scam have everything they need to steal the victim’s identity.
How can you protect yourself against a phishing attack? First, never give out personally identifying information over the phone. Only use the contact information that you know is correct for your bank. If you’re asked to call a strange number, call your bank’s official line instead and ask to be transferred to the correct department. No legitimate financial institution will call and ask you to verify your Social Security number over the phone. If you’re concerned that your bank account really has been compromised, initiate contact with your bank to settle the matter.
Phishing e-mails are becoming more common and more official-looking. Thieves use company logos and fake “reply-to” addresses to appear trustworthy. To avoid falling for this scam, never click on any link contained in an e-mail. They might take you to a login page that looks legitimate but actually captures your information for thieves to use. Manually type in the URL of the web site you need to visit. And remember that the IRS and major online companies will never ask for your personal details over e-mail. If you’re still worried about fraud, call the company directly to discuss the message you received.
Phishing is a modern crime that identity thieves continue to perfect. Once they’ve snared your personal information, your very identity is at risk. Don’t let these crooks harm your credit and reputation. With just a few cautionary steps, you can send these phishers home empty-handed.
The best way to protect against identity theft is to take proactive steps to reduce your exposure to possible theft and diligently monitor your credit file. While these steps can be done for free, we recommend some type of identity theft protection which includes theft insurance. Many of us don’t have the time or energy to regularly check our credit history and identity protection services have become increasingly affordable. The identity theft protection industry has really evolved so do your research; the products, services, and approaches vary wildly.
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