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Don't Get Lured into a
Phishing Scam
from the ABA Education Foundation
Con artists now use email to
try to hijack your personal financial information.
In a scam known as "phishing," swindlers
claim to be from a reputable company and send out thousands of
fake emails in hopes that consumers will respond with the bank
account information, credit card numbers, passwords or other
sensitive information.
These emails
can look quite convincing, with company logos and banners
copied from actual Web sites.
Often, they will tell you that their security procedure
has changed or that they need to update (or validate) your
information, and then direct you to a look-alike Web site.
If you respond, the thieves use your information to
order goods and services or obtain credit.
Consumer
Tips
To avoid
becoming a victim of a phishing scam, the American Bankers
Association offers these tips:
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Never
give out your personal financial information in response
to an unsolicited phone call, fax or email, no
matter how official it may seem.
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Do
not respond to email that may warn of dire consequences
unless you validate your information immediately.
Contact the company to confirm the email's validity
using a telephone number or Web address you know to be
genuine.
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Check
your credit card and bank account statements regularly and
look for unauthorized transactions, even small ones.
Some thieves hope small transactions will go
unnoticed.
Report discrepancies immediately.
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When
submitting financial information to a Web site, look for
the padlock or key icon at the bottom of your browser, and
make sure the Internet address begins with
"https." This signals that your information is
secure during transmission.
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Report
suspicious activity to the Internet
Crime Complaint Center, a partnership between the FBI
and the National White Collar Crime Center.
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If
you have responded to an email, contact your bank
immediately so they can protect your account and your
identity.
For information on identity theft, visit ABA's
Consumer Connection.
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For
more information on phishing, visit the Federal
Deposit Insurance Corporation, Federal
Trade Commission, the Anti-Phishing
Working Group, the National
Consumers League, or the OCC
Consumer Protection News.
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