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Security Information |
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Phishing - A High Tech Identity Theft With A Low Tech Solution
Have you ever got an email asking you to confirm your account information from a bank or a company that you have never done business with? The email looks official and it even has a link that appears to take you to the company's website. The email you have received is actually from an identity thief. These crooks are hoping people that have an account with the business will click on the link and submit their account information for verification purposes. These thieves are phishing for account information. Phishing is a sophisticated way to lure you to phony websites where you voluntarily surrender your passwords and account information to identity thieves without realizing it. These types of emails often threaten you. You must take action within a limited time or the consequences will be dire. Some AOL customers received a phishing email stating if they did not verify their account information within 24 hours, their service would be terminated. Other phishing emails will state your account has been flagged or has a problem and the account information needs to be verified. We received an email for Pay Pal that stated our account had been flagged and we needed to verify our account information. The identity thieve was lucky. We do have an account with Pay Pal. We open the email and it appeared to be an email from Pay Pal. We click on the link and it took us to https://www.paypal.ae.com. The site looked Pay Pal's website. The web page was asking for our account information for verification purposes. We knew right away it was a phony because our Pay Pal account was opened with another email address. This particular site has been shut down, but doesn't mean the identity thieve was caught. You could receive a phishing email from the same thieve tomorrow. What can you do to avoid such a trap? First, realize reputable companies will never send you an email asking you to confirm your account information. The email will look authentic and this may cause you some concern. If this is the case, you can always call the company and ask about your account. An alternative to calling is checking your account online. Do not click on the link in the email. Log completely out of your email and open another window and type in the company's web address to verify your account. You're probably thinking why would you want go to the trouble to close your email and open another browser window. The link in the email is a cloaked redirection link that will take you to another website that is not associated with the company. A cloak link will show you the correct web address when you move your mouse over it. If you do click on that link, the web address, or URL, will be similar to the company's address, but it will not match exactly. The website will look just like just like you expect it too look. The web page will ask for your account information. You're just one click away from submitting your account information to the identity thieve. We went to the actual Pay Pal website and, sure enough, our account was ok. Identity thieve have been known to attach a file to a phishing email. The attachment contain a program to transmit your personal information on your hard drive to the identity thieve. You will never know the program has been installed on your computer. Never open an email attachment unless you specifically requested it and are expecting an email with an attachment. The phishing email may be from someone you know. His or her computer could be infected with a virus that sends email to everyone in his or her address book. Delete the emails with attachments without opening the email. Finally, if you get an email that is phishing for your information, forward it to spam@uce.gov. If you know how open the email headers, cut and past that information into the email to help the FCC track down these identity thieves. George Burks of http://www.mybiweeklymortgagepayment.com has offered a biweekly mortgage payment plan with no enrollment fees since 1999. His interest in financial topics is varied and includes identity protection. Please visit our financial library.
MORE RESOURCES: Opinion | Banning TikTok Won’t Solve Your Data-Security Problem The Wall Street Journal He’s a Security Guard at the Met. Now His Work Is Showing There. The New York Times Why does Trump want Greenland and the Panama Canal so badly? One reason may surprise you - USA TODAY Japan links Chinese hacker MirrorFace to dozens of cyberattacks targeting security and tech data ABC News Remarks at a UN Security Council Briefing on Nonproliferation and the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea United States Mission to the United Nations Sweet Security Partners with Illustria to Offer Proactive Open-Source Supply Chain Risk Management GlobeNewswire Krebs on Security – In-depth security news and investigation Krebs on Security One week later: New Orleans debates security, memorial grows, more chemicals found FOX 8 Local First New in 2025: Counties Should Prepare Now for the Upcoming HIPAA Security Rule Update National Association of Counties Special ops forces seek to manage digital footprints, achieve ‘security through obscurity’ DefenseScoop Pope to celebrate Jubilees for Communications, security forces Vatican News - English White House program to certify the security of IoT devices goes live Cybersecurity Dive U.S. citizen denied entry into Poland after security staff object to handwritten notes in passport ABC News Remarks at a UN Security Council Briefing on the Political and Humanitarian Situations in Syria United States Mission to the United Nations Stowaways on planes and inside landing gear raise worries about aviation security The Associated Press Brillion Achieves SOC 2 Type 2 Compliance, Reinforcing Commitment to Data Security and Privacy Business Wire Opinion | Biden’s ‘security’ concern about TikTok and U.S. Steel is doubly specious The Washington Post New Orleans Homeland Security criticized during terror attack probe WDSU New Orleans Border security is national security Foundation for Defense of Democracies The Rio Treaty's Security Pact and Unintended Consequences of Threatening Canada, Greenland, and Panama Just Security Tidal Cyber Acquires Zero-Shot Security to Enhance Threat Intelligence Mapping Capabilities Business Wire Swimlane Hero helps solve complex security operations problems Help Net Security Security guard catches DJ molesting 12-year-old boy at California mall, officials say Sacramento Bee UN aviation agency confirms recruitment database security breach BleepingComputer Who is Acronis’ New Chief Information Security Officer? Cyber Magazine AITX's RAD-R Welcomes Steve Danelon as President, Strengthening Leadership for Residential Security Solutions GlobeNewswire Fort Smith Public Schools to integrate AI gun detection software in security cameras Northwest Arkansas Democrat-Gazette Orange Bowl pep rally security includes surveillance cams, law enforcement on the ground - CBS Miami Security Industry Association Welcomes New Perimeter Security Subcommittee Leaders Security Sales & Integration Update on former Vigo County Security Annex demolition MyWabashValley.com BreachLock Unveils Unified Security Testing Platform for PTaaS, ASM, Continuous Pentesting, and Red Teaming PR Newswire Alois Brunner, the Nazi ‘butcher’ who trained Syrian security Al Jazeera English Marine Corps bases take increased security posture The Island News – Beaufort, SC When It Comes to Security, Europe Is Whistling Past the Graveyard World Politics Review Synology Launches ActiveProtect: Simplifying Enterprise Data Protection with Unmatched Security, and Scalability Business Wire Japan links Chinese hacker MirrorFace to dozens of cyberattacks targeting security and tech data The Associated Press Security and Sanctions in Post-Assad Syria The National Interest Online Security consultant denied profiteering in defamation case against CNN WMBB - mypanhandle.com 2025 Security Industry Predictions: Jon Adams, Vice President of Sales, DMP Security Sales & Integration Eric Trager tapped for Mideast slot on Trump’s National Security Council The Times of Israel Can Washington handle two weeks of high-security pomp along with a heavy burst of snow? The Associated Press Washington Township Police to launch security risk assessment program for businesses Bellefontaine Examiner New Orleans hires consultant to review security after Bourbon Street attack. See who has the job. NOLA.com New Orleans attack prompts tighter security in D.C. ahead of inauguration, Carter funeral The Chicago Cusader Newark Airport makes list of Top 10 craziest security catches New Jersey 101.5 FM Base steps up security measures following terrorist attacks Mountain Home News Gov. Ivey mourns security detail member Justin Williams, 42, succumbed to cancer Alabama Political Reporter |
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