How To Avoid Getting Hooked By Pfishing

"Pfishing", sometimes spelled "Phishing", is a word that's used to describe amethod of identity theft where con men use fake e-mail that looks like it comesfrom legitimate sources. This e-mail is designed to hoodwink you into givingout personal and financial information. Once the scammers receive yourinformation they use it to either clone your identity or to empty out your bankaccounts and run up your charge cards. Here are some tips on how to avoidbecoming the next victim.

1. Never respond to an e-mail that looks like it came from your bank or any ofyour credit card issuers no matter how official it appears. Phishing scame-mails will tell you that there is some problem with your account and that youhave to click on an embedded link to correct that problem. They may threaten toclose your account, or report you to the credit bureau, if you do not respond.DON'T DO IT. Don't call the telephone number that appears in the email either.Get out one of your old bank or credit card statements and call the number thatappears there. Explain what the email says and follow the directions that youreceive from the actual employee. Chances are they'll tell you its a scam.

2. Never give your bank account information, credit card numbers, SocialSecurity number, passwords, personal identification numbers (PIN), or Date ofBirth to anyone who asks you for that information by email. No legitimatecompany will expect you to reveal sensitive information via email. Also, nocompany that issues you a PIN will ever ask you to reveal that PIN to any oftheir employees.

3. Never respond to any offer to buy anything by clicking on the link in thee-mail. Even if the e-mail looks like it comes from your favorite departmentstore it might be a scam. To avoid being hooked by Pfishing, type in the URL tothe department store by yourself. Go to Google.com to look it up if you don'talready know it.

4. Forward copies of any Pfishing email to the actual company or bank that isbeing imitated by the scammers. You can usually send any email to postmaster@and then the bank or company name.

5. If a Pfishing e-mail seems particularly threatening or worrisome to you,report it to the Internet Crime Complaint Center (www.ifccfbi.gov), apartnership between the FBI and the National White Collar Crime Center.

6. If it's too late and you already provided any of your personal information,account numbers, or PINs then you should immediately contact your banks andcredit card companies to make arrangements with them to protect your financialinterests. These companies and institutions are familiar with these scams andthey know what needs to be done.

7. If you receive evidence of identity theft, such as unauthorized charges onyour credit card bills, or unexplained transactions in your bank account,contact the police and file a report. Be sure to get a copy of the report foryour own records and to send to the companies that are involved in thetransactions. You also need to contact all three major credit bureaus (Equifaxat 800-525-6285, Experian at 888-397-3742 and TransUnion at 800-680-7289) andtell them that you need a fraud alert placed on your credit file.

8. You can get information on ID theft and Pfishing at the Federal TradeCommission Web site at www.ftc.gov or calling toll-free 877-382-4357.

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