Phishing Attacks are a Favorite New Tool For Criminals
Over the last few years a new method to steal your identity has becoming increasingly popular. This method is know as phishing, which is the online version of actual fishing. Cast a line out there and see what is caught.
With the phishing technique, criminals create emails that are modeled after emails sent out by companies you might do business with. Through these impostor emails, you are directed to click on links that take you to a bogus website, again modeled after the real company website. You are tricked into giving out your personal information for the thief to use.
The main stream media has been devoting more attention to phishing exploits as they have become more common as of late. The whole phishing process has become very advanced, with it being very difficult to tell if you have received a phishing email, or are on a phishing website. It is very important that you be aware of emails you receive and links you click on.
These phishing schemes might be thought of as a very sophisticated form of email spam. Traditional spam is unwanted email advertising of a product or service, where phishing spam takes this to a whole new level by trying to get you to give out your private information.
Of course, once you have given out your personal information, the thief then has free reign to do what they wish with it. For example, if you were to give out your user name and password to your online banking, the criminal could log into your account and transfer all of your money to their bank account. The possibilities are limitless.
Attempting to notify the appropriate authorities about a phishing scheme really does little good. Most phishing sites are live for a very short time, just time enough to dupe a few unsuspecting victims into giving up valuable information. Then the sites are shut down and the thieves move on.
Because a lot of time the thieves behind major phishing attacks are located overseas, local law enforcement can do little about it, even if they could track them down. That leaves it up to you to make sure you don't go off clicking on links in emails and making sure you use some form of identity theft protection.
Phishing is just one more way criminals are using sophisticated methods to steal your personal information so that they can use it for evil means. Be wary of any email from a financial institution or other company you might do business with. And to be safe, never click on a link in an email so that you never have to worry about being phished.
With the phishing technique, criminals create emails that are modeled after emails sent out by companies you might do business with. Through these impostor emails, you are directed to click on links that take you to a bogus website, again modeled after the real company website. You are tricked into giving out your personal information for the thief to use.
The main stream media has been devoting more attention to phishing exploits as they have become more common as of late. The whole phishing process has become very advanced, with it being very difficult to tell if you have received a phishing email, or are on a phishing website. It is very important that you be aware of emails you receive and links you click on.
These phishing schemes might be thought of as a very sophisticated form of email spam. Traditional spam is unwanted email advertising of a product or service, where phishing spam takes this to a whole new level by trying to get you to give out your private information.
Of course, once you have given out your personal information, the thief then has free reign to do what they wish with it. For example, if you were to give out your user name and password to your online banking, the criminal could log into your account and transfer all of your money to their bank account. The possibilities are limitless.
Attempting to notify the appropriate authorities about a phishing scheme really does little good. Most phishing sites are live for a very short time, just time enough to dupe a few unsuspecting victims into giving up valuable information. Then the sites are shut down and the thieves move on.
Because a lot of time the thieves behind major phishing attacks are located overseas, local law enforcement can do little about it, even if they could track them down. That leaves it up to you to make sure you don't go off clicking on links in emails and making sure you use some form of identity theft protection.
Phishing is just one more way criminals are using sophisticated methods to steal your personal information so that they can use it for evil means. Be wary of any email from a financial institution or other company you might do business with. And to be safe, never click on a link in an email so that you never have to worry about being phished.
About the Author:
Harvey Warmuth tries to protect his family against phishing schemes, but he also uses an identity protection service to protect his information. Find out more by visiting his website: Credit Identity Theft
posted by Credit Counseling at
3:06 AM
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