This is a consumer advice column written by the Better Business Bureau of Northern Indiana. It appears Thursdays in Business.
Internet thieves are finding more imaginative and sophisticated ways to trick consumers into giving up banking and other personal information, using everything from fake airline reservation notices to phony FBI emails. It is more important than ever to use caution before opening any unfamiliar email correspondence or responding to suspicious phone calls or postal mailings.
Phishing scams are a national epidemic, victimizing hundreds of thousands of consumers each year. These unknown frauds, often disguising themselves as well-known businesses or government agencies – are stealing tens of millions of dollars from unsuspecting Americans. Consumers can no longer afford to trust that people are who they claim to be.
Recently, criminals have used a variety of techniques to get consumers to turn over sensitive information.
*A scam that targeted fiances of service members to “register” with the Defense Finance and Accounting Service to receive benefits in the event of the service member’s death. Thieves used the ploy to extract money and personal information from victims.
*A scam using a phony email itinerary for US Airways to phish for personal information.
*Notification to consumers that they have been awarded a free Walmart gift card and then directing them to a site that asks them for personal information.
*A variety of scams allegedly from the Better Business Bureau, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Internal Revenue Service or other governmental or non-governmental organizations seeking confidential information or using links that could damage consumers’ computer systems through malware or other programs.
*Scams using the names of popular online sites like Facebook, eBay, Craigslist, Google and a variety of gaming sites, again designed to obtain sensitive data from consumers.
*Earlier this year, the FBI reported that cyber crooks were using spam emails – purportedly from such organizations as the Federal Reserve Bank or the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation – to infect computers with malware and gain access to bank accounts. The malware, called “Gameover,” was designed to steal usernames and passwords and overcome user authentication methods used by financial institutions. Malware – short for malicious software – can include computer viruses, worms, Trojan horses, spyware, adware and other malicious programs.
In many cases, thieves use consumers’ stolen financial information to ring up charges on their credit cards or drain their bank accounts. Last month, police in Great Britain reported that a woman was bilked out of her life savings of $1.6 million by cyber thieves using a phishing scam.
Here are some ways to avert phishing scams:
*Don’t trust unsolicited emails, even if they appear to be from familiar businesses or agencies. If you’re concerned about the validity of an email, contact the business or agency directly by phone or through its website to ask about it.
*Don’t open any attachments in suspicious emails and don’t click on any links or give any personal information unless you are confident where it is going. If you have concerns, run your cursor over a link (but don’t click it) to determine if the actual link is the same as the one shown.
*Delete any suspicious email from your inbox and from your trash or recycling folder.
*Don’t give your Social Security number, bank account number or any other personal information to unfamiliar persons contacting you by phone or by mail. In fact, this information is best left out of emails altogether.
Anyone using a computer today is vulnerable. Frauds are getting more vicious. Don’t become their next victim.