Scam Alert – Beware of Phishing Scams

Phishing scams involve internet fraudsters who send spam or pop up messages to lure personal information (debit card or credit card numbers, bank account information, Social Security numbers, passwords, or other sensitive information) from unsuspecting victims. Phishers send an email or pop up message that appears to be from a business or organization that you may deal with such as your bank, the IRS, PayPal, or your Internet Service Provider. The email message is very tricky and can make you think that something is wrong with one of your own accounts. Here are a few examples:

"We suspect an unauthorized transaction on your account. To ensure that your account is not compromised, please click the link below and confirm your identity."

"During our regular verification of accounts, we couldn't verify your information. Please click here to update and verify your information."

The message may ask you to "update," "validate," or "confirm" your account information. Some phishing emails threaten a dire consequence if you don't respond. The messages direct you to a website that looks just like a legitimate organization's site. But it isn't. It's a bogus site whose sole purpose is to trick you into divulging your personal information so the operators can steal your identity and run up bills or commit crimes in your name.

Important tips for protecting yourself from phishing scams:

• If you get an email or pop-up message that asks for personal or financial information, do not reply or click on the link in the message.
• We suggest you call the company directly to confirm the legitimacy of the email.
• Use anti-virus and anti-spyware software, as well as a firewall, and update them all regularly.
• Don't email personal or financial information.
• Be cautious about opening any attachment or downloading any files from emails you receive, regardless of who sent them.