CreditRatingMatters.co.uk urges consumers to be wary of phishing scam emails
London
22.02.10
Whilst people today are relatively well-versed in how to protect their possessions, many are still not aware of the threat to their property when it comes to the internet. The majority of people would not leave their front door unlocked, leave their belongings unattended in a public place, or shout out their bank details in a crowded room. Despite this, the majority of people could easily be taken in by one of today’s most threatening crimes; phishing scams.
A phishing email is one sent out to thousands of people in the hope of retaining their personal information. Phishing emails are often made to look so much like an email from a service provider the victim uses, such as their bank, credit card company or an online retailer that they do not realise the email is a fraud.
A phishing email will normally claim that the reader needs to “verify their account”. So, for example, a phishing email claiming to be from a bank would perhaps say that a person’s online banking portal details need to be updated, or, taking a more threatening tone, some ironically claim that there has been security breach on the reader’s account, requiring validation from the real account holder.
Alternatively, a phishing email might appear to be from an online merchant or retailer such as EBay, and ask that the reader type in their email address and password or other details to finalise a transaction or access the site to see special offers or messages.
Phishing emails are so sophisticated and convincing nowadays that many people would believe that they are genuine. Victims often enter their details, which could be anything from their email password to their bank account details, and unknowingly send this information straight back to the fraudsters.
The crime is definitely on the rise, adding to the threat. In January 2010, online anti-phishing community PhishTank found 5,751 different new phishing emails in circulation, and the number keeps on growing. According to Net.Admin.Net-
To avoid becoming a victim of an email phishing scam, follow CreditRatingMatters.co.uk’
1) Check the sending address: often, the sender address will not correspond to the company the email claims to be from. Look out for this when opening emails. Some scams, however, are so sophisticated that they may be able to create a convincing email address.
2) See how specific the email is: many phishing emails work by sending out messages regarding an activity many people may have just completed, such as buying a product online. This convinces people that the email is genuine, but check the language used. If an email claims that you need to finalise a purchase or that you have received a message from a seller, check for order numbers, product descriptions or the time and date of your order in the email. If none of these specific details are included in the email, it is often because it is a fake designed to fool as many people as possible.
3) Don’t fill out your details in the email: Some phishing emails will ask you to fill your details in to an email form. The great majority of banks, credit card companies and online retailers will never ask you to do this, and will only ask for details when you enter their sites. If an email asks you to do this, ignore it.
4) Check over the phone: If you are unsure about an email that appears to be from your bank or a retailer you use, pick up the phone and call customer services. This way you can check if they need any information from you or if there has been a hoax. Even if they cannot access the details of your account straight away, they will probably be aware of the latest email scam and be able to tell you the warning signs.
5) Beware links in scam emails: if an email asks you to click a link, be careful. Often phishing scammers set up websites that look almost exactly like the bank, creditor or retailer they have set out to copy. Before clicking, look at the URL and see if you can spot any odd letters or numbers in the name of the site. If you do click through to the site, look for secure site padlock symbols.
To view your Callcredit credit report, please visit http://www.creditratingmatters.co.uk. To learn more about the Credit Rating Matters membership programme, please contact us on 0845 026 1093.
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