March 19, 2006

Phishing - You Can Protect Yourself If You Stay Awake Online

Phishing scams are gaining in use by scammers all the time. You don't have to be caught by it. The one main thing you can do to protect yourself is that if you get an email from your bank, eBay, PayPal etc - DO NOT click on the link that comes to you via email. Instead go directly to the web site.

AFP writes One survey by First Data Corp. last year found 43 percent of US adults had received at least one of the bogus e-mails. Of those, about one in 20 -- or 4.5 million people -- provided the requested information, and about half of those end up being victims of theft or identity fraud.

Traditionally, phishers have targeted the customers of major institutions, like big banks, or shopping sites like eBay, or PayPal, the giant online payment facilitator. But in another new twist, called "puddle phishing" or they are now going after the customers of regional banks or credit unions. Targeting small groups or individual companies is known as "spear phishing."

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