How To Spot A Phishing Email
75Don't Take The Bait
Gone phishin' has taken on a whole new meaning in the internet age.
The term - deliberately misspelt - refers to the methods employed by fraudsters intent on getting you to reveal your personal banking information in an email.
These scams can often look very authentic, with professional looking page headers and motifs, which can fool a great many people into believing it really is their bank or card issuer contacting them.
Unfortunately, once you have clicked on any link in the email, you are opening the floodgates for nasty little visitors like Trojans, which are programs designed to capture your keystrokes and even take over the camera in your pc or laptop, so the fraudsters can watch you without your knowledge and observe what you are up to and which sites you are visiting.
The golden rule with any unfamiliar message is never click on an email link if you can't be sure of the sender's identity. Because they may end up stealing yours!
Delete any messages which look suspicious.
Some banks encourage you to forward them on to their fraud departments, so they can monitor the trends and prepare better online protection for customers.They also liaise with police forces all over the world, to help tighten the net on fraudsters - wherever they are hiding.
So how can you spot a phishing email?
The majority of these messages are relatively unsophisticated and come riddled with the kind of spelling mistakes and hobgoblin grammar that can have you rolling about with laughter.
Not quite the result the desperate fraudster was hoping for...but then the Almighty always did have a great sense of humour.
Many of them originate in non-english speaking countries in Africa, Asia, the Far East and Eastern Europe.
My spam box still gets regular visits from an African gentleman (I use the word lightly), offering to funnel tens of thousands of pounds into what he perceives as my sweaty clutches.
He tells me he is the Deputy Manager of the Congo branch of a very well known UK bank and urgently needs to transfer these ill-gotten gains into my account, which we will then proceed to split between us.
He has chosen me of course, because mine is the cutest bank account in all the world and I am his "dearest friend."
All I have to do is provide him with a few "minor details," like my full address and my bank sort code and account number.
He even provides me with a little form, so I won't forget anything. Thoughtful eh?
Believe it or not, some people do actually fall for this. Greed, as we know, is a wicked mistress.
The more sophisticated of fraudsters, however, employ methods which can be a lot more difficult to spot.
Talented fraudsters with excellent webmaster skills can cook up a website that looks very similar to your bank or card issuer's. Even the logo can look almost identical and it can take a trained eye to spot the difference.
So what's the best way of avoiding falling prey to these would-be "financial anglers"?
It's simple really.
Never click on an email link - even if you believe it is genuine.
Always open up a fresh window in your browser and go to your bank or card issuer's website directly.
Always delete the suspicious message.
Ask your bank if they have an address to forward suspicious mail to and keep it in your contacts.
Save your bank's log-on screen in your Favourites.
It's a safer way of logging on, rather than always going through the main website entrance.
Save your bank's email address directly from their website - so you can message them without clicking on a link sent to you.
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Comments
What a cool move you made on that one ; )
Most people would have just clicked on the link, in a rush to find out what was happening to their money.
These guys use fear and greed as the main motivators, when attempting to manipulate their victims.
You're absolutely right, of course. No bank will ever ask you to verify your information by email.
Well done!
Great advice,..I never thought something like that would happen to me but yesturday I was hacked through my twitter account. Oh what a mess,..Then shortly afterwards I recieved an email saying someone was trying to use a bank card of mine but luckly I had closed down that account about a year ago. Very real threat online,...
Sorry to hear you've been hit by an online pest - but glad to see you have learned a really valuable lesson from it.
Let me put your mind at rest though.
The safest way to trade online is actually via your credit card, as most plastic issuers offer guaranteed fraud protection - so long as you haven't been negligent with your card security information.
If a fraudster gets into your bank account via a debit card, they have access to your own savings - but a credit card isn't your money - it's credit a bank is prepared to lend you.
I never use my debit card online, for this very reason.
Use The Same Rules For eBay
You can also keep your eBay account safe by following the same rules.
Fake eBay messages rely on you clicking on a link in them.
DON'T!
You can forward any suspicious eBay messages to their own fraud team.
The address is: spoof@ebay.com
Or if you're in the UK: spoof@ebay.co.uk
They are superb at getting back to you quickly with a reply. It's all automated and will tell you quickly if your suspicions are correct.
Here's another tip on spotting eBay fraudsters:
Keep your eBay sign-in screen in your Favourites.
Click on it and sign in.
Go to My Messages.
Check to see if the message you received is in there.
If it is, you know it did come from them.
If it isn't - it's a phishing email and you should forward it to their fraud specialists at the address I've given you above.
Stay Safe with FlippinEcc's Golden Rule:
If it smells like a phish...
Don't Click it - Flip It!
collegecareerlife says:
3 weeks ago
Good advice. I got an email with what appeared to be the Chase logo saying that several failed attempts had been made to get into my account. It looked legitimate, but I knew that banks should never ask you to verify account information through email.