Following is a warning about email frauds that have been going around lately. Similar scams have been aimed at PayPal and other online payment services. I turned an email over to PayPal two months ago, that ended up in an overseas investigation.
Fortunately, it is much easier than you may think to avoid this type of fraud: Never enter or update any account information through a link provided in an email. Instead, always go to the organization's normal URL (site address) and go into the site directly. If you can't find a way to update the information requested through the regular site address, the email was likely bogus, and you just saved yourself from identity theft.
Fraudulent emails coming from what appears to be legitimate banks or online payment services:
There have been numerous reports of suspicious emails coming from legitimate banking organizations. Be aware that these emails are not coming from the banks; they are instead being sent by people attempting to commit fraud.
While the methods may differ, the common thread of these emails is that the email sender is attempting to gain sensitive information (name, SSN, bank account number, etc.) from the responder. In most cases the receiver of the email is instructed to click on a link to enter the "required" information. The emails go on to say that failure to do so will result in their account being suspended or some other inconvenience to the receiver.
The sender transmits the phony email to many email addresses with the hopes that someone who banks with the company being spoofed will fall for the trap. To legitimatize the email, the sender makes the email look official by using company logos and an authentic looking address in the "From:" field of the email. Anyone who banks with the organization may be tempted to reply.
From the banks that I have contacted, all state they never distribute an unsolicited email requesting confidential information from their customers. They advise all customers who have replied to the emails to immediately contact the bank via a phone call.
Below is an example of an email that was received. The URL the receiver is instructed to click on was in fact a link to criminals using computers at a Taiwan Academic Network.
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(note: there was a nice bank logo here that doesn't show on the post - BH)
-----Original Message-----
From: [email protected] <mailto:[email protected]> [mailto:[email protected]] <mailto:[mailto:[email protected]]>
Sent: Thursday, June 10, 2004 2:59 PM
To: [email protected]ubject <mailto:[email protected]>: U.S. Bank Consumer Alert
*
* ***Dear U.S. Bank valued customer, In an effort to protect your U.S. Bank account from future fraudulent activities, we have issued this Information Alert. We hereby recommend that you make an amendment to your account security features. Once you have amended your account information, your access to your bank account will not be interrupted and will continue as normal. However, failure to make this amendment may result in your account suspension for a certain period of time. Please fill in your account information and make necessary amendments below: U.S. Bank Internet Banking* Copyright 2004 U.S. Bancorp ****
Fortunately, it is much easier than you may think to avoid this type of fraud: Never enter or update any account information through a link provided in an email. Instead, always go to the organization's normal URL (site address) and go into the site directly. If you can't find a way to update the information requested through the regular site address, the email was likely bogus, and you just saved yourself from identity theft.
Fraudulent emails coming from what appears to be legitimate banks or online payment services:
There have been numerous reports of suspicious emails coming from legitimate banking organizations. Be aware that these emails are not coming from the banks; they are instead being sent by people attempting to commit fraud.
While the methods may differ, the common thread of these emails is that the email sender is attempting to gain sensitive information (name, SSN, bank account number, etc.) from the responder. In most cases the receiver of the email is instructed to click on a link to enter the "required" information. The emails go on to say that failure to do so will result in their account being suspended or some other inconvenience to the receiver.
The sender transmits the phony email to many email addresses with the hopes that someone who banks with the company being spoofed will fall for the trap. To legitimatize the email, the sender makes the email look official by using company logos and an authentic looking address in the "From:" field of the email. Anyone who banks with the organization may be tempted to reply.
From the banks that I have contacted, all state they never distribute an unsolicited email requesting confidential information from their customers. They advise all customers who have replied to the emails to immediately contact the bank via a phone call.
Below is an example of an email that was received. The URL the receiver is instructed to click on was in fact a link to criminals using computers at a Taiwan Academic Network.
===========================
(note: there was a nice bank logo here that doesn't show on the post - BH)
-----Original Message-----
From: [email protected] <mailto:[email protected]> [mailto:[email protected]] <mailto:[mailto:[email protected]]>
Sent: Thursday, June 10, 2004 2:59 PM
To: [email protected]ubject <mailto:[email protected]>: U.S. Bank Consumer Alert
*
* ***Dear U.S. Bank valued customer, In an effort to protect your U.S. Bank account from future fraudulent activities, we have issued this Information Alert. We hereby recommend that you make an amendment to your account security features. Once you have amended your account information, your access to your bank account will not be interrupted and will continue as normal. However, failure to make this amendment may result in your account suspension for a certain period of time. Please fill in your account information and make necessary amendments below: U.S. Bank Internet Banking* Copyright 2004 U.S. Bancorp ****
