Be Safe & Smart Online: Watch Out For Phishing Schemes!

Article Index

________________________________________

Article Title: Be Safe & Smart Online: Watch Out For Phishing Schemes!
Author: VectorCentral.com
Contact the Author: http://www.vectorcentral.com/contact-editor.html
Word Count: 492 words, including bylines
Formatted at 60 cpl

==Permission Guidelines==
You have permission to reprint this article in your ezine and/or your web site for free.
Required:
-- Include the byline/author's resource (see end of article)
-- Include the article in its entirety with no changes to content.
-- You may reformat the characters per line as is suitable for your publication.
-- Activate any links found in the article and in the author's byline.
-- If possible, notify the author that you have published.
-- You are not allowed to use this article in UCE (Unsolicited Commercial Email) or SP'AM. This article must be distributed to an opt-in email list only.

Start of ARTICLE--->

"Be Safe & Smart Online: Watch Out For Phishing Schemes!"
Author: VectorCentral.com

Phishing schemes are the most notorious and
dangerous type of online-scams!
(pronounced 'fishing')

If you receive an email that looks like it is from your
bank, PayPal, eBay, Social networks, or an online
account, it is best "not" to open it. If you feel that
you must open the email, do "not" reply to it, do "not"
click on any link in the email and by all means, do
"not" open any attachment! Instead, go to your
account's web site ("without" clicking on a link in the
email) and use the web site's contact form. Copy and
paste the email into the contact form and ask your
service if it is from them.

NEVER give your passwords to anyone!

Watch out for emails that have phrases like the following.
(Dashes --- signify an account name like PayPal,
eBay, your bank name, social networks, etc.):

** --- Account Alert
** --- Account Incident
** --- Account Issue
** --- Account Renew
** --- Account Review
** --- Account Suspended
** Avoid your --- suspension
** Bank Draft Confirmed
** Bank Draft Worth...
** Confirm on receiving
** Check your account
** Confirm that you are the real owner of --- account
** Confirm that you have sent an eBay payment
** Confirm your --- account
** --- Email ID ---
** Facebook (or other name) Password Reset Confirmation
** Last notice about your cable provider
** New login system
** New security requirements
** Notification of Limited Account Access
** Notification of Unclaimed Parcel
** Password Change Required
** Password Reset Confirmation
** PayPal Notification: ---
** Please Update your account to avoid suspension
** Protect your --- account
** Question from ---- member
** Re: Dear --------
** Re: Important
** Re: Urgent
** Reactivate your ---- account
** Reconfirm payment (or payment option)
** Restore your account access
** Second (third) notification
** Suspect Email Detected (with name of reliable anti-virus service - but don't open- it's a virus)
** The Security of your account
** Unauthorized access report
** Unauthorized account access
** Update your --- account
** Urgent (and similar expressions)
** Verify your --- account
** Warning - Your email account will be closed
** Your account might be compromised
** Your account access has been limited
** Your account has been violated
** You have successfully updated your password
** Your IP was marked
** Your credit card is blocked
** Your ------- account is blocked
** Your credit/debit card information must be updated
** Your email requires verification
** Your profile has been updated
And any similar wordings.

These types of Phishing schemes can be very dangerous. The
inappropriate senders of these emails will take your account
information, your credit card information, and take your
identity. Phishing, this type of scheme, is one of the most
dangerous forms of scams.

www.IdentityProtection101.com suggests the following:

1. No legitimate company would ever ask you to provide your
personal information or your account information.
2. View the link in the email. For example, PayPal will
always read: https:// (notice the "s").
3. Be wary of e-mails that contain misspelled words,
incomplete sentences, and awkward phrases.
4. Don't give your personal information to anyone unless you
trust them and have initiated the contact yourself via a
telephone number or web address that you know to be valid.
http://www.identityprotection101.com/phishing

We recommend McAfee and Spybot as a good combination for security.
--McAfee.com: To receive immediate help in a virus crisis, go to McAfee's chat-line support service. They will give you prompt, online help with your emergency. http://www.mcafee.com/support/
For regular virus updates, go to the Virus Information Center: http://ca.com/virusinfo/
--Spybot: Spyware Protection Click Here -A MUST HAVE "With" Any Anti-Virus program. Use Spybot "along with" your anti-virus software for Full protection.
For more options, click here.

Dictionary.com defines:
Phishing: "A method of identity theft carried out through the creation of a website that seems to represent a legitimate company. The visitors to the site, thinking they are buying something from a real business, submit their personal information to the site. The criminals then use the personal information for their own purposes, or sell the information to other criminal parties."

Investopedia Commentary: "A classic example of phishing is an identity thief setting up a website that looks like it belongs to a major bank. Then, that thief sends out many emails that claim to be from the major bank and request the email recipients to input their personal banking information (such as their PIN) into the website so the bank may update their records. Once the scammer gets a hold of the needed personal information, they attempt to access the victim's bank account."
Related Articles on Phishing and Identity Theft:
Identity Theft: How To Avoid It http://www.investopedia.com/articles/pf/05/051805.asp
Investment Scams Tutorial http://www.investopedia.com/university/scams/

Always Be Safe Online!

May your day be blessed!
Vector Central Marketing
http://www.vectorcentral.com
Contact:
http://www.vectorcentral.com/contact-editor.html

Copyright ©Vector Central Marketing

=================================
About the Author:
Vector Central and the "Interactive Marketing Ezine" provide essential marketing methods to generate your online success. Free weekly ad with subscription: http://www.vectorcentral.com/subscribe.html
As a Solo Ad Design specialist, Vector Central will assist you with your Exclusive ad campaign:
http://www.vectorcentral.com/adv-solo-ads.html