Protect yourself from Phishing, Vishing, Smishing and Lottery Scams
Thursday, October 29, 2009, 9:12 AM | Leave Comment
I will define and explain Phishing, Vishing, Smishing and Lottery Scams one by one. The schmucks are everywhere. You think you have a Personal Computer and you are at the top of the world in terms of the technology – hardware and software. But the crooks are way ahead of you and me. Any technology – you name it and some we don’t know about – and they have it and they know how best to use it. Their marketing techniques, their usage of email know-how is second to none. They even have legitimate websites and blogs that are so believable that many folks have fallen on their backs to answer their emails and give them personal information.
Phishing
I received an email from “530@tmomail.net” with their phone number “888-855-5145”. Please do not reply to their email and don’t ever call this number. They are the best of the best in their method to lure money out of your bank account. These emails are known as “phishing” because they are originated by criminals attempting to gain access to your personal information. NEVER click on a link in an email purported to be from any financial institution.
Vishing
Vishing is similar to phishing, yet the fraud is committed over the phone. The criminals send out phone calls to random telephone numbers.
Smishing
Smishing is the latest form of phishing. In Smishing, recipients are getting unsolicited text messages posing as their financial institution which try to lure you into giving personal information.
Lottery Scam
Lottery scams are on the rise! Criminals send what looks like a legitimate counter check from a financial institution and requests the payee to deposit and wire the proceeds to a foreign location. This is a SCAM!
Ways to protect yourself
- Be wary of unsolicited phone calls
- Be wary of unsolicited text messages
- Don’t open suspicious attachments in your email
- Keep virus protection software and firewalls up to date
- Don’t email financial information
Moral of the story
Just be mindful and don’t give out your personal information to anyone – not on the phone, not in email, not via text messaging. Always call your bank or whatever your financial institution is. It’s your hard-earned money. Protect it.
What do you think?
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