Posted: Wednesday, May 28, 2008 12:00 am
In a scam known as "phishing," swindlers claim to be from a reputable company and send out thousands of fake e-mails, phone calls and text messages in hopes that consumers will respond with bank account information, credit card numbers, passwords or other sensitive, personal information.
To avoid becoming a victim of personal financial information theft, the Oregon Bankers Association (OBA), in conjunction with the American Bankers Association (ABA), have teamed up to offer tips for Oregon consumers to consider.
Phishing e-mails can be quite convincing, with company logos and banners copied from actual websites. For example, they will state that their security procedure or the status of your account has changed. As a result, they need to update (or validate) the customer's information, and then direct individuals to a look-alike website. If responded to, the thieves use this information to order goods and services, create bogus debit cards or obtain credit.
To avoid becoming a victim of a phishing scam:
€ Never give out personal financial information in response to an unsolicited phone call, fax, text message or e-mail, no matter how official it may seem.
€ Do not respond to e-mail that may warn of dire consequences unless you validate information immediately. Contact the company to confirm the message's validity using a telephone number or web address known to be genuine.
€ Check credit card and bank account statements regularly and look for unauthorized transactions, even small ones. Report discrepancies immediately.
€ When submitting financial information online, look for the padlock or key icon at the bottom of the Internet browser.
€ Report suspicious activity to the Internet Crime Complaint Center, a partnership between the FBI and the National White Collar Crime Center.
If you have responded to a suspicious e-mail, contact your bank immediately so they can protect your account and your identity.