Phishers Have Invented
New Bait to Steal Your Identity.
Phishers or hackers use a number of different ways to get you personal information on websites you are using.
A lot of people nowadays are using online services and websites to do their shopping and bill payments. And of course when you are entering in your personal information, such as credit card numbers, social security numbers, names, and addresses, you are taking a risk. Hackers are using techniques like malware to capture the information you are submitting to gain money. One of the most common ways for phishers to take advantage of you is through emails. If you receive an email from an unfamiliar source with an attachment, do not open it. Most likely, if you open and download the attachment, you will be subjected to malware, spyware, etc. from phishers. Also, never fill out your personal information for an unexpected or unfamiliar email account. This will put your information right into the hands of the phishers to use for identity theft. Another method these scammers are using is fake antivirus software. Some pop-ups out there come up, looking like a regular window, and it states that your computer is infected and you need to download specific antivirus software to get rid of it. The names of the software sometimes sound legitimate, like AntiVirmin 2009, AntiSpyware 2009, and etc. and that can be very deceiving. Actually, when you download this "software", you are simply downloading the same malware that sets you up for identity fraud.
One unexpected technique
phishers are using to get your
information is through job search engines.
Posing as your potential employer, they will direct you to a legit-looking site for the company, which is really a phishing page of the company. And like a usual online application, they will have you fill out your personal information. And with that simple mistake, they have tricked you into signing your identity away.
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Also, beware of scams phishing over the phone. Callers saying that they are from a government agency, or another company, may make false claims and ask for your personal information to fix the problem. If these companies or agencies were really calling you, they would never ask for your personal information over the phone. Also, a fake company may call you to inform you that you have been a victim of fraud, and that you need to verify your identity by giving them your information. These schemes are based on the fact that people can be scared into believing they are in trouble, and they will do anything to get out of trouble. Phishing can spread like a wildfire through social networking sites. It only takes one person to get be taken advantage of for it to turn into millions. If someone enters their username and password into a phishing site, the scammers can send messages to all of their friends on the site, and if they all get infected then all of their friends can be too. The best way to stay safe and prevent from getting infected is to always be suspicious. If you are careful not to fall for the easy tricks, you should be okay. And to battle and get rid of any malware, downloading official antivirus software from a trusted company like McAfee or AVG should solve the problems. Doing this should keep your identity safe.
Return to Hints & Tips #2 from Phishers.
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