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A U.S. Treasury report provides consumers with steps to prevent and report phishing scams:
* Do not respond to or open any e-mail that warns that an account is about to be closed. Contact the company directly by phone and inquire of this e-mail.
* Do not submit financial information unless there is a symbol for a locked padlock on the browser’s status bar. Also look for the https:// at the beginning of the Web address. If both of these signs are absent, the Web site is not secure.
* Always review your bank statement and credit card statements immediately upon receipt.
* Verify the domestic telephone number listed on the Web site through directory assistance or other reliable sources and call the number. Many phishing attacks have originated outside the U.S. and don´t have a domestic number.
* Report suspicious activity or if you have been defrauded to the FTC and the FBI.
* Phishing e-mails can be forwarded to uce@ftc.gov. Complaints can be filed at www.ftc.gov. Phishing attacks can also be reported to the Internet Fraud Complaint Center at www.ifccfbi.gov.
Other cautionary measures you should take in order to protect yourself are:
* Since most of the phishing emails come through spam, get a spam filter and install on your computer.
* If you suspect a phishing attempt, report immediately to the bank. Every bank web site has a link or a toll-free number to report scams. Don’t be ashamed if you were tricked into divulging account information. If you report it immediately, your account will be protected until you receive a new PIN.
* Change your password and PINs regularly. Banks advise that you use separate PINs and passwords for different accounts, that way if one gets compromised, your entire financial life won’t be revealed.
* If you are a frequent user of EBay, download its Web browser toolbar, a small program that runs with a user’s Web browser. It flashes red when the user visits a possible spoof site. The toolbar uses a database of spoof site URLs, submitted by customers and is updated quite often.
* Check your computer frequently for possible Trojan virus.
Source: phishing
