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COMMENTARY: Dont get caught in the 'phishing' net

  • Published
SCOTT AIR FORCE BASE, Ill. --   Internet scammers are using a new method to coax unsuspecting victims into their nets.

Phishing is an Internet e-mail scam that tricks individuals into revealing personal information, including Social Security numbers, bank account numbers and passwords.

"Phishers first steal a company's identity and then use it to victimize consumers by stealing their credit identities.

Typically, the e-mails include links to Web sites with familiar logos and companies, such as Best Buy, UPS, Bank of America, PayPal and First Union Bank. The Web sites are replicas, and once a victim enters, they are often urged to confirm information that was supposedly lost or misplaced. After providing the information, the victim's identity is compromised and money starts disappearing.

To protect yourself, you need to recognize the e-mail as a scam. You can use the following advice to help recognize and avoid many Internet scams, including Phishing:

-- Don't trust e-mail headers, they can be forged easily.

-- Legitimate businesses do not request personal information through e-mails. Banks and credit card companies already have it.

-- The e-mail does not reference a partial account number.

-- The e-mail warns that accounts will be closed unless you reconfirm your information immediately.

-- The e-mail says you have been a victim of fraud.

-- The e-mail contains spelling or grammatical errors.

Other ways to protect personal information include:

-- Contact the business and verify the message is genuine.

-- Try not to click on links in an e-mail message from a company. Too many scam artists are making forgeries of company's sites that look like the real thing.

-- Adopt a general rule, if you want to do business online, don't click on an e-mail link, go to the company's Web site yourself and fill out information there.

-- Contacting legitimate businesses that are being victimized to put them on alert.

For more information on how to protect personal information, visit the Federal Trade Commission Web site at