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Fraudulent E-mails
E-mail fraud is a common tool of an identity thief. It can take many forms, but
is usually harsh, demanding and scary. Here are some examples:
Phishing scams now have a phone connection
First, it was "phishing," where criminals send e-mail by the thousands
in hopes of tricking unsuspecting consumers into sharing confidential information.
These messages often include a link to a fraudulent website.
Now, there’s “vishing.” In this latest twist, they use a telephone
number instead. When you call, a person or an automated response asks for your personal
and/or account information.
Don't fall for it!
When you call your bank, use only a phone number that comes from a reputable source,
like your statement, the back of your credit or debit card or the phonebook.
- Phishing (pronounced "fishing")
is where the sender poses as a company to trick users into giving away personal
or account information.
- Illegitimate offers are e-mails that entice users to purchase popular
goods or services at reduced prices (or before they're available to the general
public), with no intent to deliver those purchases. Usually, these e-mails are designed
primarily to obtain credit card or bank account information.
- Requests for help usually offer a recipient large sums of money or
attractive rewards in exchange for "short term" financial assistance.
One common example is the “sender” who asks the user to supply a bank
account number to "hold" large sums of money until the “sender”
can retrieve it. In exchange, the recipient is promised a percentage of the deposit.
The “sender” uses the bank account number for fraudulent activity, and
the recipient never receives the promised funds.
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