What is Phishing?
Phishing attacks are spoofed emails and fraudulent websites designed to fool recipients into divulging personal financial data such as credit card numbers, account usernames and passwords, social security numbers, etc. By hijacking the trusted brands of well-known banks, online retailers and credit card companies, phishers are able to convince up to 5% of recipients to respond to them.
How to Avoid Phishing Scams
- Be suspicious of any email with urgent requests for personal financial information.
- Don’t use the links in an email to get to any web page, if you suspect the message might not be authentic.
- Always ensure that you are using a secure website when submitting credit card or other sensitive information through your web browser.
- Consider installing a web browser tool bar to help protect you from known phishing fraud websites.
- Regularly log into your online accounts and check your bank, credit and debit card statements to make sure that all transactions are legitimate.
- Ensure that your browser is up to date and security patches applied.
- Always report phishing or spoofed emails by forwarding the entire original email with its original header information to the following groups:
- reportphishing@antiphishing.com
- Federal Trade Commision at uce@ftc.gov
- File a complaint at ifccfbi.gov/
If Your Credit or Debit or ATM Card Information is Stolen
- Report the theft of this information to the card issuer as soon as possible.
- Cancel your account and open a new one.
- Review your billing statements carefully after the loss.
- Your maximum liability under federal law for unauthorized use of your credit card is $50.00. If the loss involves your credit card number and not the credit card itself you have no liability for unauthorized use.
- Your liability under federal law for unauthorized use of your ATM or debit card depends on how quickly you report the loss. You risk unlimited loss if you fail to report an unauthorized transfer within 60 days after your statement containing unauthorized use is mailed to you.
- Report to the three major credit reporting agencies: Experian, Equifax and TransUnion.
- Equifax – www.equifax.com – (800) 685-1111 (order credit report) or (800) 525-6285 (report fraud)
- Experian – www.experian.com – (888) 397-3742 (order credit report and report fraud)
- TransUnion – www.transunion.com – (800) 888-4213 (order your report) or (800) 680-7289 (report fraud)