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Phishing is the term coined by Internet scammers who imitate legitimate companies in e-mails to entice people to share usernames, passwords, account information or credit card numbers.
The term phishing comes from the fact that Internet scammers are using increasingly sophisticated lures as they "fish" for users' private information. The most common ploy is to copy the look and feel of a web page from a major site and use that design to set up a nearly identical page that appears to be part of the company's site.
Recently, scammers have started using new phone technology to manipulate caller IDs and to make customers believe that the call originated from the company's phone system. Spammers have also been using text messaging, instant messaging, and web logs to send unsolicited commercial e-mails.
We strongly urge you to read the additional information that can be found on the Federal Trade Commission web site:
http://www.ftc.gov/bcp/edu/pubs/consumer/alerts/alt127.shtm.
How you can avoid Phishing scams?
There are several steps you can take to make sure you never fall for one of these scams:
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Always be suspicious of any e-mail or phone call that asks for your personal account information, such as usernames, passwords and account numbers. E-mails, phone calls, text messages, instant messages or web logs that appear to come from a reliable source may not always be authentic.
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Be aware we will NEVER ask you for password information via e-mail, as that information is private and is only known by you. During calls for technical support, our technicians may ask for your password to help resolve any issues with your account.
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Always ensure that you're using a secure server when submitting credit card information. To make sure you're using a secure server, check the beginning of the web address in your browsers address bar - it should be https:// rather than just http://.
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Contact your bank or credit card company if you think you may have replied to a fraudulent e-mail with sensitive personal information.
Microsoft has recently created a security update for Internet Explorer that will help you avoid phishing scams. It removes a vulnerability that could allow an attacker to misrepresent the location of a web page in the address bar of an Internet Explorer window.
Phishing is a very serious issue. Be cautious with your usernames, passwords and other personal information.
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