How to Avoid Phishing Scams
Tip 6: It's Not Just Email
While most phishing schemes attempt to steal sensitive information via email,
there are a number of other approaches that you need to watch out for, including:
- Pop-Up Windows: You might be logged in to a secure site and suddenly a pop-up window
appears that asks you to re-login. Don't do it! It's possible that your computer has
been compromised via a virus or some scumware, and that it's not the secure site
that is prompting you to re-login. View pop-up windows with intense suspicion, just
like you do for emails.
- Direct Mail: If you get a direct mail piece from an institution that asks you to
visit a site and log in, should you do it? Absolutely not. Direct mail can be a
vehicle for identity theft too because it’s relatively easy to create stationery
that seems legit.
- Telephone Calls: Similarly, a criminal in disguise could call you up, tell you
there's a problem and ask you to visit a site to log in and correct the issue.
Don't do it!
The bottom line is that there will always be crime. But, you don't have to be the
victim. View everything with an appropriate level of suspicion and you will be OK.
Taking the precautions outlined in this article will keep you safe and sound and
make it a bit harder for those who commit phishing crimes.
