Don't Get Caught by Phishers

Seniors have been flocking to the Internet in greater numbers than ever before. The World Wide Web and email have made it relatively easy for even computer novices to find the information they need and to stay in touch with each other. Simple things, like getting directions to a restaurant or answering last-minute questions from children and grandchildren, require just a few keystrokes.

Online Crime
The Internet has also created new opportunities for less innocent activities. Internet scammers have a new way to get people’s financial information: They go “phishing.” Phishing is a high-tech scam that uses email prompting you to go to phony Web sites and disclose your credit card numbers, bank account information, Social Security number, passwords, or other sensitive information.

Impersonating Reputable Websites
Phishers often claim to be a business or organization that you deal with—for example, your bank, online retailer, or credit card company. The emails look authentic because the phishers include genuine-looking logos along with their bogus messages. Organizations that are impersonated most often are the biggest ones on the Internet, like eBay and PayPal, but no organization is exempt. Phishers have been known to target customers of small banks and credit unions.

A common tactic is to play on your fears. A recent phishing attack on a national bank declared to customers that “we have strong reason to believe that your account has recently been compromised.” The alleged representatives of the bank directed customers to a Web site where they could update their information. It threatened that if customers didn’t act within 24 hours, their account would be considered fraudulent and would be suspended. Needless to say, the Web site, which looked realistic, was as phony as the message.

Resist the Impulse to Buy
Getting phished is no cause for alarm. It happens to everyone. The key is to respond prudently by not responding at all, no matter how anxious the message makes you feel.

The FTC, the nation’s consumer protection agency, suggests that if you get an email asking for personal or financial information, do not reply or click on the link in the message. Legitimate companies don’t ask for this information via email. Instead, simply contact the organization named in the email using a telephone number you know to be genuine or go directly to the company’s Web site by typing their Internet address into your Web browser.

Increase Your Security
Recently, many banks have adopted a technique called reverse authentication designed to combat phishing. They ask customers to select their own personal image, which will always appear on their site when the customer lands on it. If this image does not appear, the site is an imposter.

If you take a few simple precautions, you can avoid getting caught in the phisher’s net. Better yet, install a spam filter so that you won’t even have to see the phisher’s handiwork. In the meantime, enjoy your opportunity to use one of the technological marvels of the 21st century.