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Online Identity Theft and Phishing Scams

As if sifting through dozens of spam emails that make their way into your inbox each day wasn't enough, the increasing threat of "phishing" adds another level of concern. How can you stay safe from hackers out to steal your personal information, such as credit card numbers? A few tips should keep your online experience safe and secure.

Urgent Email Requests : Normally phishing involves sending out an email requesting personal information that appears to come from a financial institution or company you trust. It will typically include a link to an authentic-looking website complete with company logos and a nearly exact replica of the company's real website. Security Center

Unless you look closely at the website URL, you may easily fall prey for this type of online ID-theft. Paypal, a leader in online money transfers, has been a particular target of such scams. The best rule of thumb is not to respond to these emails. No legitimate financial institution will request your information via email.

The September 2004 edition of Consumer Reports offers six ways to outwit ID thieves:

• Never directly respond to email asking for personal information
• If you doubt a message's authenticity, verify it by contacting the institution itself.
• Avoid spoofed sites by entering the Web addresses directly into your browser or by using bookmarks you have already created.
• When prompted for a password, enter an incorrect one first. A phishing site will accept it; a legitimate one won't.
• A secure website gives you more assurance. To see whether a site is secure, look at the bottom of your browser's window for an icon of an unbroken key or a lock that is closed, golden, or glowing. Double-click on the lock to display the site's certificate, and make sure it matches the company you think you're connected to.
• Forward the fraudulent spam to the Federal Trade Commission at spam@uce.gov and the Anti-Phishing Working Group at reportphishing@antiphishing.org. Additional information can be found on the Federal Trade Commission website at www.consumer.gov/idtheft.

Rest assured Sierra Central will never ask you for sensitive account information in an email. If you receive such a request, please notify our Member Services department immediately.

More Resources:

• Phishing Information (224KB - Download Acrobat Reader).
• Companies like Zone Alarm (www.zonealarm.com) and McAfee (us.mcafee.com) now feature Anti-Phishing protection in their Security Suite software packages. Users wishing to add another level of protection may find these products useful. There are also browser toolbars with anti-phishing features. Users of MSN';s toolbar can download a free add-on on Microsoft's site. Another free anti-phishing toolbar, called SiteAssure, is available from Trace Security.