If you have already submitted information to scammers as a result of a phishing scam, you need to contact the targeted institution for advice immediately. It is imperative that you act quickly to protect the account that has been compromised in the phishing attack.
For more comprehensive information about what to do, click the link below:
DELETE the email from your computer as soon as possible.
If you need more information about a suspected phishing scam, visit the legitimate website of the targeted institution or contact the institution directly. The institution’s website may provide current information about the scam email you received.
You may also be able to report phishing scams to the targeted institution. Contact the targeted institution to find out where to submit copies of the scam messages. This information is often included on the institution’s website.
Unsolicited requests for sensitive information
The entire purpose of a typical phishing scam email is to get the recipient to provide personal information. If you receive any unsolicited email ostensibly from a bank or other institution that asks you to click a link and provide sensitive personal information, then you should view the message with the utmost suspicion. It is highly unlikely that a legitimate institution would request sensitive information in such a way.
Content appears genuine
Phishing scam emails are created to give the illusion that they have been sent by a legitimate institution. The email may arrive in HTML format and include logos, styling, contact and copyright information virtually identical to those used by the targeted institution. To further create the illusion of legitimacy, some of the secondary links in these bogus emails may lead to the institution’s genuine website. However, one or more of the hyperlinks featured in the body of the email will point to the fraudulent website.
Disguised hyperlinks and sender address
Links in phishing scam emails are often disguised to make it appear that they lead to the genuine institution site. The sender address of the email may also be disguised in such a way that it appears to have originated from the targeted company.
Email consists of a clickable image
Some phishing scam emails may arrive as a clickable image file. That is, the entire email consists of an image that contains the fraudulent request for information. These are a particularly dangerous type because clicking anywhere within the email will cause the bogus website to open.
Generic Greetings
Because they are sent in bulk to many recipients, scam emails use generic greetings such as “Dear account holder” or “Dear [targeted institution] customer”. If an institution needed to contact a customer about some aspect of his or her account, the contact email would most likely address the customer by name.
Use various ruses to entice recipients to click
Phishing scam emails use a variety of ruses to explain why it is necessary for recipients to provide the requested information. Often, the messages imply that urgent action on the part of the recipient is required. Some of the most common ruses are listed below. The scam emails may claim that:
The customer’s account details need to be updated due to a software or security upgrade.
The customer’s account may be terminated if account details are not provided within a specified time frame.
Suspect or fraudulent activity involving the user’s account has been detected and the user must therefore provide information urgently.
Routine or random security procedures require that the user verify his or her account by providing the requested information.
Scammers are able to use information stolen from victims in a variety of ways. They may:
Take over the victim’s account.
After the scammers have harvested information such as passwords, user names and account numbers, they are able to directly access the victim’s account. They can then transfer funds to other accounts, conduct transactions, issue cheques in the victim’s name and generally manipulate the account in the same way that the legitimate owner could. They can also change the account password so that the victim is locked out of his or her account.
Use the victim’s credit card details
If the scammers have stolen credit card details, they can then use these details to make purchases that will be charged to the victim’s account.
Steal the victim’s identity.
If the scammers have gained enough personal information from their victim, they may be able to steal his or her identity. They can then commit a variety of fraudulent and other criminal activities in the victim’s name. Identity theft can have very serious and long-term repercussions. Identity theft victims can spend months or years trying to clear their name, sort out legal issues, recover from debt and repair damaged credit ratings.
Phishing scams attempt to trick people into providing sensitive personal information such as credit card or banking details. In order to carry out this trick, the phishing scammers send a fraudulent email disguised as an official request for information from the targeted company. Generally, they also create a “look-a-like” website that is designed to closely resemble the target company’s official site. The fake website may appear almost identical to the official site. Style, logos, images, navigation menus and other structural components may look the same as they do on the genuine website.
Recipients of the scam email are requested to click on an included hyperlink. Clicking this link will cause the fake website to open in the user’s browser. Once at this fake website, the user may be presented with a web form that requests private information such as credit card and banking details, and other account data such as a home address and phone number. Often, the visitor is requested to login using his or her username and password. All information entered into this fake website, including login details, can subsequently be collected and used at will by the criminals operating the scam.
A variation of the scam involves using an embedded form within the bogus email itself. Victims are instructed to enter details such as a password and bank account number into the form provided and return the email to the sender. Another variation attempts to trick recipients into installing a trojan on their computer, either by opening an email attachment or downloading the trojan from a website. The scammers can then use the trojan to collect information from the infected computer. The scam emails are randomly mass-mailed to many thousands of Internet users in the hope of netting just a small number of victims. The majority of people who receive these scam emails will probably not even be customers of the targeted institution. However, the scammers rely on the statistical probability that at least a few recipients will:
1. Have accounts with the targeted institution.
2. Will be unaware of such scams and believe the email to be a legitimate request.
The scam can prove to be a lucrative exercise for the scammers even if only a very small percentage of recipients ultimately become victims.
Are Credit Card companies starting to feel the pinch? We all know that the Credit Card companies make their money by charging us interest on the money we borrow. With all the 0% balance transfer offers that we have seen over the last few years its no wonder these companies are concerned they aren’t making any money. Many customers who take advantage of these offers move once the 0% period has expired.
These credit card companies are now using smart tactics to grab back a chunk of money that they have lost through these deals. One of the ways they are doing this is by reducing the interest free period, meaning you have less time to pay the balance off. If you don’t pay it off by the time your 0% period ends you are charged interest backdated to when you made the balance transfer.
If you do find yourself in this predicament and you decide to transfer the outstanding balance to another 0% credit card you will unfortunately now be charged a fee for making the transfer by the Credit Card Company you had the original offer with.
These are all tactics that are now being used to make sure the Credit Card Companies make some money off of you.
Here are some points that may help you to beat the new rules that are being implemented plus other ways to save on your Credit Card fees:
•The most obvious advice that can be given is to be disciplined and try to pay off the full balance off every month.
•If you fall in the remaining 85% of us that are not able to do this then you should opt for a Credit Card that has a low transfer rate which stays low no matter how long it take to pay off the balance.
•If you are in danger of exceeding your credit limit and being charged £25 then contact your Credit Card provider and get an increase on your limit. In most cases they will fall over themselves to do this. Once you are back on your feet get the amount reduced. Remember discipline!
•Whatever you do avoid withdrawing cash from your credit card. These services will cost you from 2% upwards of the amount drawn.
•Set up a direct debit. This will prevent you from ever being charged a late payment fee. Even if this is for the min balance due every month. This is one of the biggest money makers for Credit Card Companies.
•Don’t take out Credit Card protection. It’s not worth it and its over priced for what you get. This is a topic for another article. My advice, steer clear.
•Avoid using your Credit Card abroad. This is a sneaky way for charges to be implemented. The rate of exchange is not always the best and you get charged for the convenience of using your card in a foreign country.
•Don’t be fooled into applying for a Credit Card that offers cash back and loyalty points. While some may be good the majority expect you to spend large amounts before you even qualify for any significant cash back. The incentives may be high but then so is the APR.
We all need Credit Cards for day to day living to get by so advising on not having them is ridiculous. All we can say is be disciplined. Keep a close eye on your fees and charges and manage them very closely. Check you balance statement every month. Fraud is rife at the moment so don’t get caught out.
About the Author
Grant Marwick is a freelance writer and owner of www.only-credit-cards.co.uk where you will find advice and more articles on Low interest and 0% Credit Cards
Several different types of credit cards offer several different options, depending on what your needs are. Some are geared toward individual consumers while others are set up in ways that work best for small business needs. To know what type of card fits your needs, let’s review a few of your options.
Business Credit Cards
A business credit card offers the business owner the opportunity to keep business and personal expenses separate. The card may offer special business rewards and saving opportunities that go above and beyond what the individual card owner may have. Since money management is essential in successfully running a business, the card may offer an expense management service that will allow you to keep track of the outgoing money. You can obtain additional cards for employees who may need them for travel expenses and such as well as have a higher credit limit than you normally would on an individual card.
Student Credit Cards
Many credit card companies will issue student cards that have lower credit limits and fewer incentives to help keep their spending in check. Still, take note. Many college students graduate with a credit balance that averages between $3,000 and $7,000 and with interest rates, this can be a real problem when trying to pay them off.
Prepaid Debit Cards
Prepaid debit cards are one type of credit card that has grown significantly in recent years. Although they work like a traditional credit card when making a purchase, that is where the similarities end. With prepaid debit cards, you have actually prepaid and set the credit limit by depositing money onto the debit card. Depending on how much you have deposited into the debit card’s account depends on how much credit limit you want on that card. This is a great way to have the convenience of a credit card without the chance of charging more than you can afford to pay off.
Credit Cards For Bad Credit
It is possible, even with bad credit to obtain a credit card. These cards will come with some restrictions not typically found on other types of cards. Your credit limit will be lower and your interest rate higher. Some may require you to have a secured card, meaning you have to maintain a savings or some other type of account that will cover the expenses on the credit card. Once you have established that you will be responsible, some, if not all, of your restrictions may be lifted.
Cash Back Cards
Many cards will now offer you cash back incentives for using their cards. Depending on how much your balance is and how often you use the card, you can earn cash back for your purchases. Some companies offer 1% off your balance while others, like Sears, will offer you cash off purchases made in their store. Either way, if you are planning on using a card, finding one that will offer you a cash incentive is a smart choice.
For more information and resources on credit cards, please visit: http://www.thebankcreditcardlist.com
They may not have as much play as competitors in the consumer-aimed directories space, but R.H. Donnelley Corporation’s purchase of Business.com will help the company carve out a niche in digital B2B directories and search. The yellow pages publisher, recently-turned local search player, has agreed to purchase the business directory and performance-based ad network for $345 million. “They’ve already been doing a lot of business-to-business stuff in Chicago,” said Kelsey Group Analyst Neal Polachek, noting RHD’s Chicago B2B site, which allows people to compare vendors and create personal directories. “I think this Business.com purchase is a reflection that they’re going to go down a different path than some of the other publishers.”
The firm scooped up local search marketing consulting firm LocalLaunch last September to bolster its local search engine marketing and pay-per-performance ad services. At the time, RHD expressed an interest in pursuing B2B clients among other advertiser verticals through the acquisition.
Business.com also runs how-to guide site Work.com and a performance-based ad network which serves up keyword-targeted text ads on sites such as Hoovers, Wall Street Journal Online, and Forbes.com.
“The business owners that are first going to do SEM/SEO stuff are business-to-business,” said Polachek. “People aren’t going to use the yellow pages to find a screw manufacturer anymore.”
Indeed, because B2B directories are mainly virtual these days, RHD’s full-fledged move into B2B correlates with its intentions to focus on digital media, including mobile. During the company’s Q2 2006 earnings call today, Chairman and CEO David Swanson said of the Business.com buy, “We wanted control over the PDA platform and that technology, and we felt that was very important.”
Swanson also stressed the Business.com platform will supplement RHD’s DexKnows.com, its unified local search site launched in April. “We got a lot in this acquisition…[including] the technology and platform capabilities that we needed for DexKnows.com,” he said. The plan is for Business.com and DexKnows.com to continue to operate separately, according to Swanson.
Besides tech brawn, Swanson believes Business.com will bring executive brains to RHD in the form of Business.com founder and CEO Jake Winebaum. Pending standard regulatory approval of the acquisition, Winebaum will head operations of RHD’s interactive unit, RHDi, as president; RHDi will act as the hub for DexKnows.com, LocalLaunch and the Business.com entities.
The interactive unit’s current head, SVP George Bednarz, will serve as an advisor to Winebaum over the next several months, and eventually will take on a “new leadership role,” said Swanson. The shift “will have an immediate impact on our interactive unit,” he added.
Overall ad sales in the second quarter of ‘07 for RHD totaled $729 million, up 2 percent over Q2 2006. Q2 2007 net revenue was $667 million. RHD does not break out its online revenues, but Swanson did say the company’s digital revenues “grew significantly in first half of the year.”
Print and online Yellow Pages publisher R.H. Donnelley Corp. has signed a definitive agreement to acquire Business.com for $345 million in cash and deferred payouts. Donnelley reportedly beat out Dow Jones and the New York Times, according to the Wall Street Journal.RHD will add Business.com’s business search engine and directory and pay-per-click advertising network to its interactive unit, RHDi, which will now include DexKnows.com, LocalLaunch search engine marketing company, Business.com, Work.com and the Business.com Advertising Network.
Business.com founder and CEO Jake Winebaum will lead RHDi from Santa Monica, Calif., and will report directly to Swanson. The deal is expected to close in the third quarter of 2007.
Kate Kaye at ClickZ has more details from RHD and Kelsey Group analyst Neal Polachek.
