| definition:
(from webopedia)
fish´ing
(n.) The act of sending an e-mail to a user falsely claiming to be an established
legitimate enterprise in an attempt to scam the user into surrendering
private information that will be used for identity theft. The e-mail directs
the user to visit a Web site where they are asked to update personal information,
such as passwords and credit card, social security, and bank account numbers,
that the legitimate organization already has. The Web site, however, is
bogus and set up only to steal the user’s information....
protect
yourself. do not give out personal information to anyone that contacts
you first. your bank already has your information, as do all the other
legitimate businesses that require it. if in doubt, don't.
phishing
sites are setup very carefully to look like the real site. often it is
very difficult to know the difference.
don't go
to a site from a link you clicked on in your mail. firefox shows a yellow
background in the address bar if the address matches the site correctly.
without this background, the site is suspecious. you would be best off
leaving.
many sites
have a certificate of identification. your browser should tell you if the
certificate matches the site. if it does not, leave the site.
some companies
have multiple international sites, with many certificates. at times the
companies use them interchangeably. don't accept it. if you are at a site
in the uk for example and find a certificate for that company - but in
canada, do not accept it.
phishing
sites want your user names, passwords, bank information, and all other
information possible. don't give it to them. you may find yourself with
an empty bank account and identity theft.
be as careful
online as offline. |
