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Phishing
Phishing is the act in which criminals “fish”
for personal financial information and passwords by sending fraudulent
emails to consumers containing authentic looking company logos and familiar
graphics requesting that they “verify” or reveal personal information. The criminal hopes to capture your personal
information, which will enable them to withdraw funds from your accounts, run up credit card bills, open
additional credit cards, and even obtain a driver’s license in your name. In the end, you could be left with the hefty
task of rebuilding your credit and personal reputation.
If you responded to such an Email and provided confidential information about your Justice FCU account, please notify us immediately.
If you feel that you have received a fraudulent phishing Email, please forward the Email message to eservices@jfcu.org.
As a protective measure, Justice
Federal Credit Union does not include links within our
emails. This is due to the rise in email scams such as
“Phishing”. Justice FCU will
never solicit emails requesting your credit union account number,
password, PIN, or other personal identity information.
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Protect Yourself from Phishing Scams
Although the number of phishing incidents is on the rise, you can take precautions to eliminate
the chance of falling victim to this new wave of identity theft. Here are some helpful tips:
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Never provide your credit union account number, password, PIN, social security
number, or other personal identity information in response to an unsolicited
request whether it’s over the phone or in an email. Often times, the criminal will use words in
their communication to lead you to believe it’s an urgent matter. Remember, if you did not initiate the communication,
you should not provide any information. |
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If you receive an email with links to visit a website,
open a browser window and type in the trusted web address for the company’s
website. The link in the email could contain a virus that could contaminate your computer or it could link to a
spoofed website that may appear to be legitimate, but really it is a place to
capture your confidential information. In addition, don’t fill out e-mailed forms that request personal information. |
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Ensure that you are using a secure website when submitting credit card or other sensitive information via your web browser. |
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Install firewalls on your computer and install, run, and update antivirus and anti-spyware programs.
Ensure your browser is up-to-date with security patches. |
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Regularly check your financial information by reviewing your statement of accounts, visiting MemberLink (home banking) to get
up-to-the-minute account information, and obtaining FREE copies of your credit
reports once a year from each of the nationwide credit bureaus: Equifax,
Experian, and Trans Union.
Online: AnnualCreditReport.com
Phone: 877.322.8228
Mail: Annual Credit Report Request Service
P.O. Box 105281
Atlanta, GA 30348-5281
If need to order copies of your credit report more than once a year, you can for a fee by calling
the credit bureaus or by visiting their websites: |
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Vishing: A New Form of ID Theft
Many people are aware of "phishing," (pronounced: fish-ing) in which e-mail recipients are directed to a fake website seeking their
financial details, but they might not know about a new Internet scam called "vishing," which is short for "voice phishing". "Vishing"
uses Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) phones instead of a bogus web link to steal financial information.
A recent incident involved customers from Santa Barbara Bank and Trust in California. Internet con artists sent account holders e-mails
asking them to telephone the bank. Customers who responded heard a
recorded message asking them to enter their account details. A second
incident earlier this month involved PayPal customers.
VoIP service providers allow their customers to pick a telephone number that appears to be based elsewhere, so it is possible for
fraudsters to pick a phone number in the same area code and prefix of a major bank despite being physically located somewhere hundreds of
miles away in another city or State.
Always remember that a financial institution already has your personal information, so if you get an unsolicited telephone call where someone
is asking you to provide or confirm any of your personal information, immediately hang up and call your
financial information.
Source: FEDINFO E-LetterIssue 2006-4
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Phishing Examples - Coming Soon
Additional Resources
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