How to prevent falling prey to Phishing, Vishing and Smishing attacks
Posted by Minal Pithia on Wed, Aug 05, 2009
The term “Phishing” originated in 1996, by 2003 fraudsters registered thousands of domains that targeted various organizations. Today we see many different kinds of phishing attacks. Phishers are always coming up with new ways to target people and organizations. Recent “media hyped’ events such as swine flu and Michael Jacksons death have been turned into a scam. They grab any opportunity they can get. They are also quick to use new technology and with Smartphone’s on the rise, it makes it easier for them to launch more and more Smishing, and Vishing attacks. As identity theft on the Internet becomes more sophisticated it’s important to protect ourselves.
What is Phishing?
Phishing is a fraudulent attempt usually conducted by email to lure people into giving their personal financial information.
What is Vishing?
Vishing is the practice of obtaining personal, financial or other confidential information for the purpose of financial reward, through the telephone. The term “Vishing” is derived from a combination of “voice” and “phishing.”
What is Smishing?
Smishing is another form of criminal activity, which sends out a text message asking people to provide personal, financial and confidential information by asking their victims to call back a number.
Tips on how to protect yourself from a Phish, Vish or Smish:
• Never trust strangers – Do not open emails from people you don’t know. Know that your bank will never send you an email to update your account information.
• Keep your eyes open – Look closely at the email or text message you receive. What is the actual link of the website? Are there any spelling errors? Banks never send out text messages to their customers asking them to call a number.
• Listen closely - Listen to the phone call; does it sound legitimate? Do not give out your personal information over the phone. If in doubt contact your financial institution.
• Do I know him or her? – Spear Phishing is another new attempt used by phishers to target corporate employees. With companies creating a presence online using social networking sites, blogs and forums, it is important to note that it makes it easier for phishers to obtain employee information such as name, email address or job title. This makes a phishing email look more legitimate. Ask yourself, do you know this co-worker? Do they email you often? If you are not sure call them and ask them if they sent you the email.
• Protect your computer – Use up to date anti-virus software to protect your computer from malware and never open attachments from an unexpected email.
• Knowledge is power –Stay up to date with the latest news on Identity Theft.