Phishing is one of the most popular forms of e-mail fraud. It is a form of criminal activity that attempts to fraudulently acquire sensitive information such as passwords, account numbers, or financial information by masquerading as a trustworthy person or business in a seemingly official electronic communication. Phishing emails are often sent to large lists of people, expecting that some percentage of the recipients will actually have an account with the real organization. The term comes from "fishing," where bait is used to catch a fish. In phishing, e-mail is the bait. Click here to learn more.

Below are a few tips to help protect your personal and financial information.

• Never provide personal information in a response to an e-mail request, no matter who appears to have sent it. Legitimate companies don’t ask for this information via email or in a pop-up message. This information includes: Account Numbers, Social Security Numbers, Mother’s Maiden Name, and User IDs and Passwords.
• Ask yourself if you have initiated contact with the agency or business that is contacting you. If the answer is “no”, it is likely that the communication is an act to commit fraud.
• Do not click links provided in an e-mail. Copy and paste the link into your browser window.
• Do not open e-mails bearing attachments from un-trusted sources.
• Call the person or the organization listed in the FROM line before you respond or open any attached files if it looks suspicious.

Online Security Tips

• Google the company name with “fraud” or “scam” behind the company’s name. For example: ABC Company + Fraud or ABC Company + Scam.
• Before making a purchase online know who you are dealing with. Confirm online the seller’s physical address and phone number in case you have questions or problems.
• Know exactly what you are buying. Read the fine print for the product closely and know exactly what the costs are for the product or service.
• Check out the return policies and delivery dates. If you return it, know who pays the shipping costs or restocking fees. Know when you will receive your order. A Federal Trade Commission (FTC) rule requires sellers to ship items as promised or within 30 days after the order if no specific date is promised.
• Read your bank and credit card statements immediately and check unauthorized charges or overcharges by merchants.
• Look for “secure transaction” symbols like a lock symbol in the lower right-hand corner of your web browser window, or https://.... in the address bar of the website. The ‘s” indicates “secured” and means the web site page uses encryption.