If you know what 'Fishing' is, then it's very easy to
understand the definition of 'Phishing'. Just replace
letter 'F' from the word Fishing with 'Ph'.
Yes, I am not joking. I mean it! Phishing is a higher level of
spam. Phishing is nothing but fishing in the sea of
the Internet. The victimized Net users are the fishes hooked
by the hackers.
Phishing &
Spoof Web sites
The role of the hacker is to lure the innocent Netizens by
sending an e-mail from spoof sites, falsely claiming to be a legitimate enterprise, in
an attempt to force the
user into surrendering private information which will be used
for identity theft. |
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The hyperlink in the e-mail directs the innocent user to a spoof
Web site where they are asked to enter personal information like
passwords, social security, and bank account numbers. Basically,
hackers create Spoof Web sites to steal the user's personal
information.
The Idea Behind Spoof Sites
I can give you the well-known example in which users received
Spam e-mails from hackers misleading innocent users. It would
appear as if these mails came from eBay, claiming that the
user's account was about to be suspended unless he clicked on
the link in the e-mail and update the credit card information
hold by the genuine eBay web site.
The idea behind this scam is very simple as it is relatively
simple to make a Web site look like a legitimate site. That's
why Phishing is also called brand spoofing.
Tips To Stop Phishing & Report Phishing
If you smell anything fishy (phishy) or if you received an
e-mail that appears to be from your bank requesting you to click
a hyperlink in the e-mail and verify your online banking
information, simply delete such e-mail and make it a rule...
never click the hyperlink in that e-mail.
You'll be much safer if you --
Contact your bank or financial institution by telephone and
confirm whether
they sent you that type of e-mail.
Report Phishing to the Federal Trade Commission (FTC).
Send Internet
Phishing scam
reports to local authorities like
police and
crime bureaus.
Send details of a Phishing scam to the Anti-Phishing Working
Group (APWG) to help
them build up their database of
Phishing scams, and to alert the Netizens.
Last but not the least, if you're tempted to think that the
hyperlink in the
received e-mail is worth a click...
take a deep breath, think twice before clicking
that suspicious hyperlink and copy
and paste the URL (hyperlink) into the web
browser's address field and log on.
This will help you land on a legitimate Web site
instead of spoof Web site.
Popular Targets Of Phishers
Banks & Financial Institutions.
Credit card companies.
Auction portals.
Online stores.
Online stock trading companies.
How To Smell Phishing?
It's very difficult for e-mail recipients to guess what they
have in their mailbox. They can't guess whether it's a
legitimate e-mail from an organization with whom they do
business, or not. Although the "From" Field of the e-mail may
have the web site address of that organization, and the
hyperlink may also seem to include it, clicking that hyperlink
could take them to a spoof Web site.
To avoid this situation, you must have the good sense to smell
something fishy (phi shy) because any legitimate web site never
asks you to Update your personal information simply by sending
an e-mail with a link to a supposed update form.
Use your commonsense and ask yourself a simple question, "Why
would a legitimate web Site ask me to update my personal
information through a hyperlink via e-mail, since that
organization has its own legitimate web site?" I hope you have
got the answer.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Krishna Pai is a webmaster and a writer from India. Get
Internet Security tips,
Computer Tutorials, reviews, Hardware & Software Tips, from his
'How to' guides at:
http://www.cheapest-computer-hardware-software.com/
For more Computer tips join his "Build Computer ezine" at
http://www.cheapest-computer-hardware-software.com/build_computer_ezine.html
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23
Critical Alerts You Should Consider when Maintaining Your Computer
Security
and Protecting Your Personal Safety
Please visit
https://www.firewalls-and-virus-protection.com where many of the
issues mentioned in this brief article are addressed in greater
detail. A few minutes browsing there now might
save you many hours of agony and grief later.
Thank you and Safe Surfing.
Richard
www.RichardPresents.com |
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