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- 15 May 2002
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Phishing explained
Phishing (pronounced "fishing") is a kind of identity theft which is growing in popularity amongst hackers. By using fraudulent websites and false emails, perpetrators attempt to steal your personal data - most commonly passwords and credit card information.
Criminals gain this information by sending you links to sites that look like sites you trust, such as your online banking provider or social networks, and are able to steal your data as you enter it. Some of the sites spoofed most regularly include PayPal, eBay, Yahoo! and Facebook, as well as financial institutions - so don't think that an email is guaranteed to be safe when it's not from a bank.
One type of phishing attempt is an email message stating that you are receiving it due to fraudulent activity on your account, and asking you to "click here" to verify your information or even a hidden link in another page that asks you to log in again into a site.
Phishing scams are crude social engineering tools designed to induce panic in the reader. These scams attempt to trick recipients into responding or clicking immediately, by claiming they will lose something (e.g., email, bank account). Such a claim is always indicative of a phishing scam, as responsible companies and organisations will never take these types of actions via email.
How to protect yourself against phishing
1. Be wary of emails asking for confidential information.
2. Don't get pressured into providing sensitive information. Phishers like to use scare tactics.
3. Watch out for generic-looking requests for information.
4. Never submit confidential information via forms embedded within email messages.
5. Never use links in an email to connect to a website unless you are absolutely sure they are authentic. Instead, open a new browser window and type the URL directly into the address bar.
6. Make sure you maintain effective software to combat phishing.
Phishing attempt against 911uk
Although very rare it is possible for a user to send you a phishing link on a site cloned to look like 911uk.com.
If you are sent a link by a user that then asks you to re-enter your user name and password, check the page you are now on.
If you are purchasing an item via email after contact with a user on 911uk, make sure you undertake the necessary due diligence on the deal.
If it's too good to be true then it's probably a scam!
Phishing (pronounced "fishing") is a kind of identity theft which is growing in popularity amongst hackers. By using fraudulent websites and false emails, perpetrators attempt to steal your personal data - most commonly passwords and credit card information.
Criminals gain this information by sending you links to sites that look like sites you trust, such as your online banking provider or social networks, and are able to steal your data as you enter it. Some of the sites spoofed most regularly include PayPal, eBay, Yahoo! and Facebook, as well as financial institutions - so don't think that an email is guaranteed to be safe when it's not from a bank.
One type of phishing attempt is an email message stating that you are receiving it due to fraudulent activity on your account, and asking you to "click here" to verify your information or even a hidden link in another page that asks you to log in again into a site.
Phishing scams are crude social engineering tools designed to induce panic in the reader. These scams attempt to trick recipients into responding or clicking immediately, by claiming they will lose something (e.g., email, bank account). Such a claim is always indicative of a phishing scam, as responsible companies and organisations will never take these types of actions via email.
How to protect yourself against phishing
1. Be wary of emails asking for confidential information.
2. Don't get pressured into providing sensitive information. Phishers like to use scare tactics.
3. Watch out for generic-looking requests for information.
4. Never submit confidential information via forms embedded within email messages.
5. Never use links in an email to connect to a website unless you are absolutely sure they are authentic. Instead, open a new browser window and type the URL directly into the address bar.
6. Make sure you maintain effective software to combat phishing.
Phishing attempt against 911uk
Although very rare it is possible for a user to send you a phishing link on a site cloned to look like 911uk.com.
If you are sent a link by a user that then asks you to re-enter your user name and password, check the page you are now on.
If you are purchasing an item via email after contact with a user on 911uk, make sure you undertake the necessary due diligence on the deal.
If it's too good to be true then it's probably a scam!