May 17, 2013
Back in 2011, we sent out a newsletter about Phishing Scams (See original newsletter below). "Phishing" continues to be a serious problem and it is important for everyone to know what to look for.
Just last week, Ed Sr. received the following phishing email:
From:
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We at the Internal Revenue Service would like to inform you that, you have qualified for 2013, subsidy benefit. Simply reply to this secure message with the following details below & you will be notified shortly. Full Name: Complete Address: Telephone Number: Social Security Number: Date of Birth (mmddyyyy): ID Type: Issuing State: ID Number: Bank Routing Number: Deposit Account Number: Please disregard this message if you have already mailed your response. ©2013 Internal Revenue Service | U.S. Department of the Treasury
Notice thedetails in this email in the efforts to make this look legitimate - the IRS logo, the sender's email address, not to mention the convenient timing of sending an email like this when people may be expecting to hear about tax refunds.
We have reported this email to the IRS. The IRS does not initiate contact with taxpayers by email to request personal or financial information.In addition, you should neverdisclose such information, as listed in the email above, to any source via standard email.
Following are some additional sources and helpful articles to give you more information about phishing scams and identity theft and what you can do to protect yourself:
Remember, our office will never ask for such information via email. And if we need to send you any information or forms that do contain secure information such as a social security number, date of birth, or an account number, we will ONLYsend it via our secure, encrypted email service - SmarshEncrypt. If you are ever unsure - just call!
Enjoy the weekend and always be alert!
Sincerely,
All of us at Kohlhepp Investment Advisors, Ltd.
http://www.facebook.com/pages/Kohlhepp-Investment-Advisors/143204745739600
Please contact us whenever there are any changes to your financial situation, personal situation or investment objectives. _____________________________________________________________________________________________
April 5, 2011
New Email Breach Sends A Warning: Don’t Let Hackers Reel You In With Phishing Scams
Scammers gained access to millions of email addressesover the weekend by hacking into a Dallas company that manages email accounts for major banks and retailers including Chase, Citi and Best Buy.
That will make it easier for the crooks to fool people by sending them phony websites made to look like the real deal, since they know the recipients are actually customers of the company they simulate. Called “phishing,” this scam attempts to get you to log in to your online account, which of course provides your username and password to the scammers. There is a simple way to avoid getting hooked by phishing scams – always visit company websites by opening them in your browser. Never go to a company website through a link in an email.
We have all developed bad habits based on the convenience of just clicking on a link, but in these dangerous times you should refrain from using links unless you specifically requested them, for instance by asking for your password information.
Sources: Advisor4Advisors, Brian Edelman, Financial Computer Services Yahoo Finance |