NEWS    RECALLS    COMPLAINT FORM    SCAM ALERTS   RESOURCES  
Small Claims Guide   Class Actions   Lemon Laws   FAQ   Newsletters  


Complain about a product or service

Automotive    Education    Employment    Electronics    Family    Finance    Health    Homeowners    Pets    Shopping    Travel   



NEWS   Latest |  Archives |  Auto |  Cells, etc. |  Computers |  Financial |  Health |  Homeowners |  Parents |  Privacy |  Scams |  Seniors |  Travel

"Phishing" Scam Takes New Tack





By Mark Huffman
ConsumerAffairs.com

March 5, 2007


Read More Scam Alerts ...

The New York State Consumer Protection Board (CPB) is warning consumers about a new series of "phishing" e-mails that are boldly labeled "Phishing" in the subject header.

CPB investigators have uncovered a new version of an old Internet scam -- using deceptive e-mails to trick consumers into providing valuable personal information.

E-mails sent during February appeared to be from Chase Bank with the subject line reading "Phishing: Security Measures." This leads some consumers into believing that they are being protected from phishing. Similar e-mails have been sent out, claiming to be from PayPal and eBay.

Like most phishing e-mails, these new messages claim that your account information has been lost or stolen. It then instructs you to provide your Social Security number, as well as passwords, credit card or bank account credentials -- all the information needed to carry out identity theft.

"No legitimate company solicits this kind of data through an e-mail. Don�t fall for the tricks and respond by divulging your personal information," said Mindy Bockstein, the Acting Chairwoman and Executive Director of the CPB. "This is a reminder that you should never give out personal or financial information -- especially over the Internet -- unless you're absolutely certain of where and to whom it's going."

"By using the word 'phishing,' these scam artists are trying to gain your trust and make you lower your guard," said Parry Aftab, an Internet security lawyer and Executive Director of the Internet safety site, www.wiredsafety.org.

"A lot of people have heard about phishing, but they may not fully understand what it's all about. So when they receive a message that appears to be a helpful warning about phishing, they may not realize this is actually an attempt to steal their money and their identity."

Phishing scams are successful because, in many cases, consumers reply too quickly and send out their personal information without considering whether this is an attempt at Identity theft. Often the perpetrators use legitimate names of companies or retailers to lead consumers to divulge personal identity information on fraudulent websites.

While there are no statistics available on this new scam, investigators believe that it must be working because the scam artists have been using this new technique since early January.

According to the Anti-Phishing Working Group, there were 28,531 phishing websites reported in December of 2006 compared to the 7,197 reported in December of 2005. The largest number last year -- 37,439-- was reported in November, according to the Working Group, a coalition of business, academic and law enforcement agencies.

More Scam Alerts ...

Report Your Experience
If you've had a bad experience -- or a good one -- with a consumer product or service, we'd like to hear about it. All complaints are reviewed by class action attorneys and are considered for publication on our site. Knowledge is power! Help spread the word. File your consumer report now.



Asterpix

CONSUMER NEWS

SAFETY RECALLS

LATEST RATES

PRINT, ETC.

Print This

Email This


FREE CONSUMER NEWSLETTERS

The Daily Consumer
Afternoons M-F

Sign up now!


Consumer News & Alerts
Every Sunday

Sign up now!

MOST-VIEWED PAGES

NEW COMPLAINTS

Hey there! ConsumerAffairs.com is using Twitter.
Twitter is a free service that lets you keep in touch throughout the day. Join today to start receiving ConsumerAffairs.com's updates.

Back to the top |

Advertisement


Custom Search
AUTOMOTIVE
• Dealers
• Manufacturers
• Service
• Extended Warranties
• Lemon Laws
• Recalls
• Tires
• Transporters

FAMILY
• Aging
• Children, Parenting
• Recalls
• Dating
• Education
• Entertainment
• Pets
• Weddings
FINANCE
• Annuities
• Banks
• Credit Cards
• Debt Collection
• Debt Counseling
• Insurance
• Investing
• Loans
• Mortgages
• Payday Loans
• Student Loans
• Tax Prep

HEALTH
• Doctors
• Drugs, Pharmacies
• Health Clubs
• Hearing Care
• Hospitals
• Nursing Homes
• Nutrition, Diets
• Vision Care
• Weight Loss
HOMEOWNERS & RENTERS
• Appliances
• Cookware
• Furniture
• Home Improvements
• Lawn & Garden
• Movers
• Pools & Spas
• Realtors, Rental Agents
• Recalls
• Utilities

ELECTRONICS
• Cable TV/DBS
• Cameras
• Cell Phones
• Computers
• Home Electronics
• Internet Access
• Local Phone Service
• Long Distance
• VoIP
SHOPPING
• In-Home
• Online
• Retail Stores
• Sporting Goods
• Supermarkets
• Telemarketers

TRAVEL
• Airlines
• Bus Lines
• Car Rental
• Cruises
• Hotels
• Travel Agents
• Trains

RESOURCES
• Class Actions
• Complaint Form
• Small Claims Guide
• Lemon Laws
CONSUMER NEWS
• Latest News
• Automotive
• Telecom
• Financial
• Health
• Homeowners
• Scams
• Seniors
• Travel
• More ...

RECALLS
• Automotive
• Children's Products
• Drugs
• Food
• Household Products
• Sporting Goods

ABOUT US
• FAQ
• Privacy Policy
• Advertise With Us
• Newsroom
• Syndication
• Terms of Use

Terms of Use Your use of this site constitutes acceptance of the Terms of Use

Advertisements on this site are placed and controlled by outside advertising networks. ConsumerAffairs.com does not evaluate or endorse the products and services advertised. See the FAQ for more information.

Company Response Welcome If complaints about your company appear on our site, we welcome your response. Please see the Response Form for more information.

For more information, see the FAQ and privacy policy. The information on this Web site is general in nature and is not intended as a substitute for competent legal advice.  ConsumerAffairs.com Inc. makes no representation as to the accuracy of the information herein provided and assumes no liability for any damages or loss arising from the use thereof. 

Copyright © 2003-2009 ConsumerAffairs.com Inc.  All Rights Reserved.    The contents of this site may not be republished, reprinted, rewritten or recirculated without written permission.