One of the blogs I follow and have mentioned here is Common Craft Blog by Lee Lefever.
Lee just released a new video on phishing scams? I can always tell when I get a scam email and they ask me to log on and verify information. Most of the time it is from banks and I know I don't have an account there. I got one not to long ago and it was from a bank that I do have an account at.
I called them up before I submitted the information. Yes, it was a phishing scam. They informed me to always log on to my account from the web site NOT the email.
Here is the video by Common Craft blog that I think you will learn from. As Lee says in his video there is nothing wrong with doing internet banking as long as you go to their site, and not them come to you in a email.
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Missy, Every time one of these comes in my heart breaks for all those who will fall for these schemes, and possibly lose heir life savings.
Ginger
That was good info. I hope you get a lot of views-Dinah
Missy....it is sooooo bad and it just makes it miserable for us all. Most of us know better but those that do not....how sad. How did you get your vflyer....so little....I'll have to check it out....must be a new widget. Great post! I love Lefever and his videos.
Missy - excellent post, and I get a lot of them from financial institutions. I click on properties to verify the source, but would never provide information in an email.
The scams are still out there because people still fall for them. I almost fell for one the other day. The email indicated that it was my bank trying to verify my info. Luckily, I looked at the URL and caught on.
Missy - I get these things all the times, generally from banks I am not involved with. No brainer. Anything that IS my bank is still suspicious and I always go their site directly, neer to the email. Same is true for the credit cards. Word needs to get out about how sesrious this problem is - I suspect many folks get concerned when they see these emails and do the wrong thing.
Jeff
Missy - it is amazing what people try - and what is scary is how many people do not know better - great info to get out there - you rock
Missy, I have started getting stuff from my own bank but not on the email I use for my account. I just never do anything on those emails. We are getting them more and more, I guess times are even tough for the scammers.
Kind of makes you want to take away your parents credit cards, huh?!?!?!?
Missy.... it's amazing on how many I get in one week.... and it's scary.... but as you said, go to their site. You also have to be very careful of the Halmark greeting cards... I get plenty of those as of lastely, telling me that a friend has sent me a card. If I am correct, I think if someone sends you a card through Halmark online, it actually would say who sent it... so you need to watch out for those.
I just got one of these today which was tempting to open, but I laughed and said... nope. And then I sent him an e-mail asking if I knew him.... no reply so far. Imagine that... but here is the e-mail that I received...
Well... it said something as.... "here is a cool video, you need to view this. And there was a link. Right after the link it said.... hey, this is not spam, you know me.... signed Lewis....
LOL the e-mail only had a first name.
Hi Missy, This is a great post and one that I hope resonates. We should all be writing this for our consumers as well as reminding each other not to fall for these schemes. Thanks and I think maybe in a week or two, I will do one these. I think as we approach the holidays , the scammers will be out in full force and each trying to catch anyone they can off guard.
Hi Missy: Great post. I might send the link to my friends. Amazing about all the ways people tries to get information from you!. I got a few from the banks, and they look REAL except for I don't have accounts with them!
Hi Missy, Thank you for sharing this with the rest of us. I'm amazed by the amount of time people put into these schemes.
Missy that video was well done. Sorry to say this once very trusting person is now alway suspicious so these guys are barking up the wrong tree...Lol
You have to be careful and never let your guard down online. I'm pretty skeptical of anything that comes to me without my initiating the interaction. I just delete delete delete anything that looks phishy! GBU!
My hubby almost fell for that (and he's a smart man!) It was an email from our bank, and it said all the right things (so he thought) Thankfully I was home and when he said come read this...I did. Then forwarded it over to our bank and made a phone call to them.
Scary what could have happened...
My hubby almost fell for that (and he's a smart man!) It was an email from our bank, and it said all the right things (so he thought) Thankfully I was home and when he said come read this...I did. Then forwarded it over to our bank and made a phone call to them.
Scary what could have happened...
Missy - a great enlightening video, I usually just to a delete but often will forward to my bank's security department. It is often an address similar to
abuse@yourbank.abuse.com
One other word of warning, he mentions to look at the url for a recognized address. Most phishing scams now use address spoofing so that the address displayed looks like what you are used to seeing.
Thank you for the info, I will be protected now and understand it much better!
Missy you need to read Kase's blog about getting hacked and how bad it is. Very bad stuff out there. Nothing new sadly. Terrible virus and repeat attacks on the server. Make sure your WP blog is backed up. I assume AR is hugely backed up.
Thank you for the warning to be suspicious of e-mails asking for personal information. Please note that these e-mails DO NOT COME from banks. They are made to look like they are being sent by a bank, but the e-mails are coming from scammers who think you can be tricked.
Banks rely on your trust and confidence so we take great pains to earn and maintain that. We would NEVER initiate a request information from you that we already have--like a PIN or account number. Anyone who initiates a request for that information (not in response to you calling in) should be treated with suspicion and not given the information.
Always contact your banker if you get a suspicious e-mail, phone call, or letter. He or she will be happy to verify its authenticity.
It's all a scam...I will never ever give my personal info out unless I'm in front of that person and it better be the real thing our they'll be in trouble. My stuff is protected for the next 7 yrs.
Missy - I love online banking, I would never log on via an email notification. Folks need to be made aware of and your illustration is a great example. Great Job!
Jeanean, Brad Andershon did it for me. I've asked VFlyer so many times. I think they are working on it.
Mike, thanks for the email to send to the banks.
Kris, Audrey, yea I catch them too, the one from my own bank made me stop and think.
Rhonda, from BofA thanks for commenting. That is what I hope folks get from the video. I feel sorry for older citizens who might fall for these.
Petra, I use online banking too or ATM's. Can't remember the last time I walked into a bank.
Melody, thanks !
Mana, I agree, just think if they put that much time and energy into those scams.
My mom is 78 years old and when I got up north to Mishawaka to visit her, she always shows me mail she is receiving and whether she should do what they ask...I always say "NO!". She seems so disappointed, like I am taking away her chance to be a millionaire. So, I know first hand that older folks do sometimes get carried away with the possibilities; great post.
Missy, ah yes...I too get several emails about accounts that I don't have. One of the things that makes it quite obvious is when you look at what email address they put in, it doesn't even have your email. If my memory serves me correctly I think it says "undisclosed recipient"
Good advice for those that are not aware of this.
Missy,
I love LOVE the Common Craft video series. They make things so easy to understand! But you are right--the number one rule #1 Do not ever click through an email ALWAYS go to the website!! If everyone remembers that, most of the time you will be just fine banking and buying on line!
Missy - It is getting quite clever and even more unethical, these emails. I will be writing a canned response to use in retort to all of them at a later date... just to alleviate any boredom in my life and to hopefully piss them off.
... And apparently I have accounts at Wells Fargo, Bank of America, Miola Credit Union, Washington Mutual, First National Bank of WTF, etc. So, if anyone needs a loan, I'd be happy to pre-approve you and loan you money from me personally from any of the above mentioned accounts.
Commoncraft is just THE WAY to explain things! It's great you spread the word here to the AR friends....I love them! Thanks, Missy! ANd hopefully people will learn how easily trapped you can be.... ears and eyes OPEN !
Great information Missy! Thank you for sharing! Seems to be getting easier and easier to get sucked in and impossible to keep up with the latest scams.
Great posting, Missy. I receive hundreds of scam email messages every month. It's surprising to me how many people fall for them and provide their personal information.