Welcome to ClubSymantec - Symantec Corp.

Welcome to ClubSymantec - Symantec Corp.


hishing scams are the easiest way for criminals to steal your identity and your confidential data. Learn to protect yourself with these easy steps..Phishing attacks are hugely popular amongst cyber-criminals. And it's easy to see why. They are the easiest and most effective way to fool internet users into handing over their identity details and other confidential data. Every day, thousands of new - fake - phishing websites come and go: it's a booming business! Fortunately, protection is readily available and close at hand.Phishing scams operate via e-mail and, more recently, instant messaging (IM). Whatever the means, the purpose is always the same: to make victims click on a link, believing that it’ll lead them to a legitimate website with whom they're doing business, like a bank, a retailer, a government agency, or a credit card company.Whether it arrived within an e-mail or instant message, the fake link actually leads to a fake website that looks just like the real one. When you get to that site, you are asked to divulge personal information for some made-up reason explained in the e-mail or IM you received (including alleged security or technical problems). Scammers usually ask for login account information, passwords and PIN numbers, etc...All this information, of course, is then stored on that fake server and used subsequently by phishing scammers to steal your identity and drain your bank account. Recently, a variety of phishing, spear phishing, has becoming increasingly sophisticated and common. Spear phishers target a specific group of people. They’ve even targeted MySpace, a social networking site. A spear-phishing message targets a smaller audience but works harder to make it look real. It looks as if it came from your employer, a co-worker, or a friend. Think about it. We’re more likely to be tricked by a phishing e-mail if it contains targeted information about us, like “Hey Tom, it’s Jake. We’re mates from High-school”. Or: “Welcome to our team Yolanda Juarez”. Or even just an e-mail, allegedly from the IT Department, urging you to “install these new updates by January 30”.
It’s Your Identity. Keep it safe.Don’t click on links within e-mails or IMs that ask you to provide personal information. If you follow the instructions, and enter your personal information on the website you’re led to, you’ll deliver that information directly into the hands of identity thieves. Always go directly to the official website by typing the address yourself, or by using a bookmark (although some Trojan horses have been known to change bookmarked addresses.)Beware of pharming. With pharming, when you type in the address of a legitimate website, you’re taken to a fake copy of the site without realizing it. It all takes place at the server level. The risks are the same as with phishing, but it’s up to your ISP or IT department to prevent pharming.Only open e-mail attachments if you’re expecting them and know what they contain. To be especially safe, use a good antispam filter to limit your exposure to spam e-mail from phishers.Know the sender's identity before you provide any personal information. Legitimate credit card issuers and other companies will never ask for your personal information in an e-mail. Ask for the sender's name, the name of the agency or company, the telephone number, and the address. Then find out if they’re legitimate. Don’t be afraid to make a phone call instead of answering an e-mail.Watch out for job seekers pretending to be potential employers, especially if they ask for your social security number or other personal information. If you think you've provided account numbers, PINs, or passwords to a phisher, notify the companies with whom you have these accounts immediately. To find out how to place a fraud alert, contact the Federal Trade Commission’s ID Theft Clearinghouse, www.consumer.gov/idtheft or call 877-438-4338, TDD 202-326-2502.
ConclusionThere is no need to be afraid of e-mail and IM! But knowing how they are used by scammers can help you to avoid falling prey to these phishers. It’s simple: never, ever, follow a link from an e-mail or IM to an “official” website to enter personal information. Just don’t do it, and you’ll be safe. Then, keep yourself informed of the latest trends in scamming, and consider using security tools like Norton Confidential and Norton Internet Security to reduce your risk and prevent personal information from leaving your PC