The Security Mentor

If you haven't seen this scam yet, you will soon. Somebody sends you email and forges the return address, so it looks like it came from your bank (or your broker, or eBay, or PayPal...). The mail says you need to log in to your account. Maybe it asks you to fill out a form. Often it says something alarming, like telling you there's been unauthorized access. The email contains a link you're supposed to click. The link looks like it goes to your financial institution but it really doesn't.

If you do what the email asks, you'll wind up giving your password and personal information to the con man who sent the email.

This scam happens so often today that it's got a name, "phishing", and an entire web site devoted to fighting it. If you're in a hurry, the best places on that web site are their tips on how you can recognize a scam, and their long list of scams their readers have reported.

The Beryllium Sphere^TM consumer tip is simply to treat email like a phone call. You already know not to give out your credit card number when a stranger calls. If the caller says they're from your bank you'll hang up and call back. Do the same with email: don't answer it, just contact your financial institution directly.