How To Know You're Being Pfished

It appears to be an email from your bank: it has the bank logo and links to click for you to enter your username and log on. Later, you learn that you've been tricked: your bank would not ask you to enter personal identifying information into a clickable link on an unsecured site. It's called pfishing. Unfortunately, pfishing is the product of a con operation that is designed to make you give up your financial or personal information. Once they receive it, they use the information to empty your bank account or run up charges on your credit cards. And it all happens before you can do anything about it.Here are ways to tell if you're being pfished.

Difficulty:

Moderately Challenging

Instructions

1. Don't answer any email that appears to come from your bank or companies with whom you have credit cards, even if they appear legitimate. They probably say that a problem has come up with your account and that you are to go to a web page to solve the problem. When you arrive at that page, it asks for your account number, social security number, or other personal information, and they'll probably threaten to close your account if you do not comply. This is the most basic form of pfishing and millions of emails like this are sent each day.

2. Recognize that no legitimate company will ever ask you to divulge sensitive financial information. Let's say you receive an email from a financial company with who you have dealings, and that email is signed by someone you know. Most likely, the scammers found that name and are using it to take advantage of you. PINs are usually requested in email of this nature, and no company of any stature will ever ask you to divulge it via email.

3. Don't respond to an offer to purchase an item by clicking on a link provided in the email, even if it supposedly comes from a place where you frequently shop. Instead, check Google.com for the web address of the store, and go there yourself.

4. Contact your bank or credit card company if you have already parted with personal information to would-be con artists. Pfishing has been happening long enough that these companies are familiar with it, and the different forms it can take. They will know what to do.

5. File a report with the local police if you see credit card charges you didn't make, or there are transactions on the statement from your bank that you cannot explain. Also, you need to contact all three major credit bureaus. Request that a fraud alert be put on your credit file.

6. Go to the Federal Trade Commission website mentioned below in Additional Resources for more information about pfishing and other popular scams.

Tips & Warnings

• Contact all three credit agencies to report your financial information has been compromised to a phisher.

• Equifax: [phone]

• Experian: [phone]

• TransUnion: [phone]

Resources