Listed are a few tips to help you avoid getting hooked by a phishing scam:

CYBER -DEFENSE TACTICS:

• If you receive an email that warns you, with little or no notice, that your account will be shut down unless you reconfirm certain information, do not click on the email link. Instead, use a phone number or enter the web address yourself. Clicking on a link that looks legitimate may in fact direct you to a fraudulent website where crooks will steal your personal information. Remember, Jasper Banking Company or a government agency will never send you an alert asking you to disclose your personal information.
• Before submitting any financial information to a legitimate website, look for the “lock” icon on the browser status bar, or look for “https” in the web address. Both are indications that the information is secure and encrypted during transmission.
• Report suspicious activity to the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) Consumer Response Center (www.ftc.gov).

You can file a complaint with the FTC against a company or organization that you believe has cheated you by contacting the Consumer Response Center by phone: toll free 877-FTCHELP (382-4357) – TTY: 202-326-2502

Spoofing
Web spoofing allows an attacker to create a “shadow copy” of any legitimate website. Access to the shadow web is funneled through the attacker’s machine, allowing the attacker to monitor all of the victim’s activities, including any passwords or account numbers the victim enters. The attacker can also cause false or misleading data to be sent to web servers in the victim’s name, or to the victim in the name of any web server. In spoofing, an attacker gains unauthorized access to a computer or a network by making it appear that a malicious message has come from a trusted machine by “spoofing” the address of that machine. Phishing and spoofing often go hand-in hand in Internet fraud.

CYBER-DEFENSE TACTICS:

• Be wary of unsolicited or unexpected emails from all sources.
• If an unsolicited email arrives, treat it as you would a phishing source. Be cautious about opening any attachment or downloading any files from e-mails you receive, regardless of who sent them.

Identity Theft Frauds
Internet fraudsters often use identity theft as a starting point for larger crimes. In one case, criminals obtained the names and social security numbers of military personnel then used them to apply to a bank over the Internet for credit cards. In another case, stolen personal data was used to submit car loan applications online.

CYBER-DEFENSE TACTICS:

• Review credit card and bank account statements as soon as you receive them to determine whether there are any unauthorized charges. If your statement is late by more than a couple of days, call your credit card company or bank to confirm your billing address and account balances.
• Your personal information can be obtained by “phishing,” “spoofing,” or the old fashioned way — dumpster diving. Make sure your unused checks, bills, credit/debit card receipts, credit card applications you receive in the mail where you have already been pre-qualified and statements are shredded before discarding.

General Tips Against Cyber-Fraud
Use Anti-Virus Software and keep it up to date. Some phishing emails contain software that can harm your computer or track your activities on the Internet without your knowledge. Anti-virus software and a firewall can protect you from inadvertently accepting such unwanted files. Anti-virus software scans incoming communications for troublesome files. Look for anti-virus software that recognizes current viruses as well as older ones; that can effectively reverse the damage; and that updates automatically.

A firewall helps make you invisible on the Internet and blocks all communications from unauthorized sources. It’s especially important to run a firewall if you have a broadband connection. Finally, your operating system (like Windows or Linux) may offer free software “patches” to close holes in the system that hackers or phishers could exploit.

Use Common Sense.

Consumer Resources
The Internet is a great tool...for information, and to conduct on-line business, as long as consumers take appropriate precautions and are aware of the possibility that someone may be trying to scam them. If it seems too good to be true, it probably is. The consumer information links below exist to assist customers in locating information and providing guidance on how to file complaints when appropriate.

• Internet Fraud Complaint Center (IFCC)
  www.ifccfbi.gov
  The IFCC’s mission is to combat fraud committed over the Internet through a unique partnership between the National White Collar Crime Center (NW3C) and the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI). The IFCC website allows consumers to report Internet fraud, among other services.
• Consumer Fraud (DOJ/Homepage)
  www.usdoj.gov
  “Fraud” is a link on the Department of Justice’s (DOJ) homepage under “Information for Individuals and Communities.”
• FirstGov (Your First Click to the U.S. Government)
  www.firstgov.gov
  “FirstGov” is a free-access website designed to give a centralized place to find information from local, state, and U.S. Government Agency websites. Consumers may call the toll-free number at 1-800-FED-INFO (1-800-333-4636).
• Consumer.gov
  www.consumer.gov
  “Consumer.gov” is a “one-stop” link to a broad range of federal information resources available online.
• Social Security Administration
  www.ssa.gov
  Report Fraud: 800-269-0271
• Identity Theft Resource Center
  www.idtheftcenter.org
  858-693-7935