Avoid Identity Theft!!

• Be suspicious of any email with urgent requests for personal financial information.  “Phishers” typically include upsetting or exciting (but false) statements in their email to get an immediate reaction.  They also ask for confidential information such as usernames, passwords, credit card numbers, social security numbers, account numbers, etc. 

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• Don’t use the links in an email to get to any web page if you suspect the message might not be authentic.  Instead, call the company on the telephone, or log onto the website directly by typing in the Web address in your browser.

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• Avoid filling out forms in email messages that ask for personal financial information.  You should only communicate information such as credit card numbers or account information via a secure website or the telephone.

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• Always ensure that you are using a secure website when submitting credit card or other sensitive information via your Web browser.  To make sure you are on a secure Web server, check the beginning of the Web address in your browser’s address bar—it should be https:// rather than just http://. 

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• Regularly log into your online accounts and don’t wait for as long as a month before you check each account.

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• Regularly check your financial institution statements to ensure that all transactions are legitimate.  If anything is suspicious, contact your financial institution or card issuer.

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• Always report “phishing” emails to authorities.

•  Forward the email to: reportphishing@antiphishing.com,

•  To the Federal Trade Commission at spam@uce.gov

•  and to the financial institution being spoofed in the email.