Phishing Email Identity Theft Alert

Phishing mails are similar to Spam Mails; however, the modus operandi is different all together. The similarity is that Spam and Phishing Mails are both annoying and hold potential threats of stealing identities. The characteristics of the mails are what separate Phishing and Spam mails.

Phishing is fraudulent mail that attempts to swindle identities, by gaining confidence of the receiver. The "Department of Justice" has put up alerts on such mails that inform the consumers to pay attention to the mails. The mails are sent to nearly every email box in the world, and the soul purpose is to steal. The emails may include luring information however; the information is fraudulent and should be ignored. The sender wants the receivers to respond to the mails and may include links to click where the receiver will provide his/her personal or confidential information. The mail may have information that upsets the reader, thus it is another type of strategy, which the sender utilizes to force the receiver to respond.

The mail may state "your account is being suspended," or it may claim "you have won x amount of cash, please respond now.'

Knowing which company is legit is important and learning how they make offers to consumers is just as important to help you avoid identity theft. Companies that claim you have won prizes will not ask for extensive information, rather they only ask for minimal information. Thus, when you receive Phishing Mails or Spam Mails the sender already has a degree of information on you from random selections, and when you answer the mails, you are only giving the sender the information he/she needs to claim your identity.

Always know your credit card lenders phone numbers and bank numbers, thus when you receive one of these mails call the company immediately at the original phone number and ask if they have sent you mail. Personally, I delete any mail that comes to my box, regardless of who the sender is, unless I know it is from my business or school. As a student, most of my work is done online, thus this too opens doors for perpetrators, since payments to the school are often required at the school. However, I disregard any commands to send payments online and send my payments through postal mail. Still, this is scary.

In the UK, a friend informed me that postal workers are stealing identities and selling the information to thieves so that they can stay in England. I do not know the level of truth in this allegation at this point; however, anything is possible when it comes to identity theft. I am ready to instruct anyone paying bills to pay a low cost for Money Orders and submit your bill payments, since your check has enough information available that anyone can gain control of your accounts.

Thieves come in all forms, including postal workers, utility clerks, court clerks, judges, lawyers, doctors, mothers, fathers, spouses, et cetera. Likewise, victims come in the same form.

Few samples of Phishing Mails include information such as "Closed Account." The email address may appear to come from genuine banks. Recently, phishing mails came from "FDIC" claiming that the account holder's 'account has been frozen." The receiver was asked to click on the link provided in the body of the email and provide pertinent information now. Thus, the email continued to threaten the emotions of the receiver by claiming that the head nacho man has instructed the bank to discontinue any activity by you, under a particular Act.

Few Phishing Mails request the receiver to download attachments with claims to store "Internet Billing Notice" and once the receiver downloads, they find them self in a whirl of problems, since Viruses, Trojans, or other nasty contaminates are attached to the mail. The contaminate in turn redirects to the receivers "email contact list."

EBay is another area where perpetrators frequent and have even put forth the effort to steal identities or gain from the auction provider's clientele. The Internet unfortunately, is the single most dangerous area where identity thieves frequent. Therefore, protect your self by learning more about identity theft and how to protect your self from the crime that is claiming millions of identities each year.

Tony Robinson is an International Author, Webmaster and Security Guru. Check out his Identity Theft Protection Tips at http://www.officialidentitytheft.com/