| Have you ever received e-mail messages
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| | effectively reverse the damage and that
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| that threaten to close your PayPal or
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| | updates your files automatically.
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| Ebay account unless you send them
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| | A firewall helps make you invisible on
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| information? It's a scam called
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| | the Internet. It blocks all
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| "phishing." It is pronounced "fishing."
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| | communications from unauthorized sources.
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| It means what it says. Internet scam
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| | It is especially important to use a
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| artists are fishing for information. It
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| | firewall if you have a broadband
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| comes from Internet fraudsters who send
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| | connection. Operating systems like
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| spam or pop-up messages to lure personal
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| | Windows also may offer free software
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| information from you. Their objective is
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| | updates to close holes in the system that
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| to extract sensitive information from
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| | hackers or phishers could exploit.
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| unsuspecting victims.
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| | Don't e-mail personal or financial
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| The Federal Trade Commission(FTC) warns
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| | information. E-mail is not a secure
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| you that when phishers send you a
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| | method of transmitting personal
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| fraudulent e-email, they want you to
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| | information. If you initiate a
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| update, validate,or confirm your bank,
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| | transaction and need to provide such
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| credit card, or PayPal account, including
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| | information, look for indicators that the
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| passwords. Some phishing e-mails threaten
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| | destination site is secure.
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| to terminate your account if you don't
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| | Unfortunately, no indicator is foolproof.
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| respond. The messages direct you to a
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| | Some phishers have forged security icons.
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| website that looks just like a legitimate
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| | Review credit card and bank account
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| organization's site. However, it isn't.
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| | statements as soon as you receive them.
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| It's a bogus site whose sole purpose is
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| | Check for unauthorized charges,address
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| to trick you into divulging your personal
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| | changes,and unexplained account balances.
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| information so the operators can steal
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| | Be cautious about opening any attachment
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| your identity and run up bills or commit
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| | or downloading any files from emails you
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| crimes in your name.
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| | receive, regardless of who sent them.
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| The FTC suggests these tips to help you
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| | These files can contain viruses or other
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| avoid getting hooked by a phishing scam:
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| | software that can weaken your computer's
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| If you get an e-mail message that asks
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| | security.
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| for your personal or financial
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| | After you are back on the internet,
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| information, DO NOT REPLY. Do not click
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| | forward spam e-mail that is phishing for
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| on the link in the message. Legitimate
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| | information to . Also, forward the
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| companies don't ask for this information
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| | suspicious e-mail to the company, bank,
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| via e-mail. If you are concerned about
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| | or organization impersonated in the
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| your account, contact your bank or credit
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| | phishing e-mail. Most organizations have
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| card company using a telephone number you
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| | information on their websites about where
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| know that is genuine.
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| | to report problems.
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| All the scam merchant needs is for you to
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| | If you believe you've been scammed, file
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| access his/her website. Then, you are
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| | your complaint to ftc.gov, and then visit
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| hooked. To avoid an inadvertent mistake,
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| | the FTC's Identity Theft website at
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| stay off the internet until you have
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| | Victims of phishing can become victims of
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| established contact with your financial
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| | identity theft. While you can't entirely
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| institution.
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| | control whether you will become a victim
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| Use anti-virus software and a firewall.
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| | of identity theft, you can take some
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| Keep them up to date. Some phishing
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| | steps to minimize your risk. If an
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| e-mails contain software that can harm
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| | identity thief is opening credit accounts
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| your computer or track your activities on
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| | in your name, these new accounts are
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| the Internet without your knowledge.
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| | likely to show up on your credit report.
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| Anti-virus software and a firewall can
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| | You may catch an incident early if you
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| protect you from inadvertently accepting
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| | order a free copy of your credit report
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| such unwanted files. Anti-virus software
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| | periodically from any of the three major
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| scans incoming communications for
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| | credit bureaus.
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| troublesome files. Look for anti-virus
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| | You can learn other ways to avoid email
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| software that recognizes current viruses
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| | scams and deal with deceptive spam at
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| as well as older ones that can
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| | ftc.
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