I got what I have to assume is a fake email, supposedly from my bank, warning me that due to repeated attempts of someone to sign into my account, they believe that my account is not secure and that it has been suspended pending my clicking on a link in the email to get it straightened out. The ostensible url on the email looks like my bank, but when I hovered my mouse over it, of course it was a completely different, unfamiliar one.
I went to a new browser window, attempted to log into my account as normal, and encountered no difficulties. I logged out and closed the window.
So this is just a general purpose friendly reminder: Don't ever trust any kind of email like this, ever. Never click on the link given in such an email. I know you know this. I know this, too. All the same, these emails can look pretty legit on the surface, and it's easy to let the potential of rising freak-out from the content overwhelm good judgment. Don't let yourself screw up in that moment between "WTF?" and "Oh, it's spam. Bastards."
I really hope my grandfather didn't get this bogus email, too, and if he did, he had the sense to do nothing until he asked my mom about it.
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4 comments:
This past week people in Sand Springs got phone calls supposedly from the local credit union saying their accounts have been compromised and to verify the account, etc. Which,of course, we all know is a scam.
I've gotten a bunch of these, recently. Most 'from' banks I don't actually have accounts with.
The general advise I've seen is, don't clink on links unless you are absolutely sure of the email's source, and even then only click on the link if it is necessary (like clicking on a confirmatory email you requested). Always go to the site by hand-typing the correct url.
Just last week we got a phone call that said our ATM card was compromised and we needed to push "1" on the phone to get it straightened out. This is another variation of the scam you are talking about.
Dad
I have sometimes gotten the legitimate phone calls from the credit card company, where they want to confirm that you bought some unusual (to their computer algorithm's eyes) thing and your card wasn't stolen. You can tell these calls because they generally know something about you, they do NOT ask you for information about your account numbers (they called you, after all), and the questions are legit.
"Ma'am, we are showing a $563 charge at a store called 'Panda Antiques' in Memphis, Tennessee. Can you confirm that you made this purchase?"
"Yep, that was me."
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