Phishing FAQ's

What is Phishing?

Phishing is a type of online identity theft, which typically uses emails and fraudulent websites, in order to steal information such as credit card details, passwords, account details and other personal information. Phishing emails and websites often falsely claim to be an established legitimate enterprise in an attempt to get you to share your private information.

How does phishing work?

Phishing works by pretending to be from a legitimate enterprise, such as banks, or other websites where you may have cash or credit card details stored, with the key aim of acquiring your private information. Criminals can then use the information provided for many types of fraud, such as steal money from your account, open new accounts in your name or to obtain official documents using your identity.

The most common form of phishing is fraudulent emails, prompting the recipient to “confirm your password”, “verify your account” or “confirm your identity”. Such emails are linked to fraudulent websites that are designed to look like those of legitimate enterprises or links that, once clicked, will download a virus or spyware onto your computer without your knowledge.

Can a phishing scam contain official company logos?

The simple answer is YES! Phishing scams almost always try to mimic established legitimate companies, the scam relies on people being tricked into thinking they are actually being contacted by the company. It is relatively simple make a website look like that of a legitimate organisation by mimicking the HTML code or to copy company logos.

How can you protect yourself against identity theft?

There are a number of precautions you can take to avoid becoming a victim of a phishing scam, and here they are:

• Avoid clicking links in email messages
• Type website addresses directly into your browser, to ensure you know you are on a legitimate website
• Avoid entering your personal or financial information in pop-up windows
• Keep your computer software current with the latest security updates
• Never give out sensitive information
• If you are worried about an account, call the company or organisation directly to inquire about it

What should you do if you receive a phishing email?

If you receive an email that you believe to be a phishing email, the best practice is not to respond and to simply delete the email. Alternatively you could report it to the company the email is mimicking in order for them to warn their customers.

What should you do if you think you are a victim of a phishing scam?

There are a number of steps you should take if you believe you have fallen victim to a phishing scam, such as:

•  Changing your passwords and secure answers for any potentially compromised accounts should be done immediately
• You may want to contact your bank or financial adviser to alert them to the fact that your accounts may be compromised, this will allow you to put a fraud alert on your accounts
• Regularly monitor your emails and financial statements so that you can identify any false charges or suspicious activity as soon as it appears
• Run a full virus scan on your computers, to ensure you don’t have any viruses or spyware that could potentially steal your personal data

Do phishing attacks only happen through email?

While email is the most common form of phishing attack, this is not the only way phishing is carried out.  Another form of phishing attacks is malware, some malware can track how you use your computer and send valuable information to identity thieves. Phishing attacks can also occur through phone calls, texts and instant messages. It is vital that you remain cautious when asked to provide your credentials and other personal information.