You're a fish in the open sea of computers on the internet and the phishers are out to catch you using spam bait.
Spammers are up to new scams and tricks by either filling up your email box with garbage and providing malicious links to websites offering harmful software. Let's face the facts, we cannot stop spammers. We can only educate ourselves about the threats that Phishing poses on our day to day lives. Spammers are mostly hackers or persons using dirty tactics to push their product onto innocent people. In our previous article, Online Phishers are out there - Don't get caught, explains in-depth what Phishing is.
It has been estimated by Barracuda Networks, a worldwide provider of email and web security products, that 90% to 95% of all email is spam. This statistics like this it is very apparent that spammers are little busier than the average legitimate business, or home computer user. There are many countermeasures people take to prevent their inbox from being infiltrated by spam emails. People also go to great lengths to protect their computers from attacks of the malicious files that spam messages contain.
Many computer users have spam blocker software running with their choice of email service. This has spoiled many computer users giving them a false sense of security. This false sense of security leads to the phishers finding new advanced ways of slipping computer users spam messages.
Real-Life Email Spamming Scam Video:
Recently Dateline NBC did a special on Email Spam Scams. It goes in depth on an actual scenario of how the scammer works from sending the initial email message and the let-down of not supplying the promised goods as stated in the email. This is just one part of the full aired special.
What are the Phishers doing to slip by your fishing nets?
Phishers are taking legitimate company information and placing it on emails to pass them off as an "important" or "crucial" email message. If you get an email message from your bank stating that they need to verify some information via their secure server web page, chances are this email may gain your attention over an obvious looking spam message. Scammers go to new lengths with doctoring up the email message with actual bank logos and common wording just like a normal email would read that is actually from your bank.
What else can we do if we already have a spam blocker or other protection software?
- Learn the newest methods that Phishers use to spread spam in effort to deceive computer users. Phishing scammers use new tactics everyday to masking their email messages to look even more legitimate. This gives the Phisher the upper and in having the ability to slip past any type of software that protects users against spam.
- Arm yourself with as much knowledge as you can. Continue to be mindful of the advanced tactics used by phishers and how they are always changing the game. Some scammers may use many other justifiable companies to pass off to you in the form of an email. Many of the more popular spam messages may use facebook, ebay, various banks, myspace, and even google as a company asking for additional information from you. Sooner or later the spammer will get to a person that has one of the mentioned accounts and all it takes is a couple clicks and entering of one account number and the hacker will have your information. Yes, it is very serious.
- Contact the proper authorities to consult with them about suspicious looking emails or messages. The FBI has an Internet Fraud Complaint Center set up at www.IFCCFBI.gov where you can submit a complaint. Other companies offer services to assist people who have fallen victim to phishers that distribute spam.
Spamming Tips: It is always a good practice to delete a message when in doubt. If the sender is actually someone you know and the message is important enough, they should be able to re-send it to you. Always carefully check the sender or source of any email message. Many times a phisher will use a misspelled common domain name in the email address to pass it off as something legitimate. Keep your banking contacts handy so you may contact your bank in the case that you receive an email from them that looks suspicious. It never hurts to ask or question a company about a specific email.