Watch out for official looking bank emails…
With the growing concern consumers have over identity theft, theives are becoming more and more inventive. The latest attempt is a phishing scam targeting customers of Bank of America and other major banking chains. An offical looking e-mail arrives bearing the logo of the bank with the subject “Important Account Notification” or “Confirm Your Details” which asks you to update or provide important account information. If you get an e-mail warning that your account will be shut down unless you reconfirm your billing or email address, or that the bank is “missing” information from your account, do not reply or click on the links provided in the e-mail. Report any suspicious activity to your bank immediately and call if you’re concerned…
Unwary consumers who click on the provided links will be directed to a bogus site that in all appearances is the real thing. But beware of their request for your account information – user name and password. Bank of American and other reputable companies never ask for sensitive information through email communications.
Consumers who respond to the email with their personal information will find themselves in a compromising situation – and an empty account!
If you’ve already submitted personal information in response to a suspicious, unsolicited e-mail, immediately contact your financial institution and, if necessary, close existing accounts and open new ones. Also contact the police and request a copy of any police report or case number for later reference. In addition, contact the three major credit bureaus (Equifax, Experian and TransUnion) to request that a fraud alert be placed on your credit report.