August 2, 2004
Important Information on Email Scams:
A few days ago I received an email from the Cal NRA SDRRA Yahoo! Groups. The header looked EXACTLY like the headers of previous emails I had received from them. The only difference was that there was a file attached (indicated by a little paperclip icon in Outlook Express). I couln't recall ever getting an attachment from these guys before, so I deleted it. A day later, I received another message from the same email group regarding that message, which they, in fact, HAD NOT sent out. Evidently the attached file WAS a virus, and many of their subscribers emailed them to let them know they had sent a virus out.
Apparently, the technology these days is such that someone else can send out emails which look like they come from you. So those who receive the email and who TRUST YOU, open the document thinking it came from you, only to have a virus infect their computer, or maybe worse.
For this reason, ARM USA has decided to never include any attachments in emails sent out. Unless you specifically request a picture or file, do not open any email message purporting to be from ARM USA which contains an attachment. We will not include attachments in our emails, but will instead provide links to our website if necessary.
Received via email from Citibank 8/2/04:
For your account ending in xxxx
Dear So-and-so,
You may have heard the term “phishing” in the news lately.
In case you haven't, it's not just “fishing” misspelled. It actually refers to unsolicited email that looks like it's from a trusted institution — but in reality is an attempt to lure people into providing personal or sensitive account information on phony web sites. The information collected is later used to commit fraud.
Citi Cards holds your security in the highest regard. For that reason, we're working diligently with law enforcement, industry organizations, and governments overseas to shut down these scams permanently.
But there are a few simple things you can do as well to protect yourself:
Look for your “personal header” on all emails. For your protection,
effective immediately every email we send you will include your first name,
last name and the last 4 digits of your account number at the top of the email
in a “Security Zone”. Be suspicious of emails claiming to be from
us that do not include this information.
Never type account information into a pop-up window. Don't type account information into a pop-up window, even if it looks legitimate. We never request account information through pop-up windows.
Don't respond to emails asking you to verify information. We'll never send you an email asking you to verify information. If we have an issue with your records, we'll contact you another way.
Be suspicious of grammatical or spelling errors. These are usually indications
of a fraudulent message.
If you happen to receive a suspicious-looking email claiming to be from Citi
Cards, please forward it to spoof@citicorp.com. We have agents on staff around
the clock monitoring these reports and acting on them immediately.
If you'd like more information on phishing, please visit our “Security and You” module. Or, you can contact one of our Internet Security Specialists at 1-888-285-9696.
SECURITY / PROTECTING YOURSELF ONLINE
There are simple steps you can take to protect yourself from fraud while online,
such as never sending personal or financial information by email. (We'll
never ask for it.) For more information, please review the recommendations
of the U.S. Government and others at the following sites:
http://www.nipc.gov/warnings/computertips.htm
http://iisw.cerias.purdue.edu/home_computing/topten.php
© 2004 Citibank (South
Dakota), N.A.
All rights reserved.
May 6, 2004
EMAIL SCAM ALERT
Just today, I received 3 separate emails from different sources asking me to verify contact and account information. The emails were professionally done, and when I went and looked at the official sites of the supposed senders of the email (one was supposedly from US Bank and another claimed to be from eBay), the emails looked remarkably similar to those official sites.
So, scammers are getting very serious and sneaky about how they steal your information. These particular emails asked for account info, name, address, SOCIAL SECURITY NUMBER, credit card numbers, AND the 3-digit code on the card, among other things.
NEVER TRUST EMAILS LIKE THIS AND BY ALL MEANS NEVER COMPLETE THE ONLINE FORMS THAT THEIR LINKS IN THE EMAIL DIRECT YOU TO.
If you think you've already fallen victim to one of these scams, contact your
bank or credit card issuer and put a fraud alert on your account. If your identity
is stolen, you may need to protect yourself by contacting credit bureaus as
well. This link to the FTC's website is quite helpful.
http://www.ftc.gov/bcp/conline/pubs/credit/idtheft.htm
BEWARE and be careful!!