Phishing Explanation & Examples

What is Phishing?

Phishing is a form of theft where the intent is to steal your valuable personal data, such as Social Security numbers, credit card numbers, passwords, account data, or other information.

Why is it dangerous?

Regardless of which story the phishers use, if you fall prey to a phishing email, the end result may be unauthorized purchases using your credit card or an empty bank account or other financial account. Identity theft is also a very common result of phising scams.

How does it work?

A phisher will send you an email, an instant message or sometimes call you on the phone. The message may appear to come from a friend, a business (your bank), a government agency (the IRS), or some other entity. Common phishing scams typically claim to be credit card companies, banks, and major online retailers such as eBay, PayPal, and Amazon, as well as social networking sites like MySpace. Some phishing attempts are easy to identify because they claim to come from businesses or companies that you have never dealt with; others may be more difficult to identify, since they appear to originate from entities with which you do business.

A phishing message may indicate that the entity had problems with their computers or data and that they simply need to verify your account information so you won’t be inconvenienced next time you try to use their services. The email message might suggest that a suspicious purchase was made using your credit card, and that if you did not make this purchase, you need to contact them by using the link included in the email. Another example is a message claiming that you have just won the lottery, that you should go to the secure web link provided, enter your bank account information and they will deposit your winnings into your account. Another variation might be an email claiming to be from the IRS claiming that due to an accounting error, you are owed a refund. They ask that you go to a website and enter your banking information so that they can process the refund.

How can I tell if an email is a phishing attack?

Many phishing scams are very hard to detect. However, here are a few tips to help you determine if a mail is a phishing scam.

• Phishing scam emails often use poor grammar and spelling. They often appear to be written by someone who is not proficient with the English language.
• Remember that legitimate businesses should NEVER ask for personal or financial information via email.
• Legitimate businesses should not threaten consequences for not sending personal or financial information via email. Phishers often threaten to close accounts or turn off access to services if you do not send them the information they request in the email. This is not how legitimate companies do business.

How do I protect myself from phishing attacks?

Remember, legitimate businesses should NEVER ask you for your personal or financial information via email.

If it appears to be a phishing email, simply delete it.

Do not click on any links listed within the email message, and do not open any attachments contained within the email. Many phishing messages and sites not only attempt to get your personal information, they may also attempt to install malicious code on your computer.

Do not enter personal information in a pop-up screen. Legitimate companies, agencies, and organizations don’t ask for personal information via pop-up screens. If you get an email or phone call from a company posing as a company that you do business with, take the name and phone number of the person calling. Tell them that you cannot talk now. Look up the contact information of the business and contact them independently to verify the legitimacy of the phone call. If the call was not legitimate, email [email protected] and relay the information.

Review your credit card and bank statements, along with bills from any other companies with which you do business, looking for unauthorized charges or withdrawals. Choose strong passwords for your accounts, do not use the same password for every account and most importantly never save it in your browser. Remember that if you conduct business on the Internet, always make sure that the site you use to enter payment information is secure.

What else can I do to protect myself from identity theft and other forms of online fraud?

1. Protect your passwords!
   
   
   • Do not share them with anyone, ever (including Professors and Information Resources staff)!!!
   • Never login with another person’s password.
   • Choose difficult to guess passwords, also referred to as strong passwords.
   • Use alpha, numeric and special characters.
   • Change the password every semester.
   • Watch out for shoulder surfers (people who watch over your shoulder when you type in your passwords).

Tips for creating strong passwords

• Don’t use dictionary words (in any language.)
• Don’t use personal information (favorite sports team.)
• The longer the better, use at least 8 characters.
• Use UPPER and lower case.
• Use numbers and special characters ($,^,!)
• Use passphrases. “I can’t wait to finish school” becomes “1Cw2fskool!”


2. Make sure you have accepted and installed all critical patches for the operating system (OS) on your computer. If you need assistance with this, please contact the UTD Helpdesk at 972-883-2911.
   
   
   • Do it on a regular basis.
     • Windows machines- weekly.
     • MAC & Unix machines- monthly.
   • Most operating systems have auto update features.
   • UTD Helpdesk has CDs with all the latest patches and anti-virus available.
   • An un-patched machine will be compromised.


3. Make sure your antivirus software is fully updated. If you need assistance with this, please contact the UTD Helpdesk at 972-883-2911.
   
   
   • McAfee is provided FREE for UTD students on all machines they use to connect to the UTD network.
   • Configure McAfee to automatically look for and install updates.
   • Scan for viruses monthly.
   • Adware is also detected.


4. Always lock or log off of your computer before walking away from it!

Phishing Examples

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