Never reply to or click the link in an email like this one!
I received this email today and I usualy just delete them but today I thought of the readers out there that are not quite a "net smart" as I.
If you believe it is your bank or other instution really needing your information, call your bank and talk to them before ever replying to or clicking the link and giving them your information!
I will point out what to look for in scam emails like this by underlining. (The one I got today was a bad one but someone in a hurry might miss even the easy to see red flags it threw up)
From: technical-support_refnum-154hj@bankofamerica.com
Dear Bank of America customer,
Security and confidentiality are at the heart of the Bank of America. Your details (and your money) is protected by a number of technologies, including Secure Sockets Layer (SSL) encryption.
We would like to notify you that Bank of America carries out customer details confirmation procedure that is compulsory for all our customers. This procedure is attributed to a routine banking software update.
Please visit our Customer Verification Form using the link below and follow the instructions on the screen.
http://www1.bankofamerica.com/confirmdetails.jsp?portal=16esFBDgdszihrOrdn
Bank of America Customer Service
No virus found in this incoming message. Checked by AVG - http://www.avg.com Version: 8.0.138 / Virus Database: 270.4.6/1539 - Release Date: 7/7/2008 6:35 PM
Here are the problems I see.
- Banks and Online pay prossesors do not send emails requesting online information updates from you. And has your bank ever made you re submit your information when they updated software?. Mine hasn’t.
- The from email addy would never have a spacific "refnum-154hj" in the from address . There are other ways of routing emails per customer. Then they made the mistake of using BCC to send to others looking almost the same as mine (I left them out to respect their privacy… whats left of it lol). one "refnum" sent to multiple recipenants? I don’t think so!
- The Logo doesn’t look to bad eh?
- They talk about moving to a SSL server. DUH! If you have ever done online money transactions, they have been on SSL servers! (Or you got ripped of!)
HINT- any time you are giving some website secure info of any kind, ALWAYS make sure the URL (site address in the search box) starts with https: (normal sites use http: the "s" means it is SSL). Now notice the URL (link) they give for you to go and "securely" give them your info. NO "https://" !!!!
The only good thing I see about this email is my AVG virus scanner didn’t dectect a virus…..
If you do a lot of dealing online or are an Internet marketer and have your info all over the net, a little backup protection from Lifelock Identity Theft Protection is an affordable piece of mind!
Be carefull out there!
