| Phishing is a relatively new term, used to | | | | like your bank's web page, and send you there |
| describe the act of trying to get private | | | | through his fake bank email. You, under the |
| information from a person. This is usually | | | | impression that you are responding to your |
| done through the use of computers, but | | | | bank, type in your account numbers and |
| sometimes via telephone. The information | | | | password - and bang! The phisher has your |
| gained is then used to commit crimes - such | | | | details. He can now log on and empty your |
| as emptying your bank account. | | | | bank account. |
| | | | |
| Why the term "phishing?" The word "phishing" | | | | Another trick is where the phishers sends an |
| is really a play on words. In English, the | | | | email which instructs the receiver to call a |
| letters "PH" are pronounced the same as the | | | | toll-free number in order to sort out |
| letter "F." So "phishing" is pronounced in | | | | something with his account (such as a billing |
| the same was as "fishing." One of the | | | | or a payment). This toll-free number will be |
| dictionary definitions of fishing is "to seek | | | | set up to sound just like the service line of |
| something by roundabout means." Since | | | | one's bank, with an automated voice response |
| phishing is an action where one tries to get | | | | directing one to dial in one's account number |
| your personal information through the use of | | | | and pin code. Once the phishers has these |
| covert tricks and deceit, it appropriately | | | | numbers, he can of course use them to get |
| describes this criminal activity. | | | | into your account and transfer all of your |
| | | | money somewhere else. |
| How is Phishing Done? | | | | |
| | | | As you can see, quite some work goes into |
| Phishing is accomplished through the use of | | | | deceiving people in order to get their |
| tricks or schemes to gain your trust so that | | | | personal details. One is not dealing with a |
| you will give out your personal information. | | | | practical joke, when faced with phishing. |
| Your natural response to this statement is, | | | | |
| of course, "yeah but I am not so easily | | | | While the above is just one example, and |
| fooled." And of course you aren't. This is | | | | there are many, there are many more ways a in |
| why phishers use a technique called "social | | | | which a phisher goes about gaining personal |
| engineering". | | | | information, credit card numbers, bank |
| | | | accounts, Paypal account numbers, etc. The |
| "Social engineering" is a euphemism (a nice | | | | key strategy he or she uses is to pretend to |
| way of saying something) to refer to the use | | | | be a person or a company that you trust, and |
| of confidence tricks or the dishonest | | | | to use lies which trick you into giving out |
| manipulation of people. The manipulator uses | | | | information. |
| all sorts of tricks in order to gain your | | | | |
| trust, or to appear to be someone else who | | | | How Does One Deal With Phishing? |
| you already trust. | | | | |
| | | | Unfortunately, there is no anti-phishing |
| For example, you trust your bank, right? | | | | program that works like a antivirus program |
| Otherwise you would not use it to take care | | | | or Internet security program, although an |
| of your money. Well, if you get an email from | | | | Internet security program will definitely |
| your bank to verify your account information, | | | | make it harder for a phisher to hack into |
| or a request for you to log in order to | | | | your computer directly and steal personal |
| verify the payment of a bill, you would most | | | | information. |
| likely answer them. | | | | |
| | | | The only real protection against phishing is |
| Good, this is exactly what a phisher relies | | | | your own alertness on the subject. If you are |
| on. He will send you a fake email that looks | | | | aware that it exists and occurs, you will be |
| identical to an email from your bank. He | | | | more likely to spot it, if and when it |
| might even set up a fake web page that looks | | | | occurs. |