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Home > Consumer Information > Personal Finance Topics > Identity Theft >Phishing
Phishing

Definition:

Brand Spoofing is a scam in which perpetrators disguise themselves as well-known companies and “phish” for personal information.

What are Identity Thieves Looking For?
Social Security Numbers 
Date of Birth 
Passwords or Personal Identification Numbers (PINS)  
Account Numbers (credit card, bank)
ATM/Debit Card Number

How is the Crime Attempted?
E-mails are often sent to people asking them to click onto a link (spoof web site). Disguising themselves as your company, they ask you to either provide, confirm, or update confidential information. The e-mails generally express a sense of urgency, importance, or threatening situation regarding your account. Even if you don’t provide the requested information, the act of just clicking onto the link makes your computer susceptible to Trojan Horses (key logging software) or other viruses.

You may not do business with the company or financial institution used on the scam. The perpetrators send e-mails to thousands of individuals, hoping to hit on a person who has an account or does business with the named company.

Common Subject Headers Used to Attract Your Attention:
  • Security Update
  • Proposed Account Suspension
  • Please Confirm Your Account
  • Fraud Check Verification
  • Confirmation needed
  • Dear Client of ______

Be on the Lookout For:
  • Spelling errors in the e-mail.
  • Awkward sentence structure (sentence fragments).
  • Links embedded in the message narrative that contain all, or part, of a legitimate company’s name.

How to Protect Yourself
  • Don’t open unsolicited e-mails, unless you’re certain who they’re from.
  • Don’t click on links in unsolicited e-mails. Doing so may allow thieves to access your computer, record your keystrokes, and capture your PIN and passwords, even if you don’t supply any information.
  • Change your password frequently. Create unusual passwords. Mix and match letters and numbers. Don’t use children or spouse’s names.
  • Consider using different passwords for different online accounts.
  • Install personal firewalls. Use the most current anti-virus software, and frequently update the software to guard against new viruses.
  • If in doubt about the veracity of the e-mails, do not open it.  Contact the company directly via telephone or send a new e-mail message to them.

The DOBI Public Affairs Education Section offers free Identity Theft programs to groups and organizations. Video clips are shown which illustrate different Identity Theft scams. Instructors explain the scam, offer preventive actions to help avoid them, and advise action steps to take if victimized. To schedule a free program for your group, contact the Education Section directly at (609) 341-2512, extension 50399.
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New Jersey Department of Banking and Insurance