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from the issue of December 8, 2005
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Phishing scam targets UNL inboxes
UNIVERSITY COMMUNICATIONS
A series of e-mails directed at UNL inboxes have sounded an alert from the University of Nebraska Federal Credit Union.
According to credit union officials, university employees have been receiving e-mails from individuals posing as the National Credit Union Administration, Credit Union National Association and other related organization. However, the e-mails are a phishing scam in which the perpetrators attempt to trick people into providing Social Security numbers, account information, PIN codes, mothers' maiden names and other financial information.
E-mail is the most common form of phishing. The sender pretends to be from a legitimate retailer, bank or government agency and asks the recipient to confirm personal information for a made-up reason. Phishers often say they are from fraud departments of well-known companies and ask for verification of information because they suspect you are a victim of identity theft. Other popular phishing techniques include an account is about to be closed without verification of financial information, an order for something has been placed in the recipient's name, or information has been lost due to a computer error.
"Don't click on the link in an e-mail that asks for personal information," said Bob Torell, president of the University of Nebraska Federal Credit Union. "It will take you to a phony web site that looks just like the web site of the real company or agency.
"If you follow the instructions by entering your personal information on the web site, you will be giving criminals everything they need to steal your money and possibly your identity."
If recipients believe the e-mail to be genuine, Tyler Schmidt, a sergeant with University Police, said individuals should contact the company directly.
"If (an e-mail message) is asking for confidential or private information, the first thing to do is contact that company on the telephone and verify the e-mail," Schmidt said. "A lot of companies address these types of situations on their web pages, telling you what to look for to identify what is a real e-mail message."
Torell also said the majority of financial institutions do not request personal information via e-mail.
"It is important to remember that no legitimate financial institution would ever ask you for this information in an e-mail," Torell said.
Phishing can also happen on the telephone, with calls from individuals pretending to be from a company or government agency requesting information. Always use caution when contacted out of the blue for personal information.
Also, Schmidt said when making transactions on the Internet, always look for an "S" at in the address bar. He said the "S" indicates a secure website.
The best way to deal with suspicious e-mail messages is to delete them.
Individuals who have given private financial information to a suspected phishing scheme should contact companies who they have accounts with immediately and continue to monitor credit history in the future.
For information on phishing and other financial scams, go online to www.nufcu.org or www.fraud.org. Questions can also be directed to Angela Koch or Torell at 472-2087.
GO TO: ISSUE OF DECEMBER 8
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