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Phishing Tips

                      "Phishing" - The Hottest & Most Troubling New Scam on the Internet

Phishing is the term coined by hackers who imitate legitimate companies in e-mails to entice people to share passwords or credit-card numbers. Recent victims include Charlotte’s Bank of America, Best Buy and eBay, where people were directed to Web pages that looked nearly identical to the companies sites.  Tips on how to avoid the internet scam know as phishing:

If you receive an unexpected e-mail saying your account will be shut down unless you confirm your billing information, do not reply or click any links in the e-mail body.

·         Before submitting information through a website, look for the “lock” icon on the browser’s status bar. It means your  information is secured during transmission.

·         If you are uncertain about the information, contact the company through an address or telephone number you know to be genuine. 

·         If you unknowingly supplied personal or financial information, contact your bank and credit card company immediately.

Suspicious e-mails can be forwarded to uce@ftc.gov, and complaints should be filed with the state attorney general’s office or through the Federal Trade Commission at www.ftc.gov.

As always, report suspicious activity to Public Safety RIGHT AWAY! @ The Morningside Campus 854-5555 or 99 on campus. @ The Medical Center Campus 305-8100 or 5-7979 on campus.