Don’t get hooked by e-mail scams

Learn to recognize a fake message from a phisher

By Tara Nolan

We’ve all received those annoying spam messages in our inbox — Reduce your debt; Lose weight while you sleep — the type of messages you instantly delete.

You’ve probably also noticed another type of spam lurking in your inbox, disguising itself as an e-mail from a trusted, legitimate source, such as a bank or Internet Service Provider (ISP). Upon opening the message, you are asked to provide personal information, such as a credit card number, a social insurance number or a password.

In another scenario, an e-mail directs you to a web site that appears to be affiliated with a well-known company. You are asked to reveal your personal information.

Find out what phishing is all about

It’s important to be aware of these fraudulent messages because if you inadvertently respond to one, you have been “phished.”

A phisher is an Internet scammer who uses an e-mail lure to fish for personal information such as financial data and passwords, according to the Anti-Phishing Working Group (APWG), an American industry organization with a mandate to eliminate identity theft resulting from phishing scams.

While Canadian-specific organizations are targeted less often than American ones, Canadians still get hit with phishing scams every day, says Michael Geist, a law professor at the University of Ottawa and technology counsel with Osler, Hoskin & Harcourt.

Following reports of an e-mail scam involving messages disguised as coming from Canadian financial institutions, the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) and the Canadian Bankers Association (CBA) issued a joint alert to Canadians to be “vigilant in protecting personal information such as bank card numbers, personal identification numbers (PIN), account numbers and passwords.”

Learn to identify a fraudulent e-mail immediately

Geist, who is also a part of the Canadian anti-spam task force, says he receives phishing e-mail every week.

Keep in mind it is unlikely that major institutions, such as banks and ISPs, are ever going to e-mail you to urgently request sensitive personal information. One of the main problems with e-mail from phishers is that messages can appear to be authentic because they try to replicate the logo and other branding attributes of the institution.

“Some are easy to spot because they aren’t very well done and have a lot of spelling and grammatical mistakes,” says Maura Drew-Lytle, senior manager of media relations for the CBA. Geist and Drew-Lytle suggest following these tips to protect yourself from a scam.

• Look at the address beside the sender’s name in the e-mail message.
• If you’re redirected to a web site, look closely at the actual URL to confirm it’s legitimate.
• Be suspicious of any e-mail that asks for personal information.
• When sharing any sort of personal information, use the same amount of caution in the online and offline world.
• Never give out your banking information or passwords.
• If you have any doubts about the validity of an e-mail, contact the organization to confirm. Use the company’s 1-800 number instead of any links or information that may be included in the e-mail.

To ensure you’re on a safe web site, look for the lock icon in the bottom right-hand corner of your browser. The lock icon indicates that the site is encrypted. Double-click the lock to look at the security certificate. The information shown should match the site you think you are on. And of course, always protect yourself with a firewall, and keep antivirus and anti-spyware software up to date.

Read more articles about protecting your personal information

• The Canadian Bankers Association offers a free booklet for Canadians called Safeguarding Your Money on how to be aware of and protect yourself from fraud.
• EarthLink, an American ISP, has a free ScamBlocker for all Internet users that will alert you when you visit a web site that is on its list of fraudulent sites.
• Bell Sympatico has information on spam as well as a feature to block spam from your inbox.
• Microsoft’s Security At Home site has a section with articles about protecting yourself from fraud and online scams.