Zelle® Phishing Scams
How to Outsmart Sophisticated Phishing Scams
You’ve probably heard of phishing. But do you really know what it is - and more importantly, how to protect yourself from falling victim to it? Phishing scams have become very sophisticated, but there are some simple things you can do to help protect yourself and keep your personal information safe.
What is Phishing?
Let’s start with a basic description: Phishing is a type of scam where an attacker sends a fraudulent message to trick you into revealing sensitive information - often to access your accounts or commit identity theft.
Phishing attempts usually occur through email, over the phone, or via text message. They can be very well-designed to look or sound like legitimate messages from those you know and trust, such as your financial institution, and may contain a link that directs you to a fake website that looks legitimate.
Tip #1: Do not expect phishing emails to be filtered into your Junk mail.
Because they are often individually crafted based on information gathered on your social media sites, they can often avoid detection from advanced email filters.
How to Detect Phishing Scams
There are ways to avoid phishing scams if you know what to look and listen for. Be on the lookout for these identifying factors:
- Inconsistencies in email addresses.
- Unfamiliar greeting or salutation.
- Bad grammar, spelling mistakes or unusual language.
- Demand for urgent action.
- Requests for passwords.
Tip #2: Be wary of long text numbers.
If you receive a text message from an unidentified number longer than 10 digits, the odds are high it’s a scam.
More Dos and Don’ts to Protect Yourself
- Don’t click on links in an unsolicited email or text message.
- Don’t use the phone number a potential scammer provided in an email or text message.
- Don’t give out personal information such as passwords, credit card numbers, bank account numbers, dates of birth, or Social Security numbers.
- Don’t respond to suspected phishing emails, text messages, or phone calls, even if you think it would be fun to tease or trick them.
- Do be suspicious of anyone pressing you to act immediately.
Tip #3: Phone numbers and caller identities can be faked to look like the caller ID is from a business you know and trust.
Never trust that the caller ID is accurate. It is best to look up the company’s phone number on your own and call them.
If you detect suspicious activity, contact the alleged company directly. In the case of your financial institution, call at the number listed on the back of your bank-issued debit card, in your banking app, or the bank’s official website.