There are several ways you can protect yourself from these phishing
scams. First of all don’t panic. Chances are that the email is
fraudulent and your account is safe and secure.
Step 1: DO NOT CLICK ON THE LINK!
Step 2: If you did click on the link, (most of us have done this at
one time or another, including the author) check out the header address
on the website. Legitimate companies have a simple address which
contains the business name, followed by “.com” or “.org.” If the header
address has an impossibly long string of letters and numbers with the
business name somewhere in the middle (or missing altogether), you’re
probably being phished.
Step 3: Close the email (and the phishing website).
Step 4: Go to official website of your particular company. You
probably know the address and have been there many times before. You will be
surprised at how much the official site looks a lot like the phishing
site; however, notice website’s header address; more than likely it
looks nothing like the phishing website’s header address.
Step 5: Go ahead and login to see your account status. Chances are
there is nothing wrong with your account. On the off-chance there is a
problem, you can fix it securely and safely from the official website.
Step 6: Look for a link on the official site to report your phishing
email and follow the directions for reporting the fraudulent email.
Step 7: Don’t worry. Go on about your morning business. Eventually
you will learn to recognize these phishing emails at a glance.
You can also report phishing scams to the Federal Trade Commission
(FTC) by forwarding the email to: spam@uce.gov and to keep up-to-date on
the latest scams by visiting: www.ftc.gov/spam.
If you suspect you’ve been scammed, file a complaint at: www.ftc.gov
and then click on the “file a complaint” button.