How Does Phishing Work?
Phishing usually happens one of two ways - by phone or by email.
Phishers sometimes use the phone, posing as customer service reps of your credit union, utility company, or service provider and asking for information such as account numbers or passwords. These guys may appeal to your sense of fear by threatening urgent and unpleasant consequences. Alternatively, they may appeal to your Good Samaritan side by making you think you’re doing the person a favor. Don’t fall for this act; no business should ever call to ask for your personal information.
Phishing by email works in a similar fashion. You may get an email claiming to represent your credit union or online merchant like eBay or Amazon. Usually, the email asks for some kind of account confirmation and provides a form to fill out or link to click. Again, these emails often carry a sense of urgency and dire consequences to try to get you to act rashly. Businesses should never email you to collect personal information.
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