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What is “phishing”?

Article Number: 79 | Rating: Unrated | Last Updated: Mon, Jan 24, 2011 at 3:57 PM

Phishing is the act of sending an e-mail to a user falsely claiming to be an established legitimate enterprise in an attempt to scam the user into surrendering private information that will be used for identity theft. The e-mail directs the user to visit a website where they are asked to update personal information, such as passwords and credit card, social security, and account numbers that the legitimate organization already has. The website, however, is bogus and set up only to steal the user’s information. Add text explaining that your credit union would not send requests for this type of information via e-mail.