-=PCTechTalk=- Verizon Warns Consumers: Beware of Online 'Phishing' Scam
- From: "Bashful Bob" <Bashfulbob@xxxxxxx>
- To: "PCTT" <pctechtalk@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
- Date: Wed, 18 Aug 2004 10:17:40 -0500
Aren't inovations wonderful??
I am sure this will spread and I post it because many of the list have cell
phones. Hope it helps.
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Verizon Warns Consumers: Beware of Online 'Phishing' Scam
Newest Scam Involves Attempts to Collect Credit Card Numbers
and Other Sensitive Information Through Fake Web Site
AUGUSTA, Maine, Aug. 9 /PRNewswire/ -- Verizon customers should be aware
of a new wave of scams that try to pry personal information from consumers,
which can lead to identity theft and other crimes.
The newest scam involves an authentic-looking e-mail from someone posing
as a Verizon representative. The e-mail asks Verizon customers to update their
personal billing information -- such as credit-card or social security numbers
-- and directs them to a Web site that is designed to look like a Verizon Web
site. The phony Web site is actually operated by the scammers. The e-mail
falsely warns the consumer that, in order to continue receiving Verizon
services, he or she must visit the fake Web site and avoid paying a
"processing" fee by updating personal and account information. Verizon does
not do business in this fashion, nor does the company charge consumers to
update their information.
This latest wave of scams directing consumers to phony Web sites -- known
as "phishing" -- has targeted a number of other industries and companies over
the past year.
"Consumers should be wary of any e-mail or phone call asking that they
reveal credit card or other sensitive information," said Jim Trainor, Verizon
vice president-security. "Verizon customers can call us via the phone number
on their bills, or they can visit our real home page -- http://www.verizon.com
or our Verizon Online home page, http://www.verizon.net -- if they have any
suspicions about an e-mail, phone call or letter.
"The bottom line is there are many scam artists out there willing to do
anything to trick consumers into giving up personal information or money,"
Trainor said. "Take the extra step and ask a question or call us if you have
any doubt at all."
Other Scams Also Threaten Consumers
In issuing its warning about "phishing," Verizon also made consumers aware
of several other scams:
* Pop-up ad questions -- This is another relatively new issue. Verizon
Online customers and other Internet access-provider consumers should
carefully scrutinize what they agree to when they click on Web site
pop-up ads and are asked to respond to a series of questions. In some
cases, dial-up consumers who clicked "yes" to several pop-up ad
questions have found their computer modems re-programmed to make
expensive long-distance calls. Pop-up ads are a legitimate way of
advertising on Web sites -- but consumers should read the fine print
and make sure they know what they're agreeing to when they click the
"yes" button in response to questions in such an ad. It could be a
costly mistake.
* Collect calls from unknown callers -- This is a relatively old scam
that has been surfacing again recently in several areas of the country.
Under this scam, a caller -- sometimes an inmate from a correctional
facility -- calls people through an operator and asks them to accept a
collect call by convincing them someone they know is in jail. In the
relatively rare circumstances where the called party accepts the call
and associated charges, the caller hangs up and the consumer is stuck
with a charge for the collect call. In some cases, the scammer stays on
and tries to convince the consumer to program his or her incoming calls
to be forwarded to another destination. In some cases, this can then
lead to the scam artist making additional long-distance calls that are
then charged to the unsuspecting consumer. The bottom line is: Never
accept a collect call unless it is from someone you know or from
someone whose identity you can verify.
* Callers or letter-writers masquerading as Verizon employees -- Verizon
has seen many different variations on this scam over the years, but the
overall purpose remains the same: trick an unsuspecting consumer into
giving up personal information that can be used to commit identity
theft or other crimes. In one variation of this scenario, the caller
identifies himself as a Verizon representative and says the consumer in
his or her most recent payment to Verizon paid more than the balance
due. In order to process a refund check, the scammer says, the customer
should provide some personal information that can be used to speed the
processing of the check. Again, Verizon does not do business in this
fashion. Any overpayments are automatically credited to the next
month's bill -- without Verizon having to contact the consumer or the
customer having to call Verizon. In general, if you receive such a
phone call, ask the caller for a callback number or simply hang up and
call Verizon via the business office phone number listed on your bill.
"By simply taking that one extra minute to consider whether something is a
legitimate communication from a trusted source, consumers can save themselves
both a lot of headaches and maybe a lot of money," Trainor said. "Usually just
one extra question or taking a minute to check out an e-mail or online ad is
enough for a consumer to stop the scammers dead in their tracks."
A Dow 30 company, Verizon Communications (NYSE: VZ) is one of the world's
leading providers of communications services, with approximately $68 billion
in annual revenues. Verizon companies are the largest providers of wireline
and wireless communications in the United States. Verizon is also the largest
directory publisher in the world, as measured by directory titles and
circulation. Verizon's international presence includes wireline and wireless
communications operations and investments, primarily in the Americas and
Europe. For more information, visit http://www.verizon.com.
VERIZON'S ONLINE NEWS CENTER: Verizon news releases, executive speeches
and biographies, media contacts and other information are available at
Verizon's News Center on the World Wide Web at http://www.verizon.com/news.
To receive news releases by e-mail, visit the News Center and register for
customized automatic delivery of Verizon news releases.
SOURCE Verizon
Web Site: http://www.verizon.com
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