Huntington Beach, CA (PRWEB) February 23, 2006

In recent years, an increasing number of troubling e-mails have been popping up around the world. Claiming to be from account managers of banks, official e-mails from a leading online auction site or payment service, these e-mails ask the reader to click on a link in order to update their account information. Claiming such events as unauthorized account activity, access or excessive use of funds, these troubling e-mails are sometimes nothing more than scam artists who are trying to gain access to private financial information.

When consumers click on this type of e-mail website link, they are transported to a website that is seemingly that of the company which the e-mail claims to be sent from. By disguising themselves to look professional, these websites prompt the user for information pertaining to their account and password.

The key to determining whether or not any e-mail website link is authentic is a lot simpler than many believe. Regardless of the return e-mail address, which can be falsified to look authentic, consumers are urged to look at the first line of the e-mail. Does it read, “Dear user” or “Dear member?” If so, the e-mail is most likely a fake. Why? Because most companies will identify you by your first and last name. If the e-mail were legitimate, it would not be impersonal. The second thing to watch for is poor grammar, misspellings and incorrect punctuation. Again, professional companies know how to spell and do not send out poorly written notices. The last, and final, factor in determining an e-mail’s authenticity is the link itself. While looking at the link, it may seem authentic but this is sometimes nothing more than a clever disguise. By placing the mouse pointer over the link, but without actually clicking on it, the actual website address will appear on the computer screen above the pointer. If the e-mail is false, the website address will not be the same as the company’s website address. The differences in the URL are often subtle, so close attention will reveal the truth.

In knowing what to watch out for in e-mail scams, consumers will remain in control of their accounts and other financial information. If information is divulged to false websites, there is a likelihood of accounts being emptied or being taken over by unauthorized individuals. Consumers are urged to guard their account information closely and only provide it to the supplying company. As a general rule, most businesses will never ask for your password via e-mail.

Contact Information:

Dana Goldberg

16835 Algonquin Street #411

Huntington Beach, CA 92649

http://www.securityprofs.com

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