FRAUDULENT EMAIL SAFETY TIPS

Beware of email scams

St Thomas Police are warning citizens to be wary of emails where there is a solicitation for personal information.
Fraudulent emails can be difficult to detect. Successful fraudsters may use the names of legitimate companies (without authorization) or use similar-sounding names in hopes that the recipient will respond. This process is called "phishing."

Tips for email safety

• Do not click on links in emails from a sender you don’t know. The link may take you to a fraudulent website where you will be asked to enter your account or card information along with your Personal Identification Numbers (PINs) and passwords or other personal information.
• To log in to banking online services, always type the URL directly into the Address/Location bar of your browser or click on a link in a Favourites list that you have created.
• Do not respond to offers of money, threats of legal action or warnings about "compromised security."
• Do not provide personal or financial information to anyone in an email. Legitimate financial institutions will not ask you for such information via email.
Be suspicious of email attachments from unknown sources. If you do not know the sender of the email, do not open the attachment.

2011-08-02