Phishing
Using dastardly deeds to get account information
Why is it called phishing?
It is called phishing because the phisher sends out an email asking the recipient to change their bank details just as a fisherman would cast their line, some of the people who recieved the email will open the link and enter their bank and personal details, similar to how the fish bites the bait and gets stuck on the hook. The phisher will then gain this information to then use. Like how the fisherman reels in the catch.
How does phishing work?
Phishing involves fraudsters sending e-mails to people who use an on-line banking system such as HSBC, LloydsTSB etc. The e-mail will ask the user to update their account details, there will be a link on said email which will then take them to a fake website. The user will then be asked to enter their personal details and bank details. Once this has been done the fraudster can access the bank account.
Precautions to phishing
There are a couple of ways to prevent being phished. The main point is the ability to recognise when the information in the email doesn't seem to be legitimate. If you feel it is untrusty do NOT click on it. These e-mails may have some things to look out for such as spelling and grammar mistakes. If you do click on the link check the web address as it will be some strange words and not the name of the bank in the immediate part of the url. Another measure which people can take against phishing is to set up a spam filter in their email. This is easy to do and is a good precaution to take because it means that all emails which could be trying to phish details are diverted into the spam folder. This allows you to see which emails look suspicous and therefore not click on them.