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Fraud
Alert: Identity Theft
As
you probably know, there are numerous e-mail scams that exist
solely to obtain your personal information. The rather crude,
poorly worded and spelled e-mail scams of old have given way to
very sophisticated, realistic-looking messages that seem as if
they are from banks and credit card companies. These e-mail messages
all basically try to link you to another site where you part with
your personal information such as social security number, credit
card number, password, etc. This information is then used to attempt
the theft of your financial credit and existing account balances.
The
rule of thumb is: Do not part with your personal information by
e-mail, phone or letter unless you requested to do so in the first
place, not if someone requests it of you. When in doubt, telephone
the requesting bank, credit card company, etc. to verify. What you
will typically learn is this: No bank or credit card company will
solicit your personal information through an e-mail request. Given
the difficulty in investigating or attempting to prosecute individuals
sending these e-mail scams, we are asking that you do not fall victim
to them in the first place.
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