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e-Mail Services ProtectionBeware of spoof (fake) e-mails and Web sites
Spoof e-mails mimic the appearance of Web sites or companies in an attempt to commit identity theft or other crimes. By taking a few simple precautions, you can protect yourself from identity theft.
- Learn how to spot a spoof e-mail
- Do not click on e-mail links that request personal information
Warning signs of a spoof e-mail
- Forms requesting personal information within the e-mail. Do not respond!
- The "From" field of an e-mail can easily be altered and not be a reliable indicator of the true source of the e-mail.
- Many spoof e-mails will start with a general greeting such as "Dear AltaOne Member" instead of your real name.
- A claim that AltaOne is updating account information and that you must respond with this "missing" information.
- Many spoof e-mails will try to deceive you with the threat that your account is in jeopardy and you will not be able to access your money unless you update immediately.
- While our real e-mail will have links included, please keep in mind, these links can be forged by thieves.
- Many spoof e-mails will request that you enter personal information such as account number or password by clicking on a link inside the e-mail.
You should never provide contact, login or other sensitive personal information in an e-mail.
If you think you are looking at a spoof e-mail, open a new Internet browser and type the Web address of the link found in the e-mail into the address bar. When you press "Enter" it should take you to a legitimate Web site; if not, it is a spoofed address.
For example: Shown below is a sample of one of the e-mails you might receive when you sign up for E-mail Services. If a thief mimics the e-mail's appearance, any of the links might be mimicked as well. At the bottom of the sample is a link to AltaOne's homepage, www.AltaOne.org. It may appear to be AltaOne's homepage but the link could in reality take you to a fake Web site. A thief will code the fake link in the backend of the e-mail, intending to trick you. If the e-mail looks suspicious, copy the link into a new browser to go to AltaOne's legitimate Web site.
And remember, it never hurts to call AltaOne to receive the correct information!
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