Phishing Alert

If you’ve got your own website, you may have received odd-looking emails asking you to verify your details. Network Solutions one of the major hosting and website registration providers has issued an alert to its users to watch out for these emails as they are a phishing scam.

So, what is phishing? Put simply: phishing is the practice of luring an unsuspecting Internet user to a fake website by using an authentic looking e-mail in an attempt to steal passwords, account information or other sensitive data. There are dozens of phishing scams baited by crooks hoping to steal your account and even identity via Ebay, Paypal, Amazon, your bank, GMail, and your webhost.

If you’ve been tricked by a phishing email into entering details and realize it quickly enough here’s what to do to protect your account:

Please be aware that fraudulent e-mails are being sent to some customers that include a link to a site that looks like networksolutons.com, but it is not. These e-mails intend to capture your login information.

1. Login to your account – if it has already been compromised call the bank, webhost or whatever directly and report a fraud
2. If you can still get into your account check the information for accuracy, pay particular attention to filters and forwarding in webmail and webhost account and to bank details in your Paypal and shopping accounts.
3. Change your password and create a new security question
4. Double check that the email address associated with your account is yours and not that of a fraudster.

Oftentimes, phishers will not stop you logging into your account, they may simply change one or two settings so that they get copies of all your emails and bank statements for instance and can then use these to tap off money from your account or to help them commit identity theft.

Read more here on how to spot a phishing scam.