Detecting "Phishing."

Inogenius

I consider you all my friends. I don't want you to get "phished" by some bastard in whatever random country.

First, let me explain what phishing is. Phishing is essentially attempt to steal your information. Often times, they will try to bait you into you giving up your information through an email. Many times you will get an email from what looks like a banking institution asking you to update your account, confirm your email address ... etc. This email will likely say it's coming from your banking institution, and even have their logo's on it. BUT that's not hard to fake.

So Terry, how can someone fake an email? It's really not that hard. When you receive an email, the server decrypts the email and breaks it up from the "headers" and "the body." The headers are basically the information for the server only. It says the outgoing mail server uses, incoming mail server used, email address to, email address from ... etc. For the large majority of people, you only see the body. The headers are left hidden, because they're usually useless information. For those of you feeling geeky, you see the mail headers in outlook by opening an email, going to view and then select options. By manipulating these email headers though, the phishers can essentially trick your local email server into thinking that it was sent out from your banking institution, when it really wasn't.

How do I know when I'm being phished? Sometimes it's really easy, other times it's quite hard. Often times, because phishing scams are not targeted... they're sent to any email address they can collect, you'll be able to tell because you're getting an email from a bank you have never dealt with. Other times, poor grammar will be a clue. But the best way to look is by examining the web address used. Right click on the link provided in the email, and select "copy URL." Paste it into notebook... don't even paste it into your browser. It's not worth the risk. You may notice the url is like, keybankcom.fuckyouphisher.com, or keybank.com@fuckyouphisher.com. These are both URLs that do NOT point to Key Bank's website. Instead, the first is essentially a sub directory of fuckyouphisher.com. In the second URL, there's basically a trick. Everything before the @ is ignored, so the only relevant part of the URL is "Fuckyouphisher.com."

If you have any doubts of the legitimacy of the email, don't click on the link in the email. Instead, type in the URL you know to be correct. If the bank truly needs to get a hold of you, they will.

Tyler Durden

Thanks for the heads up, not so much for myself (I work in Financial Services and know most of the rouses!) but for everyone else. Identity thraud in particular is one of the worlds fastest growing crimes.

I also find it (a) amusing that Terry thinks we're all his friends and (b) that a guy that knows so much about this matter does not know how to delete or look at his own PM's!!

Inogenius

Please tell me you don't work for Barclays!

Don't ask why ... they just don't like me.

Tyler Durden

Lol, no way. I work for a High Net Worth client only(!) Independent Financial Advisors. Not for a bank!!