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WASHINGTON,
DC
–
Phishing is when identity thieves try to
trick you into providing your personal information by pretending
to be someone’s they’re not. October’s tips in the National
Consumers League’s “2007 Scam-Free Calendar” explain how
phishing works and how people can protect themselves and their
computers.
“Phishing often starts with a bogus email
that looks like it came from your bank or another trusted
source,” said Susan Grant, Director of NCL’s Fraud Center. “But
some identity thieves are even sneakier, secretly planting
programs in your computer to capture your account numbers and
other personal information.”
The nation’s oldest consumer advocacy organization,
NCL works to educate people about how to avoid rip-offs and make
wise decisions in today’s marketplace. Each month, the home page
of NCL’s
www.fraud.org Web site
features the calendar and tips for the month. Covering a range
of subjects from fake check scams to consumers’ “no call”
rights, the tips are sponsored by major companies, government
agencies, and organizations. The October tips about phishing
were sponsored by Verizon.
All of the calendar tips are archived at
www.fraud.org/calendar,
along with a “Resources for Consumers” page that provides
contact information for government agencies, consumer groups,
and calendar sponsors. The print version of the calendar was
distributed to consumers free of charge through agencies and
organizations around the country.
There are no printed copies of the calendar remaining.
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