Electronic Mail Identity Theft

In this article, I will provide examples of fraudulent mails that will help you to protect your self against identity theft. Personally, I delete all mails in my box, unless it is directly sent to me for jobs, since I am a freelance writer. Any other mails are disregarded and deleted immediately without being opened.

Example of an electronic fraudulent mail sent from a bank online: This is merely a sample, redirected, but the information is similar enough that you can learn from it.

Dear customer:

We are sending you this email to inform you that after the bank has reviewed you account, we suspect that someone has gained access to your identity. Thus, the letter may continue claiming that your privacy and security is their first choice to protect you.

The letter may continue stating, for security precautions we have 'limited your account,' until further investigation is completed. Following the message, a short statement will claim that you must click the link below to be redirected to the banking site where you must login to access information for protecting your self against identity theft.

The salutation will state sincerely, your banking 'team.' Apologizes will follow and a statement claiming that the consumer should not reply to the email, since no response is available, thus clicking the link above and logging into the account is encouraged. This is an example of a Phishing Email, which include links to other sites. Few Phishing Emails may not have links. Stay alert if you are reading these emails, since the sender often has grammar errors, such as run-on sentences, or misspelled words.

Spam or Phishing mails are links to identity thieves often. The sender is attempting to trick the receiver into giving out personal information, such as banking routing numbers, bank numbers, PIN and passwords, Social Security Numbers and other valuable information that the perpetrator can use to steal your identity. Thus, the sender is cunning, since the email will often read as follow "yourbankonline" and so on. Thus, the email will appear to come from your bank. Most banks state clearly in their terms and conditions that the bank "will never send" emails requesting 'confidential account or personal information," especially sending links in the body of the mail.

If you believe that you responded to a Phishing Mail or Spam Mail, be sure to contact your account providers immediately, change your passwords and PIN numbers, and monitor your accounts frequently. Do not feel stupid, since we all learn more about identity theft each day, and we are the victims of such thieves, not the perpetrators. You have no reason to feel ashamed, guilty, or stupid. Some of the most educated people in the world has fell into the hands of identity thieves.

Other types of emails that you may want to consider are Spam mails that claim you have won x amount of dollars, please respond now. Other types of trick mail may not be sent with the purpose of stealing your identity. However, the mails open the door to identity theft, and since the company often tries to sell products, thus once they get hold of your information they will sell, rent, lease or give the information to other individuals and/or companies.

Mails, such as you won x amount of dollars, please respond now often come from foreign regions, thus they must be reported as Spam mails immediately. Never respond to electronic mails, unless you know exactly who sent the mail, and if you receive a mail from your credit card providers or bank providers, delete the mail, call your account holders immediately, and ask if any mail was sent to your box. Of course, you will hear the person tell you that mail is never sent online asking for your information, thus, you can alert the bank that someone is attempting to steal your identity.

It is important to report all Spam and Phishing mails by clicking "REPORT SPAM MAIL" at the top of your Email Window in Internet Explorer, AOL, or other service provider. Few people send the mails back to the sender without opening the email. Thus, it is a wise trick that frustrates the sender, which he may stop sending emails to your address after tiring of reading his/her own mail.

Tony Robinson is an International Author, Webmaster and Security Guru. Check out his Identity Theft Protection Tips at http://www.officialidentitytheft.com/