Your Bank Account has been compromised!

You receive an e-mail that is supposedly from your bank.  The e-mail claims that you need to re-verify your account number and other personal information.  All you need to do is follow the link that they provide.  If you follow the link they will attach spyware to your computer that will give them every keystroke that you type.  They can get all of your user names and passwords, your credit card numbers, account number and even your social security number if you type that somewhere.

If you receive something like this, contact your bank by their published phone number or type in their website and go to the contact us page.  DO NOT FOLLOW THE LINK.  Sometimes the link will go nowhere but other times it will take you to a login page that looks like it belongs to your bank.  Remember, any real bank will not ask for information in this manner.

In a variation of this scam you might receive an e-mail from a bank you don't use telling you that someone has attempted to change your password.  Your first reaction is that someone has opened an account in your name and you want to click the link to find out more.  Once again, don't fall for this.  If you want to pursue this contact the bank by a published phone number not one in the e-mail.

The Nigerian Scam

Probably the most well known but still successfully used scam is the Nigerian Scam.  Called this because the e-mailer claims to be a Nigerian Prince who is trying to sneak money out of the country since the current government is falling and all of his billions will be stolen.  What he needs from you is access to your bank account so he can funnel his money through your account to get it out of his country.

For your trouble he will give you 10% which will be anywhere from hundreds of thousands or even millions of dollars.  Once he has your bank account number, he will clean out your bank account.  The entire transaction could take place using e-mail or they might even use disposable cell phones (Prepaid phones which have no contracts and require no personal information).

There have been many cases where people have fallen for this scam.  I have even heard about small business owners, senior citizens and church secretaries falling for this.  The bottom line is: IF IT SOUNDS TOO GOOD TO BE TRUE, IT PROBABLY IS!!

This blog will serve as an information spot where people can come for help on spotting scams in e-mails and for adding their own experiences with scams to help others. We will expose the what, why and how about these scams. Don't be a victim. Find answers and keep yourself safe!