FAIRFIELD — Chief Robert Kalamaras and the Fairfield Police Division want to present tricks to residents on methods to determine and keep away from frequent e-mail phishing scams.
Scammers typically use e-mail or textual content messages to trick people into offering private info. They could try and steal passwords, account numbers or Social Safety numbers and can attempt to use this info to achieve entry to non-public accounts.
The Fairfield Police Division warns that residents ought to NEVER give private info, social safety numbers or bank card numbers to folks by social media, e-mail or textual content.
In keeping with the United States Computer Emergency Readiness Team (US-CERT), frequent e-mail phishing scams that concentrate on residents might embrace:
- Enterprise alternatives scams
- Chain letters scams
- Work-at-home scams
- Well being and eating regimen scams
- Straightforward cash scams
- Funding alternatives
- Assured loans or credit score scams
Moreover, scammers typically pose as trusted organizations or firms. Frequent rouses embrace claiming that there’s a drawback along with your account or your cost info, or claiming that there was suspicious log-in exercise on an account and asking you to substantiate private info.
“All too typically, phishing emails look like from an organization or group that you recognize and belief,” mentioned Chief Kalamaras. “At all times be cautious of unsolicited emails or texts, and if you happen to do consider that you’ve got been contacted by a scammer, inform the police.”
Fairfield Police wish to share the next ideas from US-CERT to assist residents keep away from falling sufferer to e-mail phishing scams:
- By no means reply to suspicious emails.
- Don’t open emails from folks you don’t know or don’t count on an e-mail from. Pay shut consideration to the topic line, e-mail handle and grammar as these are sometimes preliminary methods to inform that an e-mail is a rip-off.
- If an e-mail, e-mail attachment or hyperlink appears suspicious, don’t open it, even when antivirus software program signifies that it’s protected.
- Set up spam filters.
- Set up antivirus software program and a private firewall and hold it updated.
To assist folks shield themselves from related scams, the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) provides a number of ideas, together with:
- Don’t reply texts or calls from unknown numbers.
- Don’t share private, figuring out info like Social Safety numbers, account numbers, or mom’s maiden names.
- Be cautious of anybody who talks rapidly and pressures you to decide rapidly.
- Don’t ship money by messenger, in a single day mail, or cash switch. For those who pay for a services or products with money or a cash switch, you run a threat of dropping the suitable to dispute fraudulent fees.
Any Fairfield resident who believes they’ve been contacted by a possible scammer, or who believes they might have been a sufferer of such a rip-off, ought to contact the Fairfield Police Division at 203-254-4800.
###
