Ansett
25 November 2005, 17:02
A statement from the US Bank website
- you can find the original here (http://www.usbank.com/cgi_w/cfm/about/online_security/index.cfm?redirect_id=r2400)
Recognize Identity Theft
How It Happens
Identity theft happens when someone acquires information such as name, date of birth, social security number, or mother's maiden name to impersonate you. Fraud is committed when these criminals access bank accounts, obtain loans, make purchases, rent an apartment, etc.
Who Can It Affect?
Identity theft can happen to anyone, regardless of whether or not you use the Internet. In fact, experts say your mailbox and garbage are likely targets for criminals. Although it's considered a felony crime, police can't help you restore your credit record and undo the damage that's been done. Proper precautions with your information are the best protection.
How U.S. Bank Protects You
Your protection is the highest priority for us. Our state-of-the-art tools and monitoring systems ensure your identity is safe.
Verification: for example, when you change an address, we request specific information about you to verify your identity before making any changes.
Account monitoring: : irregular account activity (multiple check orders, address changes, heavy withdrawals) prompts a phone call for confirmation.
Fraud detection: we have account-monitoring tools that recognize ID theft. We regularly receive information about known fraudulent addresses and phone numbers, and we compare them to new account requests and account changes.
How to Avoid Being Victimized
Never share your U.S. Bank Personal Password with anyone. Be wary of emails or individuals who ask for such information. We will never ask for your Personal Password via email or telephone. Sharing your password could allow full access to your account with your Personal ID or Account Number.
Never provide personal information over the phone unless you initiated the contact or know with whom you are speaking. Ask how your personal information will be used and protected and whether the information you're asked to provide is voluntary or mandatory to complete the transaction.
Only use your credit card number on secure Internet sites that use encryption (look for "https" in the URL or the lock icon in the corner of your screen).
To reduce unwanted mail and/or telephone, contact the Direct Marketing Association. (http://www.dmaconsumers.org/consumerassistance.html)
Risk-Free Guarantee
Our Risk-Free Guarantee protects customers from fraud loss. U.S. Bank Internet Banking is so secure that we guarantee we'll cover any losses if there's ever any unauthorized use of your account.
Email Fraud
Also called "phishing", email fraud occurs when large numbers of recipients are sent email messages referencing a well-known bank or retailer, without the knowledge of the recipient's relationship to that company.
Fake emails are sent by cyber-criminals and typically:
appear to be from legitimate banks, financial institutions or retailers using copied logos and content style.
link to fake and legitimate Web sites.
request confidential information like account numbers, personal IDs, passwords, card numbers and PINs.
attempt to elicit a response from a recipient who may or may not be a customer of that financial institution or retailer.
use stolen information to access a customer's accounts by combining all balances into one account and withdrawing the funds at ATMs worldwide.
Fake Web sites or pop-up windows are used to collect your personal information. Additional links to real Web sites can be incorporated into the email to lead you to believe the email is legitimate.
To increase response, cyber-criminals include upsetting or exciting statements in their emails. They want you to react immediately and respond with the desired information without thinking. Protect yourself by taking the time to examine the claims made in the email. If you receive an email requesting sensitive information, check its authenticity by contacting the company appearing to be the originator.
U.S. Bank will never send you an email requesting sensitive personal information. If you are a U.S. Bank customer and receive a suspicious email that references U. S. Bank, forward it immediately to this email address (fraud_help@usbank.com).
View examples of fake email. (http://www.usbank.com/cgi_w/cfm/promo/personal/phishing.cfm)
Domain Spoofing
First and foremost, this is a rare phenomena. Secondly, the SSL certificates that protect our pages cannot be falsified. The bank will never ask for personal information on a non-secure page. To verify a site's authenticity, click the padlock icon in your browser. This icon typically displays at the bottom of the browser window to indicate you are on secured page. A legitimate site will show a certificate with the name of the site you're visiting.
Protect Yourself Online (http://www.usbank.com/cgi_w/cfm/about/online_security/protecting_yourself.cfm) - Security Checklist (http://www.usbank.com/cgi_w/cfm/about/online_security/security_checklist.cfm) - Report Fraud or Identity Theft (http://www.usbank.com/cgi_w/cfm/about/online_security/reporting.cfm)
© 2005 U.S. Bancorp
Quoted here by Fraudwatchers.org for the convenience of people new to the internet and/or in the process of being scammed.
- you can find the original here (http://www.usbank.com/cgi_w/cfm/about/online_security/index.cfm?redirect_id=r2400)
Recognize Identity Theft
How It Happens
Identity theft happens when someone acquires information such as name, date of birth, social security number, or mother's maiden name to impersonate you. Fraud is committed when these criminals access bank accounts, obtain loans, make purchases, rent an apartment, etc.
Who Can It Affect?
Identity theft can happen to anyone, regardless of whether or not you use the Internet. In fact, experts say your mailbox and garbage are likely targets for criminals. Although it's considered a felony crime, police can't help you restore your credit record and undo the damage that's been done. Proper precautions with your information are the best protection.
How U.S. Bank Protects You
Your protection is the highest priority for us. Our state-of-the-art tools and monitoring systems ensure your identity is safe.
Verification: for example, when you change an address, we request specific information about you to verify your identity before making any changes.
Account monitoring: : irregular account activity (multiple check orders, address changes, heavy withdrawals) prompts a phone call for confirmation.
Fraud detection: we have account-monitoring tools that recognize ID theft. We regularly receive information about known fraudulent addresses and phone numbers, and we compare them to new account requests and account changes.
How to Avoid Being Victimized
Never share your U.S. Bank Personal Password with anyone. Be wary of emails or individuals who ask for such information. We will never ask for your Personal Password via email or telephone. Sharing your password could allow full access to your account with your Personal ID or Account Number.
Never provide personal information over the phone unless you initiated the contact or know with whom you are speaking. Ask how your personal information will be used and protected and whether the information you're asked to provide is voluntary or mandatory to complete the transaction.
Only use your credit card number on secure Internet sites that use encryption (look for "https" in the URL or the lock icon in the corner of your screen).
To reduce unwanted mail and/or telephone, contact the Direct Marketing Association. (http://www.dmaconsumers.org/consumerassistance.html)
Risk-Free Guarantee
Our Risk-Free Guarantee protects customers from fraud loss. U.S. Bank Internet Banking is so secure that we guarantee we'll cover any losses if there's ever any unauthorized use of your account.
Email Fraud
Also called "phishing", email fraud occurs when large numbers of recipients are sent email messages referencing a well-known bank or retailer, without the knowledge of the recipient's relationship to that company.
Fake emails are sent by cyber-criminals and typically:
appear to be from legitimate banks, financial institutions or retailers using copied logos and content style.
link to fake and legitimate Web sites.
request confidential information like account numbers, personal IDs, passwords, card numbers and PINs.
attempt to elicit a response from a recipient who may or may not be a customer of that financial institution or retailer.
use stolen information to access a customer's accounts by combining all balances into one account and withdrawing the funds at ATMs worldwide.
Fake Web sites or pop-up windows are used to collect your personal information. Additional links to real Web sites can be incorporated into the email to lead you to believe the email is legitimate.
To increase response, cyber-criminals include upsetting or exciting statements in their emails. They want you to react immediately and respond with the desired information without thinking. Protect yourself by taking the time to examine the claims made in the email. If you receive an email requesting sensitive information, check its authenticity by contacting the company appearing to be the originator.
U.S. Bank will never send you an email requesting sensitive personal information. If you are a U.S. Bank customer and receive a suspicious email that references U. S. Bank, forward it immediately to this email address (fraud_help@usbank.com).
View examples of fake email. (http://www.usbank.com/cgi_w/cfm/promo/personal/phishing.cfm)
Domain Spoofing
First and foremost, this is a rare phenomena. Secondly, the SSL certificates that protect our pages cannot be falsified. The bank will never ask for personal information on a non-secure page. To verify a site's authenticity, click the padlock icon in your browser. This icon typically displays at the bottom of the browser window to indicate you are on secured page. A legitimate site will show a certificate with the name of the site you're visiting.
Protect Yourself Online (http://www.usbank.com/cgi_w/cfm/about/online_security/protecting_yourself.cfm) - Security Checklist (http://www.usbank.com/cgi_w/cfm/about/online_security/security_checklist.cfm) - Report Fraud or Identity Theft (http://www.usbank.com/cgi_w/cfm/about/online_security/reporting.cfm)
© 2005 U.S. Bancorp
Quoted here by Fraudwatchers.org for the convenience of people new to the internet and/or in the process of being scammed.