TABLE OF CONTENTS Unless the victim has given identity or account information, phishing attacks are best handled by reporting them to organizations that collect and aggregate thousands of reports.
FTC Guidance: How to Avoid Getting Hooked by a Phishing Scam
If you get an e-mail or pop-up message that asks for personal or financial information, do not reply. And don t click on the link in the message, either. Legitimate companies don t ask for this information via e-mail. If you are concerned about your account, contact the organization mentioned in the e-mail using a telephone number you know to be genuine, or open a new Internet browser session and type in the company s correct Web address yourself. In any case, don t cut and paste the link from the message into your Internet browser phishers can make links look like they go to one place, but actually send you to a different site.
Use antivirus software and a firewall, and keep them up-to-date. Some phishing e-mails contain software that can harm your computer or track your activities on the Internet without your knowledge.
Antivirus software and a firewall can protect you from inadvertently accepting such unwanted files. Antivirus software scans incoming communications for troublesome files. Look for antivirus software that recognizes current viruses as well as older ones; that can effectively reverse the damage; and that updates automatically.
A firewall helps make you invisible on the Internet and blocks all communications from unauthorized sources. It s especially important to run a firewall...
