One of the latest phishing schemes is emails announcing that you have just received an online greeting card. They arrive in your in-box with subject headings like, “You’ve received an ecard (or greeting ecard) from a Neighbour (College, Family Member, Class Mate or other person)!”Now there are indeed legitimate greeting card companies that people use to send online ecards.

However, inside the email, you get two ways to get the ecard: clicking a link or accessing the companies’ website and enter with an access code that’s included in the email.However, these fake ecards with phishing schemes basically send you a link – and it’s full of mumbo-jumbo like lots and lots of numbers. And there’s no main website with a log in combination (user ID and password). The goal: to capture your personal and financial information (whatever they can get). Here’s an example of what the body of the phishing email may look like:

Hi. Neighbour has sent you an ecard. See your card as often as you wish during the next 15 days.SEEING YOUR CARDIf your email software creates links to Web pages, click on your card’s direct www address below while you are connected to the Internet: 92.133.34.49/?c634773958717b128MoreNumbersHere…

Or copy and paste it into your browser’s “Location” box (where Internet addresses go).

We hope you enjoy your awesome card.

Wishing you the best, Postmaster, Postcard.com

In a press release from the Greeting Card Association and the FBI (Federal Bureau of Investigation), head their advice to be safe:

• Check Subject heading and email for specific name of the sender. If ou do not know the person, delete the email.

• Don’t click on the links in these emails. Instead, go directly to the site and enter an access code that should be given in the body of the email in the ecard pick-up area on the site.

• Tell your family and friends about this scam, especially older people, so that they’ll know not to click these links and give out vital information. For older people, call them to confirm that they understand, even if you send them an email about this topic. Not all emails get through or are understood.

• If you received one of the fake emails, file a complaint with the FBI’s

Internet

Crime

Complaint

Center at www.ic3.gov .So next time you receive an email telling you that you just received an ecard, take precautions by heading directly to the publishing site first. And do not click on any links inside the card.

email scams, identity theft, identity theft protection, lifelock, LifeLock Benefits, Phishing

This entry was posted on Thursday, August 16th, 2007 at 7:28 am and is filed under Email Scams, Identity Theft, LifeLock, Phishing. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.