What is Phishing?

"Phishing" is a general term for the creation and mass distribution of 'spoofed' e-mail messages and websites in order to deceive the recipient into disclosing their bank and financial account information or other personal data such as usernames and passwords. Because these emails look "official," recipients may respond to them. The "phishers" then take that information and use it for criminal purposes, resulting in financial losses, identity theft, and other fraudulent activity.
What is an example of Phishing?

Phishing attacks usually start with an email that seems to come from a legitimate source. The email includes links to sites that look real, but are in fact counterfeit. At this bogus site, customers are asked to enter personal information like account number and password. You might receive an email that warns you, with little or no notice that an account of yours will be shut down unless you reconfirm your billing information, do not reply, or click on the link in the email. Instead, contact the company cited in the email using a telephone number or Web site address you know to be genuine. Some recent phishing scams even play off of victims' fear of identity theft, asking them to login to learn more about recent attempts to steal personal information.

• What Are The Risks of Responding to Phishing E-Mails?  Phishers can use the data to access existing accounts of those Internet users, and withdraw money or buy expensive merchandise or services.

• Phishers can use the data to open new bank or credit-card accounts in the victims' names, and use the new accounts to cash bogus checks or buy merchandise. If the phishers open those new accounts with the victims' names, but use addresses other than the victims', the Internet users may not realize that they have become victims of identity theft until they are contacted by creditors or they check their credit reports.

• Recent phishing schemes have involved the use of computer viruses and worms to disseminate the phishing e-mails to still more people.
  What if I receive an e-mail from Plaquemine Bank and Trust Company requesting personal information? Contact us immediately at 225-687-6388. It is not the practice of Plaquemine Bank and Trust Company to request personal or account information from our customers via e-mail.

• What should I do if I think I have received a phishing email?
  Report it. Send a copy of the email to: reportphishing@antiphishing.org as well as notifying the company it was alleged to come from.

• What should I do if I have given out my personal information?
  Click and paste the following link for detailed information on what to do if you have given out personal information: http://www.antiphishing.org/consumer_recs2.html

Anti Phishing Tips:

• Check with your bank, credit Card Company etc. about their email policy. Would they send you an email requesting information?

• Hold your mouse over the link in the email before you click on it. Does the address in the yellow box match the address of the link? If not, it might be fraudulent.

• Go to any of the following websites to learn more about "Phishing.”