Wharton Computing Student Support

Phishing Email Scams

Many people are plagued with numerous spam emails on a regular basis. A specific form of spam known as "phishing" is becoming quite rampant among email users. Phishing emails are a common form of email scams and are quite deceptive. These type of emails often come from what seem to be legitimate companies. They attempt to retrieve account or personal information from their target. The reader is asked to rectify an account problem by clicking on a link within the message. Once clicked, the link asks for personal information such as a credit card number or a social security number. In addition to attempting to obtain personal information from a website, hacking software is often secretly downloaded onto the victim's computer.

DON'T BE FOOLED!! Although these emails may appear to be legitimate, be on your guard. Question what the email says and who it is coming from before you follow the directions. Most legitimate companies do not do this type of business through email. Before responding to the email, try calling the company to see if the request is legitimate.

An example of a phishing scam that listed the sender as support@citibank.com is as follows:

Dear Customer:
Recently there have been a large number of cyber attacks pointing our database servers. In order to safeguard your account, we require you to sign on immediately. This personal check is requested of you as a precautionary measure and to ensure yourselves that everything is normal with your balance and personal information. This process is mandatory, and if you did not sign on within the nearest time your account may be subject to temporary suspension. Please make sure you have your Citibank(R) debit card number and your User ID and Password at hand. Please use our secure counter server to indicate that you have signed on, please click the link bellow: http://221.4.199.19/citifi/!! Note that we have no particular indications that your details have been compromised in any way. Thank you for your prompt attention to this matter and thank you for using Citibank(R) Regards,Citibank(R) Card Department(C)2004 Citibank. Citibank, N.A., Citibank, F.S.B., Citibank (West), FSB. Member FDIC. Citibank and Arc Design is a registered service mark of Citicorp.

A description of recent phishing attempts that have been plaguing students at Wharton and the University can be found on the University of Pennsylvania's computing website at:
http://www.upenn.edu/computing/security/phish/

There are several websites that address phishing scams and attempt to help people avoid being a victim of one. They include:

• Penn Information Security Department:
  Penn's information security department webpage provides detailed information regarding email scams and spoofs. It provides tips for how to avoid it and what to do if you have fallen victim to a scam.
  The webpage is: http://www.upenn.edu/computing/security/advisories/frauds_scams.html