| Fishing on the Internet has come a long way. However, | | | | just been assassinated, and he, the only remaining heir, |
| we TechWeb junkies like to call it Phishing. What I am | | | | is trying to escape. If you help him, he will give you lots |
| talking about here is not going after your ordinary, | | | | of dough! Right on! "Please e-mail and tell me of your |
| everyday catch. Yet a fine catch it indeed may be to | | | | decision. I am ready to pay you 25% of the money |
| those thieving bandits if they can lure you into giving up | | | | [$45.5 Million] for your help, 5% shall go for expenses |
| your personal and private information. Trickery is vast | | | | you might incur during the transaction. The remainder |
| and common on the World Wide Web. Beware, I say, | | | | [70%] shall be mine."Ok, ok, I am convinced; here is my |
| beware!Email schemes, called "phishing" or "carding", | | | | private bank account, my SSN, DL# and address. |
| attempt to trick consumers into disclosing personal and | | | | Please tell me what I need to do next. Are they for |
| or financial information. The emails appear to come | | | | real? Seriously though, if people didn't fall for these |
| from legitimate companies with whom consumers may | | | | types of stunts, there wouldn't be so many floating |
| regularly conduct business. I have seen scams appear | | | | around. Identity theft has become more and more |
| to come from such noteworthy corporation as AOL, | | | | rampant in this techno traveling world.Again I say, |
| Earthlink, Paypal, eBay, or major credit card issuers. | | | | beware.Many of these email schemes contain links to |
| Often times the email threatens termination of | | | | "look-alike" websites that are loaded with actual |
| accounts unless consumers update billing | | | | trademarked images. The websites then instruct |
| information.Phishing comes around in all forms. How | | | | consumers to "reenter" their credit card numbers, |
| many of you have had some Nigerian Prince that just | | | | social security numbers, bank PINs, or other personal |
| inherited 35 million US dollars offer to share it with you | | | | information. If consumers actually provide the |
| for one reason or another? How many of you have | | | | information requested, the data goes to scammers, not |
| received an e-mail supposedly from your bank that for | | | | the legitimate company whose name is on the site. |
| "security reasons" requests you to click a link that | | | | Thereafter, the data is often used to order goods or |
| takes you to an online form to fill out, requesting all | | | | services and/or to obtain credit in the name of the |
| your personal and confidential information about your | | | | consumer and potentially, steal your identity.Again, I say, |
| bank account?A word to the wise: there is no Prince in | | | | beware!Rule for the road:If you receive a precarious |
| Nigeria that needs your help, and your bank will never | | | | e-mail asking you for personal information, chances are |
| ask you for that info in an e-mail!The latest Internet | | | | it is a scam. It is better to be safe than sorry.By Greg |
| scam appears to come from the South African | | | | Richburg |
| Department of Mining. "Resources and we are in dire | | | | Netricks, Inc.All past articles written by Greg Richburg |
| need of a foreign partner to assist us in the receipt | | | | are available at Please address article suggestions to: |
| and investment of US$15,500,000.00..." All they request | | | | Greg Richburg is a Microsoft Certified Systems |
| is a secure place to deposit the lump sum on US | | | | Engineer and the owner of Netricks, Inc. a network |
| territory, and you will gain a large piece of the pie. | | | | consulting, web design and hosting company located in |
| WOW, what a deal!Another I received comes from | | | | Fresno, CA.Visit Netricks at Richburg also runs |
| Johnson Mgabe, the son of the leader of the Republic | | | | KlickCommerce, anInternet based marketing system |
| of Zimbabwe Agricultural Commission. His father has | | | | for Ujena brand clothing. See for details. |